The Gritty and Authentic New Record from Heels To The Hardwood
The Seattle band has released their fourth album with Let Up
The Seattle-based band, Heels To The Hardwood, has a new album out called “Let Up”, that will help you turn off that outside noise that rattles your brain and it will assist in easing your soul. The toe-tapping-Americana-fueled ensemble is exactly what the world needs right now to help us navigate this floating rock as it spins into total chaos. The PNW group has always been dripping in wonderful lyricism and smooth melodies, and this album continues with that trend of well-played tracks and brilliant writing. The band formed in 2011 and soon released their debut self-titled album, “Heels To The Hardwood,” in September 2014. They followed this up with their second full-length album, “Love Versus Tragedy,” in February 2017, and their third album, “Where We Come From,” dropped in 2019. In 2023, they released the singles ‘Intentions’ and ‘1 Past 5 (Say Hello)’. The latter now appears on the latest project.
I got the pleasure of knowing this gritty group quite well while living in Seattle and every time I saw them play live, it was like getting a new lease on life. There is a vibrance in their shows that breathes enthusiasm into your being. No matter the venue, HTTH brings you home to a fireside jam with their ornate guitar parts, incredible voices and dynamic drumming that is filled with vividly articulated notes. The band consists of David John (vocals/guitar), Kevin Stiles (guitar/pedal steel), Patrick Files (guitar/vocals), Jeff DeMelle (bass) and Jesse Lee Honor (drums). Together they create wonderful music that plucks that hard-to-reach imagery from the ethos and delivers it to your heart and soul. Listening to the new album, I am once again astonished by the ability of these lads to grow their sound and get even more technical with their tonality and songwriting. The record is new and unique from past works, yet it feels so familiar and wonderfully necessary.
Let Up has so much to offer the listener. Heels is a band full of authenticity that you can hear in the music. Their integrity shines through on the album with some really strong takeaways that I want to focus on. The first of those is the opening track entitled ‘Rudder’. The song is beautifully arranged and is accompanied by those breathtaking lyrics that make you honestly feel something. This band is more than a group of fantastic players; it is truly a family that loves playing with one another. They are transparent with their audience and look to capture a cohesive bond between themselves and those who attend their shows and buy their albums. Sonically, ‘Rudder’ has a haunting backbone, and to me, the words are constructed to tell the tale of adversity despite an onslaught of misfortune. However, despite the hits that are taken, there is a sense of hope that continues to flicker in the darkness. The composition around the voice is driven by that classic Americana sound with a pivotally plucky drum snapping across the landscape and twangy guitar that echoes along with the chill of the vocals. The lyrics are such:
No time to sit and wait
A knock down it’s on the way
The radio screaming today
Mayday Mayday Mayday
Just what do you think
A great decision has just been made
We’re throwing the only
Person with a clue back into the sea
‘Let Up’ is the title track and rightfully so. This is my personal favorite song on the album because I am in love with the storytelling as well as the formulation of the melody. There is a strong start from the rhythm section that persuades the ear to bend. The drums hit a little harder; the bass is more influential, and once again our storyteller engages us with a recognizable narration of heartache, loss and near breakdown. The message is not of finality but of dusting yourself off and going forward. Or maybe it’s just me looking at this half full glass. There is a time when these words would have read as total loss, but now I find myself hearing the frontman convey these messages to prove that we are stronger because of the fight. The unity of Heels To The Hardwood is one of many endearing qualities of the band. The quote by that one guy, “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players” seems to fit the theme of this collective perfectly. I have seen them perform live a few times, and it is not just the band engaging the audience, but rather the entirety of players and audience connecting as a whole that encapsulates the mind and body and makes the experience special. I also dig the opening of this track which seems to use a megaphone or an effect to relay that sound in the first four lines of the tune and then a vintage pedal steel that unlocks the next tier of poetry. Those first words are:
Mama’s on the front porch
Trying to clog up the fountain
Dad’s rubbing her back
Trying to console without crying
Photo Gallery courtesy of Dennis Browne | From the Album Release Party at Sunset Tavern
The songwriting conveys such vivid imagery that you are placed in the room with the subjects of the songs. You empathize with them. You cry with them, and you root for them to get out of these sometimes-dreary scenes and be the best versions of themselves. We can all learn from this type of narration. The whole album runs like a beautiful movie soundtrack. This leads us into the second to last song on the album, which is ‘1 Past 5 (Say Hello)’. This was the previously released single that has now found a permanent home.
