Just over two years ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing Maggie and Tyler Heath’s beautiful work for Indie Shuffle. I was brand new to Austin then, and the streets were abuzz about the talented Texas-born siblings. One listen and my heart was hooked on their gentle and genuine sound.
It’s been two and a half years, and I still have never seen them live (This will finally be rectified in November). Their shows sell out in record time, every single time.
Last week, after years of patiently waiting, fans received The Oh Hellos' second masterpiece, Dear Wormwood. Their website shares that their latest album is a collection of songs inspired by C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters,” and Patrick Rothfuss’ “The Name of the Wind,” as well as “mythology, folklore, and apocalyptic literature.” The album was recorded in duo’s home in San Marcos, Texas, not far from their Austin fans.
Dear Wormwood, the album, is a compilation of ethereal lullabies and poems set to an orchestra of uplifting sounds. Each track feels like a child’s bedtime fable -- delicate and completely memorable, rooted in wisdom and a broken heart.
“Dear Wormwood,” the single, showcases Tyler’s touching vocals as he leads listeners on a journey that’s far too short. The Oh Hellos’ quiet introspection gathers with each line, until it opens into this cascading, breathless, beautiful noise that sends chills down your spine and makes your shallow breath catch in your chest.
Each song of this remarkable album feels like a tiny, precious shell: too beautiful and too small to ignore. The moment each track begins your heart will fear the end.
You will gather the songs, and replay them desperately, hoping to hold them all within your ears at once. You cannot, and inevitably they will slip through and away, scattered for other wandering hearts to find, admire, and treasure.
SIMILAR SONGS
