After parting with Warner Bros., their label of nearly a decade, Seattle folk-rock stalwarts the Head and the Heart made a conscious shift to revisit their indie roots. Their breakout success amid the wave of early-2010s indie folk bands led to a sonic transformation when they entered the major-label system. Greater exposure and bigger shows led to a bigger team and an inevitably slicker sound on albums like Signs of Light (2016) and Living Mirage (2019). It’s a common enough story for many successful bands, and one that often leads to a mid-career reconciliation.
Aperture is the Head and the Heart’s sixth studio album and marks the first time they’ve produced themselves since their Sub Pop debut back in 2011. The back-to-basics move is a cliché for…