Heartless Bastards
The first ear-connection I had with Heartless Bastards was on 6 Music. Erika Wennerstrom’s voice blew me away as it is undeniably ‘different’. I think you either love or hate it. Myself and 33,754 others (facebook fans alone) love it. I managed to catch their one-only gig in Switzerland a couple of months ago and Erika Wennerstrom’s voice didn’t seem to match up with her slight frame – A deep, southern, fine-sand-paper twang full of fragility – like it’s just about to break. They played hard to a semi warm appreciative audience and It reminded me again, how much dedication, bloody-mindedness, stubborn determination and a soupscon of madness you have to have to arrive at your goals in the music business. Their sound to me is a mix of grey-granite rock, wide-open prairies, mountain ranges, pools of blood, sweat and tears and heart-ache. They have been likened to The Black Keys- who are fellow Ohioions.
The Heartless Bastards had different line-up at the very beginning in 2003, with Erika Wennerstrom on vocals, piano and guitar, Dave Colvin on drums, Adam McAllister on bass and Michael Weinel on lead guitar. They played their first live show at The Comet bar in Cincinnati 2003 and have meandered their way through the circuits and festivals ever since. The present day members are Erika Wennerstrom, Jesse Ebaugh (bass), Dave Colvin (drums), and Mark Nathan (guitar). They’ve now got their fourth album Arrow (2012) under their belts and it’s not one to miss. Check them out on: www.theheartlessbastards.com Here’s a taster of their brilliance: Nothing Seems The Same, live at SXSW.
Got To Have Rock n Roll
reverbmusicblog 
Leave a Reply