Written by Jennifer Moglia
Punk supergroup Fiddlehead, made up of members of Basement, Have Heart, and more, has released their second single from their upcoming album, “Between the Richness.” This album serves as the follow-up to their beloved first full-length “Springtime and Blind”, which vocalist Pat Flynn (who also fronted Have Heart) wrote about life after the passing of his father.
When announcing this track on Instagram, Flynn wrote, “The lyrics to this song serve as both a letter to my children on how to communicate with me after I eventually move on into whatever comes after death, and an imagined conversation with my own father who is now 11 years gone. Essentially, it’s a song about finding ways to reconnect with those we love, despite the hard barriers between life and death.
The music has this feel of infinity to it. I remember hearing the ending for the first time and having the emotional impulse to tear through the channels of time and speak with the people who have gone into the unknown.
That felt appropriate for the type of message I was trying to write. So, as the sadness of my country, our world and species persists, hopefully this song is meaningful for those seeking some type of emotional respite / healing in pursuit of moving onward to a better era.”
Reading these words from the singer truly adds to the adventure that listening to this song is. It’s more than just streaming a track; “Heart to Heart” is a visceral experience, so sonically and emotionally heavy that it feels like you’re involved in the story Flynn is telling.
While the lead single off of this new record “Million Times” was cathartic and anthemic, instant emotional release on every listen, this one is different. It’s darker and more atmospheric, a slow burn of sorts that may take you a few streams to truly appreciate.
As per usual for Fiddlehead (and for Have Heart), Flynn’s vocal delivery is incredible here. His passionate screams are heart-wrenching, and the track wouldn’t be the same without it.
Lyrically, Flynn’s message that he penned on Instagram shines through beautifully. With lines like “When I go into darkness, and the world makes no sense / Look on out to the oceans and see the seas all shoreless / Hear my voices calling out to you up in the moonlight, cold and blue / I’ll be the silence ringing through and through and through” and “You can find me in the autumn trees / I’ll be the sound of shaking leaves falling all from a breeze that pleas and pleas and pleas / When daylight is too dark and night’s last way too long, look into your heart and find me”, the intention is clear, and it’s beautifully executed.
There also seems to be a reference to the band’s aforementioned first record, found in the lyrics, “You can find me in the springtime afternoon / I’ll be the sunlight on your face and blinding you”, potentially a callback to “Springtime and Blind” and its final track, “Widow in the Sunlight”; there seems to be a connection between this song and the new single, perhaps because they each fill the closing moments on their respective records. The last few phrases, “When moon cracks in two, and sun freezes to blue, and winter burns up dry with fireclouds for a sky, and night’s without its stars – know you’ll still have my heart” could also be referring back to the spoken line of “you have my heart” in “Rejoice”, the sixth track on their debut full-length.
Whether these similarities are intended are not, they will certainly add to the listening experience for longtime fans, and help to keep all of the material Fiddlehead has released connected to each other. The transition from the band’s last album cycle to this current one is almost a representation of life after the death of a loved one; things move on and change, but the memories will always remain.
When asked about “Heart to Heart” in an interview with Stereo Gum last month, Flynn said, “I definitely did write the record so when I die, my son can go to that...in the same way that I went to my father’s office and found all of his wonderful things from his life that seemed like little messages to me.” This statement sums up the bridge between these two LPs perfectly - they aren’t about grief, but what happens afterward, and the feelings both beautiful and tragic that accompany the aftermath.
It’s clear that having a child has changed Flynn’s perspective on so many things, including the death of his father, and this letter to his son in song form that doubles as a dreamed-up conversation with his own father captures that newfound maturity perfectly. If the first two singles are any indication of what’s to come for Fiddlehead on “Between the Richness”, we can’t wait to hear the full album on May 21st.
“Heart to Heart” is available to stream wherever you listen to music, along with the rest of Fiddlehead’s discography; their sophomore effort “Between the Richness” is due out May 21st via Run for Cover Records, and can be pre-ordered on their webstore along with new merch. You can further support the band by picking up some merch from their website.
Fiddlehead can be found on Twitter @FiddleheadUSA. While you’re there, be sure to follow us on Twitter @lgndsoftmrw to be the first to know when our full review of this album is out.
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