Indie folk debut contributes nothing new

What do you get when you mix the Avett Brothers, the Beatles and every other indie-folk band you’ve ever heard of?

Why, you get the Head and the Heart’s self-titled debut, soon to be released on Sub Pop.

While the Head and the Heart don’t bring many new things to the folk genre, the album has a few redeeming qualities that make it worth hearing. Foremost, the standout track, “Down in the Valley,” is epically constructed, and its dynamism and group vocals make it a repeat listen. Tracks like “Cats and Dogs” and “Ghosts” have a charmingly quaint country feel to them, occasionally infused with strings and jangly, vaudeville piano lines.
 
Referencing “rooster-claws,” “Bibles” and “lonely days,” the album is everything you would expect it to be but rarely anything more.

The Head and the Heart prove it has an ear for harmony. However, the band doesn’t separate itself from its influences enough to be anything more than a good opening act for the Low Anthem, Vampire Weekend or (unfortunately) Dave Matthews Band.