Glad Hearts

Arcade Fire meets Wilco in the music of New Jersey-based Glad Hearts. Led by Ryan Bing, the quartet join together multi-instrumentalist members Cassidy McGrath, Mallory Leonard and John Valencia, who lends his talent as producer and recording engineer. (Valencia also proudly champions the merits of the singing saw in his spare time ― how cool is that?) Their self-released debut LP, The Oak and the Acorn, reveals the band to be a kernel with much potential. By the third track, the album picks up momentum then consistently delivers to its finale. "Nothing If We're Not Moving," by far the star track of the album, may come across musically as anguished and plaintiff but lyrically it manages to spotlight the silver lining. The vocal harmonizing between Leonard and Bing sounds so intimately conversational you almost feel like you're intruding on their moment. Masterful percussion and lively guitar riffs on tracks such as "West Fast Enough" and "We'll Need Our Blood," as well as the anthemic indie folk chanting of "Tinderbox," will make you an instant fan.