The Head And The Heart widen the lens on tough emotions with their upcoming album: ‘Aperture’
On March 26, 2025, °1824 held a press conference with five out of the six members of folk indie band, The Head And The Heart about their upcoming sixth studio album, Aperture that’s set to release on May 9th.
Coming out of their previous era, “Every Shade of Blue” their fifth studio album released in 2022, the band is ready for a redirection in their style. After being a band for over 14 years, they thought they knew everything there was to know about each other. However, through the exploration of emotions, sounds, and direction, The Head And The Heart have grown closer than ever before.
The title Aperture is more commonly known as a photography term for the space where the light shines through into the camera. Tyler Williams, the band’s drummer, said it meant the idea of getting back together as a band and taking themselves and the listener on a journey. “[The album is a] Journey between light and dark, and all the emotions in between,” Williams said.
The central theme of this album is allowing themselves to be vulnerable and open by letting the light in, almost sweeping out the dark in understanding it. This album being entirely self produced by these six really solidifies that. Matt Gervais, guitarist and vocalist said, “Coming out of the pandemic was definitely the big, kind of, eye opener about what our role in life is and what we do as artists and as band.”
Williams and singer Charity Rose Thielen talked a lot about their creative process throughout the making of the album. Thielen called it a “return” to not only their previous albums but getting down to the raw form of the music. “Now we’ve been through many studios, through many albums and we’re realizing, oh let’s actually limit to what we’re gonna play in a room. And kind of getting to that raw, pure point as a band,” said Thielen. The singles they have currently released off the album, “After The Setting Sun,” “Time With My Sins,” and “Arrow” are a testament to what they can accomplish when they feel strong as a cohesive unit.
Gervais and Williams elaborated more on how these tracks explore embracing all the moments of the present but play on contradictions. They explained how playing off of light and dark, life and death, is their way of handling the highs and lows. The band even let us into their own personal lives talking a lot about their battles with addiction, anxiety, loss, and relationships.
They’re all able to tackle the rough times with the help of therapy, music, and obviously one another. And living in their shared experiences and pouring all of their souls into the project has already resonated with their audience in the tracks they released.
There’s nothing like sharing your experience and hardships through a piece of music. It’s a sense of connectivity and feeling like you belong. As the bridge of “After The Setting Sun” puts it, “Oh sometimes hearts disappear this way/And I know how it feels when it’s takenaway/And I know/The more you let it go, the more you’re alive.” It’s the emotions of heartbreak and loss within music that can make a difference in people’s lives.
The band is currently rehearsing their upcoming tour of the album, so when asked what songs they are most excited to play live, everyone had input. Williams said he’s ready for the pop-punk resurgence with “Jubilee.” He grew up playing along and listening to classic punk bands, so this song made him relive all those childhood memories. Pianist, Kenny Hensley said he’s most excited about “West Coast” because it’s the rare occasion he offered up his vocals on a track. Thielen said she’s ready to perform the title track, “Aperture,” since they haven’t touched it since recording. It’s definitely one that the entire group is ready to dig their creative hands into again.
One song I would put on your radar for the release is “Cop Car,” the majority written by guitarist and vocalist, Jonathan Russell. “Cop Car” was created from a stream-of-consciousness take that Russell did in one session. He uses the imagery of being in a cop car as the “through line” for the basis of the song. “These flashing blue lights in the night time, and you’re kind of like driving through this city, you know, dwelling on choices you’ve made in your life and consequences that are probably on the horizon,” Russell said. This track didn’t need to be nice or pretty or perfect; it’s a collage of grappling with tough choices and how they affect those around you.
The Head And The Heart are not only extremely talented individuals but extremely brave in the way they can be completely vulnerable with one another. As Williams said, “This album was about destroying that wall and being okay with what comes with that.” That’s the value of having good collaborators who trust you enough to bare your soul.
As for what song you should listen to first, the band joked that you should sit in a quiet room in front of a blank wall and listen to the album straight through. All kidding aside, “Arrow” and “Time With My Sins” are a good place to start because they represent their new era, sound, and moment.
With the world of music being limitless, The Head And The Heart are just getting started. The rebirth of spring and “Aperture” is proving to be just what this band needs to let the light into all of those scary emotions. Be sure to look out for the Aperture release on May 9th; you can find it wherever you stream your music!