The Heavy Heavy Hearts

Talk about a powerful debut. Los Angeles’ newest blues-infused band The Heavy Heavy Hearts have arrived, and their debut EP Dirty Lies is enough to make any rock ‘n roll enthusiast take notice. Released shortly after the band formed last fall, Dirty Lies places The Heavy Heavy Hearts on the must-watch list for 2013.

Featuring Beau James Wigington on lead vocals and guitar, Anthony Mancini on lead guitar, Clark Singleton on bass and Ralph Alexander on drums, The Heavy Heavy Hearts launch Dirty Lies with its namesake track, a song that starts out fuzzy à la The Black Keys before cueing a hefty drumbeat and turning up the volume. The boys reveal a bit of their country influences on “Pair of Broken Hearts” by matching gospel-styled keyboard riffs with the plucking of a recurring banjo. “Pair of Broken Hearts” emerges as one of the EP’s most telling songs, a melting pot of genres that applies irresistible beats from start to finish and allows Wigington to put his voice through its paces. “Bottom of the Bottle” finds The Heavy Heavy Hearts speeding things up again as Wigington revives the time-honored blues tradition of facing inner demons as the song’s narrator engages in a battle that lands him at the bottom of a whiskey bottle.

While songs like “Dirty Lies” and “Bottom of the Bottle” show the group leaning heavily into rock and the frenetic pace of “Lonely Man” embodies any drummer’s musical paradise, The Heavy Heavy Hearts never stray far from their old blues roots. “Your Man” centers the record with an easygoing and very bluesy opening riff, giving its listeners a breather as the band brings their music to new depths. Dirty Lies winds down with “Out On My Own,” a reflective track that acts as a sobering reminder of the band members’ shared youth. Despite the considerable skill and controlled musical power presented on this first record, The Heavy Heavy Hearts are just getting started – and the road ahead is looking good.

The Review: 9/10

The Big Hit

- Dirty Lies - Blues Rock Review

Talk about a powerful debut. Los Angeles’ newest blues-infused band The Heavy Heavy Hearts have arrived, and their debut EP Dirty Lies is enough to make any rock ‘n roll enthusiast take notice. Released shortly after the band formed last fall, Dirty Lies places The Heavy Heavy Hearts on the must-watch list for 2013.

Featuring Beau James Wigington on lead vocals and guitar, Anthony Mancini on lead guitar, Clark Singleton on bass and Ralph Alexander on drums, The Heavy Heavy Hearts launch Dirty Lies with its namesake track, a song that starts out fuzzy à la The Black Keys before cueing a hefty drumbeat and turning up the volume. The boys reveal a bit of their country influences on “Pair of Broken Hearts” by matching gospel-styled keyboard riffs with the plucking of a recurring banjo. “Pair of Broken Hearts” emerges as one of the EP’s most telling songs, a melting pot of genres that applies irresistible beats from start to finish and allows Wigington to put his voice through its paces. “Bottom of the Bottle” finds The Heavy Heavy Hearts speeding things up again as Wigington revives the time-honored blues tradition of facing inner demons as the song’s narrator engages in a battle that lands him at the bottom of a whiskey bottle.

While songs like “Dirty Lies” and “Bottom of the Bottle” show the group leaning heavily into rock and the frenetic pace of “Lonely Man” embodies any drummer’s musical paradise, The Heavy Heavy Hearts never stray far from their old blues roots. “Your Man” centers the record with an easygoing and very bluesy opening riff, giving its listeners a breather as the band brings their music to new depths. Dirty Lies winds down with “Out On My Own,” a reflective track that acts as a sobering reminder of the band members’ shared youth. Despite the considerable skill and controlled musical power presented on this first record, The Heavy Heavy Hearts are just getting started – and the road ahead is looking good.

The Review: 9/10

The Big Hit

- Dirty Lies - Blues Rock Review

After a night of drinks, dancing, and onstage serenades, one thing is clear: The Heavy Heavy Hearts are not your average rock band. With instruments in hand, The Heavy Heavy Hearts appear charismatic and comfortable in the spotlight; offstage, they are four guys who enjoy teasing each other and chatting with concert-goers over drinks – preferably whiskey, the band’s beverage of choice.