The song leans into that heavy blues and rock and roll prowess that The Rolling Stones brought into their earlier albums. The song breathes life into your soul and reminds you of why the band is called Heels To The Hardwood. Your feet bang the ground, your body moves, and your hands are forced to collide together and respond to the rhythm. The drums provide a punchy pace that sounds like a train racing to its next destination. There is an injection of energy from both the vocals and the other band mates. It’s wild and free and full of jubilation, and it simply makes my heart smile (although, I might want to get that looked at).
HTTH should be very proud of the record that they just made. If you like bands like Royel Otis, The Lumineers, and Tedeschi Trucks Band then you will fall in love with the majesty of these guys. All ten tracks have their place and are placed perfectly in an order that tells a gallant tale. The music is timeless and produced with care. There are no shortcuts in creating this sound. The hard work is obvious, and it pours into the grooves of the vinyl. They stand with their vulnerability in their hands and allow you to feel their wonderment, pain, hope, excitement, and sadness. And they tell you that your thoughts are okay. We are all in this together, and being a fan of Heels To The Hardwood guarantees that you are not alone.
I had the opportunity to talk with the man behind the kit, Jesse Lee Honor:
What was the inspiration for the new album?
Same as always, we can’t help but play music! Each song is it’s own entity. This album is our first since the lockdown so there’s a whole swathe of time periods in which the songs were written, and each was constructed differently.
Tell me about the song writing process for HTTH? Music first? Lyrics first?
It really depends. David John has had some floating around for ages like “Time is Gold”, some are just soundcheck guitar riffs that we grow and grow as a band, some are David ideas that he brings to us and we take them all sorts of places. If we get the chance it’s always good to play them live to see how they gel with the audience and change.
How would you say this album differs from the previous three records?
This is the first one the we’ve done all in-house at our studio in Ballard. Kevin Stiles recorded and engineered the whole thing. The last couple records were done at Robert Lang Studios and as much as we appreciated working on hallowed ground it didn’t give us a lot of loose experimenting time. A give and take for sure but we boot-strapped sounds that we’re proud of.
Is there a message or vibe that you were looking to convey to the listener/fans?
Community, honesty
Any song that particularly stood out to you as a favorite? Maybe a Favorite lyric?
Well “Let Up” is the title for a reason, the song just packs such a punch. “Time is Gold” is probably my favorite lyric. Words to live by.
Which is better, recording an album or playing live shows?
Live shows! We have such amazing fans and a community is really growing around the band. There’s so much love in the room it turns into a spiritual experience. We do appreciate the recording process, crafting the tones and structures, and especially since it’s how we will start building community around the world.
What’s next? Another album? More live shows? Any songs that might have gotten cut that might appear on a future project?
We always have more songs coming! Probably singles or an EP next. And we’re always playing live around the Northwest.
What is your desert island record? You can bring one. What is it and why? He hit me back with collected answers from everyone)
Jesse -Jeff Buckley – Grace
Jeff – Cesaria Evora – Miss Perfumado (20th Anniversary)
David – Cruisin’ Classics Vol. 1 60’s and 70’s
Pat – Black Sabbath – paranoid
Kevin – D’Angelo- Voodoo
If your band was a family, what role would each member play (the dad, the mom, the stressed-out middle child, crazy aunt, etc.)?
This band is very much a family. Not sure we have such defined archetypes tho! We just try to support each other in whatever we’re trying to accomplish, from loading gear to content creation to what guitar notes go where.
Is there a particular band ritual before shows?
A light dinner with light beer.
Upcoming Shows:
June 6, 2026 – Shakedown – Bellingham, WA with Forest Stoke / Walker and the Stardust Rangers
June 20, 2026 – Carnation Block Party, Carnation, WA 7:30p FREE / All Ages
July 4, 2026 – Private Party – The Lake
July 10, 2026 – BrodieNation Music Festival 20th Anniversary! – Carnation, WA
July 31, 2026 – Mike’s Chili Parlor – Ballard, WA
September 5, 2026 – Oak Harbor Music Festival – FREE! – Oak Harbor, WA
Follow Heels To The Hardwood:
DENNIS BROWNE is a photographer and writer who made Whidbey Island, Washington home in 2011. His goal in every photograph he creates is to connect the viewer with the heart and soul of the musicians, artists, and people he photographs. His photography has a unique and recognizable signature style. To view his work, visit dennisbrownephotography.com.
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