The Band Of Heathens, the Austin-based, fiercely independent rock and roll group led by dual lead vocalists and songwriters Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist, today released their new single “Don't Let The Darkness.” A soulful track which features big vocal harmonies provided by vocalist Amber Woodhouse, from their forthcoming album Simple Things. Their ninth studio album will be released on March 17 on their own label BOH Records. Pre-order here. You can also listen to the new single here.
The Band Of Heathens will make their national TV debut on CBS This Morning’s Saturday sessions tomorrow, and tour the U.S., with dates including Nashville’s Basement East, alongside a hometown residency which they recently kicked off at C-Boys in Austin. They will also soon make their Grand Ole Opry debut. To celebrate The Austin American-Statesman premiered a special live performance of “Don’t Let The Darkness” which you can watch here.
People Magazine recently exclusively premiered their song, “All That Remains”. To accompany the release, the band created a music video to capture the message that family love leaves an indelible mark on our lives, sharing the belief that love defies the passage of time, and eventually all that remains is love. Featuring images of their fans' favorite vintage pictures, polaroids and videos of their parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, and children, the video celebrates the people who have shaped us all into who we have become. Check it out here.
From day one, The Band of Heathens have remained proudly, fiercely independent—turning down label offers, maintaining complete ownership of their catalog, building their now extensive audience one show at a time. From their humble roots as a rag tag local bar band - where they first formed in the early 2000s when Quist and Jurdi were among four songwriters playing regular weekly sets at the late, lamented club Momo's - to award winning, streaming giant status (they have amassed 400 Million plus streams across their catalog), The Band Of Heathens are true to their name as outliers to the traditional music industry model of success.
They are currently in the process of a GOLD certification of their monster record, “Hurricane'' a song originally recorded by Levon Helm, which became a runaway streaming success, when they released it on their 2011 album The Top Hat and the Clapmaster’s Son.
“I see a lot of artists out there screaming, ‘Hey, we're outlaws, we're independent!’ says Quist, adding “and they're signed to a major label and live completely within that model. We've been the ultimate indie band for 17 years.”
Their lush sounding self produced set was recorded in their hometown of Austin, in the hi fidelity studio, named The Finishing School, which was founded by the band’s close friend and sometimes producer George Reiff. Quist took over the studio after Reiff passed away in 2017, and upgraded with a 1972 Studer console; rebuilt golden ratio rooms designed by friend and famed producer/acoustician Mark Neill; and a batch of vintage mics from the band Queen’s studio, Mountain Studios, that have all been used on records by Queen, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, and AC/DC.
Simple Things is a musical, geographic and thematic return, back to the greasy rooted rock and heartland pop which they became known and loved for, when they broke out in the mid 2000s, landing the attention of Rolling Stone Magazine and making their debut on TV shows including Austin City Limits.
Though the members of The Band of Heathens now live scattered across the country, it was their return to Austin, to write, and eventually record the album, which was so crucial to continuing their progression and keeping the band alive.
First they launched “Good Time Supper Club”, a Patreon fueled live video series offering fans the chance to watch the band work and to participate in the creative process. What started as an act of pandemic career triage serendipitously encouraged a creative shift, with the band including their fanbase in their return to the roots rock instincts that initially launched the band out of Austin.
Fans' input was clearly an important catalyst in making their finest work to date. Another example of the heights The Band of Heathens can achieve with only themselves (and their fans) to lead the charge.
“Many times in the past, we'd take a song and stretch to make it into something else sonically, because that's exciting and fun to do in the studio,” says Quist. Adding, “This time around, we tried to use some restraint and embraced our first instincts, trusting the songs.”
The songs reflect a return to the kind of “Dad Wisdom” one gains from months at home with families and friends during a pandemic. It is a confident, assured statement from a group finding its place in the world amid uncertain and troubled times, offering us the next step in the chain of the evolution of rock and roll classicism, thoughtful dad rock is just what the world didn't know it needed.
Employing their artful song craft to musings on the mutual exclusivity of time and money or appreciating the things that matter and letting go of the things that don’t, is perhaps their greatest moment as a band yet.
Jurdi best succinctly concludes, “We've realized it's us, it’s our families, and it's our fans, and that's really all that matters.”
Album tracklist:
1 Don't Let The Darkness
2 Heartless Year
3 I Got The Time
4 Simple Things
5 Long Lost Son
6 Stormy Weather
7 Single In The Same Summer
8 Damaged Goods
9 The Good Doctor
10 All That Remains
Tour dates to include
Mar 1 - C-Boys - Austin, TX
Mar 8 - C-Boys - Austin, TX
Mar 15 - C-Boys - Austin, TX
Mar 16 - Luck Reunion - Luck, TX
Mar 15-19 - SXSW - Austin, TX
Mar 27 - City Winery - New York, NY
April 17 - Turf Club - St. Paul, MN
April 18 - Showboat Saloon - Wisconsin Dells, WI
April 19 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL
April 20 - Midtown - Grand Rapids, MI
April 21 - Southgate House Revival - Newport, KY
April 22 - Cameo Theater - Bristol, TN
April 23 - Lincoln Theater - Raleigh, NC
April 25 - Neighborhood Theatre - Charlotte, NC
April 26 - Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC
April 27 - Basement East - Nashville, TN
April 28 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA
April 29 - Dixie Carter PAC - Huntingdon, TN
April 30 - Railgarten - Memphis, TN
May 2 - Grand Ole Opry - Nashville, TN
May 4 - Heights Theater - Houston, TX
May 5 - Kessler Theater - Dallas, TX
May 6 - Gruene Hall - New Braunfels, TX
June 2 - Chickie Wah Wah - New Orleans, LA (goes on sale 3/3)
June 3 - Cathead Jam - Jackson, MS (with The Flaming Lips and more)
June 4 - Manship Theatre - Baton Rouge, LA (goes on sale 3/3)
June 10 - Rock the Ranch Music Festival - Seneca, SC
August 3 - The Fox Theatre - Boulder, CO
Oct 6 - Acadiana Center for the Arts - Lafayette, LA
Many more tour dates to be announced soon…