For a band still in its infancy, The Heavy Heavy Hearts are juggling a lot: their explosive debut EP Dirty Lies and the raw talents of lead singer/guitarist Beau James Wigington, drummer Ralph Alexander, lead guitarist Anthony Mancini and bassist Clark Singleton are one thing, but add licensing talks, label searches, and a love for live shows, and life in a band suddenly gets much busier. Still, playing the blues and having a good time doing so remains the band’s Priority Number One, and as for the heartache, embarrassing moments, and small crowds they might face in the meantime? Well hey, that’s just part of the journey.

There are a few things one doesn’t necessarily expect to see or hear while attending a blues rock concert. For instance, listening to the bassist and guitarist tuning their instruments with Pink’s “So What” riff before a set is not expected; neither is watching the lead vocalist sing freestyle karaoke to A-ha’s “Take On Me” with a new fan after the show, or hearing band members admit to closeted Jeff Buckley obsessions. Yet during their first show in San Diego, CA at The Ruby Room, The Heavy Heavy Hearts unabashedly participated in these activities and so many others. Taken in stride with the group’s Robert Johnson fascination, Mancini’s behind-the-head guitar soloing, and Wigington’s experience discovering the perfect riff after a moonlit night at “The Crossroads,” The Heavy Heavy Hearts demonstrated that where it really counts, their blood runs blue.

While some artists play the blues, The Heavy Heavy Hearts live the blues. “Every song I write is based on a story,” Wigington explained in a pre-show interview at The Ruby Room. “Beau isn’t acting,” Mancini added of the group’s head songwriter. “Every single thing and every single song has happened.” Determined to maintain their lyrics’ emotional edge moving forward, the band is also struggling to identify their place in the Los Angeles blues scene currently on the rise. As the group’s recurring southern roots sound indicates, not one band member claims their L.A. base as a hometown (Mancini hails from New York, while Wigington, Alexander and Singleton are from North Carolina); but rather than relocate to bluesy hotspots like Nashville or Austin, The Heavy Heavy Hearts prefer playing iconic venues like the Whisky A Go Go in L.A. where legends abound and priceless connections hide around every corner. “If you can make a splash in a city like L.A., if you can be a big fish in that big of a pond, that’s a big deal,” Mancini pointed out. “But we’re happy there.”

How did The Heavy Heavy Hearts initially come together?

Wigington: It started last July. I had set up to record a six song EP, it was just going to be a solo thing to use for licensing. I met Ralph earlier – I auditioned for a band, didn’t make it, but I kept in contact with Ralph. I really liked playing with him, and he came in on the EP and knocked it out of the park. Anthony came in last-minute. I’d seen him in a band called Night On Fire and thought he was an awesome blues player, thought he’d be great for the EP. Clark – I used to be in a bluegrass band with him in North Carolina. He flew out to record on the EP. After the whole recording process, I was booked to play at the Whisky [Whisky A Go Go] the Wednesday after we finished, and Ralph was like, “Yeah, I’ll play,” and we asked Anthony and he was like, “Yeah.” After that show, we really decided to make it a band, and we went through a few bass players before Clark finally moved out here from North Carolina.

What first inspired you to go into music?

Alexander: My mom and dad always listened to a lot of music. They always knew I wanted to play drums, but it took my mom a long time before she actually bought a drum set for me. She’d always say, “Try piano,” or “Try violin.” She wanted one of those kid prodigies that would play violin or something. But I always wanted drums, and finally she got me a drum set. But she always played music in the house. My dad was a big Clapton fan – he always listened to Clapton. If I hear anything Eric Clapton, I think of him. And my mom was very much into blues too, so it was always a house full of music for me.

Mancini: My dad’s a blues player, and my grandfather’s really into ‘50s and ‘60s rock. Blues has always been a really popular thing in my family for parties and stuff; if there’s ever a family function, if it isn’t classic rock playing, it’s Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert Collins. I grew up surrounded by it. Music always kind of came easy to me – like picking up the - Blues Rock Review

After a night of drinks, dancing, and onstage serenades, one thing is clear: The Heavy Heavy Hearts are not your average rock band. With instruments in hand, The Heavy Heavy Hearts appear charismatic and comfortable in the spotlight; offstage, they are four guys who enjoy teasing each other and chatting with concert-goers over drinks – preferably whiskey, the band’s beverage of choice.

