THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With their eighth studio album Simple Things, The Band Of Heathens came home — geographically, as they returned to their longtime base of Austin for the recording; sonically, in an embrace of the rootsy, guitar-based rock with which they made their name; and thematically, with lyrics that speak to appreciating friends and family and our limited time on this planet.
It’s a confident, assured statement of a group finding its place in the world amid uncertain and troubled times. “It was a return to embracing our influences, our natural instincts, the way we sound when we get on stage,“ says guitarist and vocalist Gordy Quist. With the subject matter, there’s a sentiment of focusing on what’s important as we go through this journey together — don’t waste time, because this is all we’ve got.
“Gordy and I each have a natural sound when we sing, but there’s something even more special and unique when our voices blend together“ says guitarist and vocalist Ed Jurdi. “So it was just about harnessing and embracing that. Good, mid-tempo rock ’n’ roll — that’s our breadbasket, and there’s not a lot of that music being made right now. The new songs embody the spirit of our new record: survival, gratitude, resiliency, and a new-found focus on the simple things that make life worth living.
“With songs like Stormy Weather and Heartless Year we’ve been able to look back on our triumphs and failures with new perspective, finding the best versions of ourselves in returning to the sounds that first sparked inspiration into the band when we first formed 17 years ago in Austin, TX. Simple Things is an authentic and powerful album that showcases the Heathens at our best.”
