Brownie's Playlist

By Andrew Brown

Shake – The Head and the Heart

The Head and the heart is one of the up and coming bands in the rising alternative-folk genre that has given rise to bands like the Lumineers and The Civil Wars (which ironically is on the verge of dissolving due to internal conflict)

The first album from The Head and the Heart was a solid glance at what the band is capable of, and in my opinion the ceiling is high. Two staples of the alternative-folk style are melodies on top of rhythmically arranged acoustic offerings, and the use of the harmonies of male and female vocals. This band has done a great job of embracing and utilizing those two aspects.

The first album from THTH, cleverly self-titled The Head and The Heart, was a little bit hit-and-miss with one massively successful and catchy tune, Lost in My Mind, that set a solid precedent for their soon-to-be-released second album, Let’s Be Still.

Shake is the next step for THTH, as they shift to a slightly more electric sound. Their first album followed the alternative-folk blueprint to a tee, relying heavily on rhythmic melody and harmony as the band looked to get their foot in the door. Let’s Be Still strays away from that blueprint some as the band makes an effort to establish their own sound and niche in the alternative-folk genre.

I’m a big THTH fan, and really have been since I saw them perform live at ACL Music Fest in 2011. The Seattle band rocked the stage with an unexpected level of energy and passion that leads me to believe that deep down this is a band that would do well to shift towards more of an electric, driving sound.

Expect good things from Let’s Be Still which debuts on October 15, 2013.

Down – What Made Milwaukee Famous

This isn't Down, but I love this song too

WMMF’s latest album as a whole is not their best effort. The album has a few songs that are absolutely worth a listen (Rosewood and Sorry (Again) are two that stand out), but then there are some that sound like some sort of failed experiment.

Don’t write off the band though, as they were due for a bad album. Their last album, What Doesn’t Kill Us, is a top-to-bottom gem and one of my personal favorite albums.

One of the band’s strengths is their use of a full band, horn section and all, that help create a unique sound.

Down is no exception. The song is an upbeat tune that is driven by a quick beat and powerful trumpet undertone that provides interesting variety to an otherwise repetitive melody.

Seriously, every band needs a horn section.