For a band still in its infancy, The Heavy Heavy Hearts are juggling a lot: their explosive debut EP Dirty Lies and the raw talents of lead singer/guitarist Beau James Wigington, drummer Ralph Alexander, lead guitarist Anthony Mancini and bassist Clark Singleton are one thing, but add licensing talks, label searches, and a love for live shows, and life in a band suddenly gets much busier. Still, playing the blues and having a good time doing so remains the band’s Priority Number One, and as for the heartache, embarrassing moments, and small crowds they might face in the meantime? Well hey, that’s just part of the journey.

There are a few things one doesn’t necessarily expect to see or hear while attending a blues rock concert. For instance, listening to the bassist and guitarist tuning their instruments with Pink’s “So What” riff before a set is not expected; neither is watching the lead vocalist sing freestyle karaoke to A-ha’s “Take On Me” with a new fan after the show, or hearing band members admit to closeted Jeff Buckley obsessions. Yet during their first show in San Diego, CA at The Ruby Room, The Heavy Heavy Hearts unabashedly participated in these activities and so many others. Taken in stride with the group’s Robert Johnson fascination, Mancini’s behind-the-head guitar soloing, and Wigington’s experience discovering the perfect riff after a moonlit night at “The Crossroads,” The Heavy Heavy Hearts demonstrated that where it really counts, their blood runs blue.

While some artists play the blues, The Heavy Heavy Hearts live the blues. “Every song I write is based on a story,” Wigington explained in a pre-show interview at The Ruby Room. “Beau isn’t acting,” Mancini added of the group’s head songwriter. “Every single thing and every single song has happened.” Determined to maintain their lyrics’ emotional edge moving forward, the band is also struggling to identify their place in the Los Angeles blues scene currently on the rise. As the group’s recurring southern roots sound indicates, not one band member claims their L.A. base as a hometown (Mancini hails from New York, while Wigington, Alexander and Singleton are from North Carolina); but rather than relocate to bluesy hotspots like Nashville or Austin, The Heavy Heavy Hearts prefer playing iconic venues like the Whisky A Go Go in L.A. where legends abound and priceless connections hide around every corner. “If you can make a splash in a city like L.A., if you can be a big fish in that big of a pond, that’s a big deal,” Mancini pointed out. “But we’re happy there.”

How did The Heavy Heavy Hearts initially come together?

Wigington: It started last July. I had set up to record a six song EP, it was just going to be a solo thing to use for licensing. I met Ralph earlier – I auditioned for a band, didn’t make it, but I kept in contact with Ralph. I really liked playing with him, and he came in on the EP and knocked it out of the park. Anthony came in last-minute. I’d seen him in a band called Night On Fire and thought he was an awesome blues player, thought he’d be great for the EP. Clark – I used to be in a bluegrass band with him in North Carolina. He flew out to record on the EP. After the whole recording process, I was booked to play at the Whisky [Whisky A Go Go] the Wednesday after we finished, and Ralph was like, “Yeah, I’ll play,” and we asked Anthony and he was like, “Yeah.” After that show, we really decided to make it a band, and we went through a few bass players before Clark finally moved out here from North Carolina.

What first inspired you to go into music?

Alexander: My mom and dad always listened to a lot of music. They always knew I wanted to play drums, but it took my mom a long time before she actually bought a drum set for me. She’d always say, “Try piano,” or “Try violin.” She wanted one of those kid prodigies that would play violin or something. But I always wanted drums, and finally she got me a drum set. But she always played music in the house. My dad was a big Clapton fan – he always listened to Clapton. If I hear anything Eric Clapton, I think of him. And my mom was very much into blues too, so it was always a house full of music for me.

Mancini: My dad’s a blues player, and my grandfather’s really into ‘50s and ‘60s rock. Blues has always been a really popular thing in my family for parties and stuff; if there’s ever a family function, if it isn’t classic rock playing, it’s Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert Collins. I grew up surrounded by it. Music always kind of came easy to me – like picking up the - Blues Rock Review