The Lyric Theatre is one of the cornerstones of the revitalization of Birmingham, and for good reason. Formerly one of the more successful and beloved venues on the vaudeville circuit in the early 20th century, the theater fell into disrepair and disrepute by the time it closed in the early ‘80s. Yet it stands as a monument to the new possibilities that vision, hope — and no small amount of hard work — make possible for Birmingham.
The music video for “Into the Fire,” released this week by local folk-rock band the Heavy Hearts, is made all the more successful for being filmed in the dramatic confines of a cultural institution rising from the ashes.
“That was wonderful, because the Lyric is so historically significant to Birmingham, and that kind of decaying [atmosphere] fit that song really, really well,” said Heavy Hearts frontwoman and songwriter Lauren-Michael Sellers. “That’s one of our biggest evolving songs, because it starts out so bare — just my voice and my guitar — and as it goes on, it builds and builds, and then the bottom almost drops out, and becomes something huge.”
Indeed, the expansive sound of “Into the Fire,” with its shifting dynamics and carpe diem lyricism, is indicative of the strengths and ambitions of the Heavy Hearts. Building from Sellers’ singer-songwriter background, the band includes the talents of lead guitarist Zac Baldwin and drummer Brian Hippensteel in the mix.
Baldwin’s guitar work, influenced by Eric Clapton and a host of country artists, is soulful but spare, functioning just like another voice in the arrangement. Hippensteel’s drumming, meanwhile, is exactly as subtle as the band needs it to be, adding tension to the crescendos and gorgeous cymbal tones to more plaintive moments.
The center of attention, however — and deservedly so — is Sellers, whose voice shines even on unmixed, rough tracks. As listeners can readily tell from “Into the Fire,” her voice shines on soaring falsetto notes and on bluesy, earthbound notes alike. It shines in desperate moments of passion and in moments of contemplation, and if the Heavy Hearts do indeed go on to bigger and better things, Sellers’ voice is going to be the key reason why.
Press photos by Alan Collins and Austin Jones, courtesy of the Heavy Hearts.
Appropriately, when listing her influences, Sellers said that, despite her singer-songwriter background and the Heavy Hearts’ mildly countrified sensibilities, “Fleetwood Mac’s a big one. Their music evolved into something so intricate and clever, but it managed to be smart and enjoyable at the same time.”
When they’re at their best, the Heavy Hearts follow the same pattern on their upcoming LP Keep Your Light On, which was recorded at Les Nuby’s Ol Elegante studios. The compositions are much more complex and interesting than the typical singer-songwriter strumming, but they still build from simple foundations of storytelling and immediacy, even when tasteful piano and violin accompaniments hint at more ambitious sounds down the line.
That balancing act between simplicity and complexity follows into the Heavy Hearts’ lyricism. Some tracks, like album standout “Darling,” are direct in their subject matter — in this case, the embittered declaration of a spurned lover — but are delivered with more than enough rawness and fire to make them resonate for the listener.
Others, like “Georgia Grown,” are more ambiguous, and are the better for it. A song about Sellers’ inability to choose between her native Georgia and her adopted hometown of Birmingham, “Georgia Grown” conveys the way that people have a way of setting down roots in Birmingham without realizing it. “Oh Birmingham, you’re bittersweet,” Sellers sings. “Just like a lover / that longs to keep / my wandering heart / wrapped up in you. / Oh, don’t you know / it’s hard to choose?”
It would seem that that choice will only become more difficult as the Heavy Hearts ready themselves for a possible move to Nashville, but they’re committed to honing their craft — and broadening songwriting duties — in their self-declared “home base” of Birmingham. Sellers cited the stories of several would-be country stars who left for the appeal of the Nashville spotlight too soon, only to return home jilted.
Moreover, the band doesn’t take Birmingham’s emergent position for granted. “Birmingham just now feels like it’s catching up, in a way, becoming a hub for cool, creative things,” Sellers said. “In a way I feel blessed that this is happening for us at the right time. It’s the right time for Birmingham, because it’s starting to grow. It’s the right time for us because everybody’s eyes are turning to Birmingham, kind of coming out of the dark of all that stuff from the past. … It’s an awesome thing to be in the middle of that, growing with Birmingham.”
Shooting the video for their lead single at the Lyric was more than a strategic consideration for the Heavy Hearts. That landmark represents the possibilities for the future that are present even in a city with a love/hate relationship with its past. As they try to carve out a future for themselves, Sellers, Baldwin and Hippensteel seem to be taking Birmingham’s example to heart.
The Heavy Hearts will be having a release party for Keep Your Light On in the spring. For more information on the band, check them out on Facebook.