Welsh punk band Breichiau Hr deliver an urgent call to arms with their new single, ‘Penblwydd Hapus Iawn'. An unflinching three minutes of punk aggression powered by a wall of three pronged guitars and cathartic screams, underscored by brittle melodic interplay, reminiscent of the band’s early influences, Sunny Day Real Estate, At The Drive In and The Get Up Kids, it proves that Breichiau Hr's visceral prescient sound is primed for wider attention. Steffan Dafydd the band’s lyricist and vocalist explains: “the setting of the song is a catastrophic birthday party I attended a few years ago where I witnessed the worst in some of the best people”.

It's Breichiau Hr’s third release on West Wales imprint Libertino records, home to the most exciting emerging Welsh acts (Adwaith, Los Blancos, Silent Forum). If ever a band was needed to soundtrack these unhinged times, where there is a lack of political and social responsibility and accountability, Breichiau Hir fill that void with passion and honesty. 

Breichiau Hir are a cult Welsh language six-piece with a rich history spanning over a decade that depicts just how committed they are to their cause. They met in 2008 when they were schoolmates in Cardiff, inspired by the post-hardcore, punk and emo bands of the 1990s. They released a handful of self-produced DIY singles and played numerous shows throughout their university years.  "In 2015 we recorded our EP Mae'r Angerdd Yma Yn Troi Yn Gas.” Says Dafydd “We were still experimenting and seeing what fits.  This was the first time we had recorded a collection of songs all in one studio with Mei Gwynedd who also released it via his label, Jigcal”. In 2018, they signed to Libertino Records and released the dark melodic sound of double-a side, ‘Halen’ and ‘Mewn Darnau’, rounding off the year with the speak/shouty punk single, ‘Portread O Ddyn Yn Bwyta Ei Hun’.

The Head And The Heart have announced their forthcoming LP,  Living Mirage, due out on May 17 on Warner Bros. Records/Reprise. ‘Missed Connection’, the first single from the new album, is out now.  The band have also announced a special livestream performance from The Belasco in Los Angeles on March 21. Fans can tune in to the stream beginning at 8:30pm PT on The Head and The Heart and Live Nation’s Facebook pages to watch the intimate performance, hear songs from the new album for the first time, and be the first to hear another major announcement from the band about their plans for this summer across North America.

Early last year, The Head And The Heart came together in the Mojave Desert’s Joshua Tree studio where they decided to shed old skin before writing their fourth album; a sweeping, artful expansion of the earthy folk rock that once defined them. This recent “rebirth, a spirit quest of sorts”, as bassist Chris Zasche describes it, came from growing pains after their last album, Signs of Light: the departure of guitarist-vocalist Josiah Johnson, replaced by Matt Gervais (husband to singer-violinist Charity Rose Thielen), and the return of keyboardist Kenny Hensley.

“In my mind, the songs on this album are vignettes”, Jon says. “Like ‘Brenda’ reminds me of when you’re a teenager at a house party. You’re surrounded by noise— ‘What am I doing here?’—and a ray of light comes down and you notice this person. You’re like, ‘Maybe I will stay.’ These songs feel honest.”

The palpitating-choral ‘Missed Connection’ is a poignant snapshot of the anxiety that preceded that growth spurt. “A lot of the beats on that song are quicker, and there are high hats that were never in our music before”, drummer Tyler Williams says, attributing the new sounds to their love of pop and hip-hop production. The track began as a remembrance of how Jon met his girlfriend, until morphing into a potent metaphor for the band — who met serendipitously around an open-mic night in Seattle 10 years ago — suddenly wondering, as he recalls, “Is it all going to work?”

Living Mirage Tracklisting:

01. See You Through My Eyes

02. Missed Connection

03. People Need a Melody

04. Honeybee

05. Brenda

06. Running Through Hell

07. Against The Wall

08. Saving Grace

09. I Found Out

10. Living Mirage

11. Glory of Music