Atwood Magazine

  IZZY HELTAI RELEASES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO “FATHER” VIA ATWOOD MAGAZINE

 

IZZY HELTAI RELEASES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO 

“FATHER” VIA ATWOOD MAGAZINE 

 DEBUT LP FATHER 

SET FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 9TH 

Through 10 tracks of honest, contemplative perspective and welcoming songwriting, Father elevates Heltai’s voice to a level of maturity that suits the stories he tells, with every detail complemented by the hearty strum of warm Americana. - WBUR 

Izzy Heltai has a talent for demonstrating nostalgia and incentivizing reflection - The Wild Honey Pie 

Izzy Heltai has the contemporary indie folk vibe nailed down perfectly.  With a song that has both widespread appeal on the pop edge and layers of musicality...one not to be missed - Americana Highways  

The track leans towards lighthearted Americana; 'Songbird' trades the dull moments of tour life for an optimistic view of open highways and spirits as high as Heltai’s vocals at the tail end of the chorus. It’s a tried-and-true take about living on the road that’s nearly too rosy to be real. Nearly. - Vanyaland 

A precocious songwriter developing informed, heartfelt Americana - For Folk’s Sake 

Delivering messages of empathy and accountability to the masses — at a time when they are, perhaps, more important than ever - Underground Music Collective 

Izzy Heltai…is fast becoming one of our most played artists. Determined, striking and lyrically intelligent, this is top stuff - The Yorkshire Times 

There’s an undeniable emotional connection between artist and song…Heltai sings with an emotional maturity that we all need and can all learn from. Empathy, absolution, and acceptance are sought and expected in return - Mother Church Pew 

His writing style straddles the line between the pillars of Americana and the underbelly of gothic folk music. He has the emotional brutality of David Bazan or Simon Joyner and lacks none of their lyrical power - Country Queer 

Photo: Joanna Chattman 

Photo: Joanna Chattman

WATCH  // LISTEN: “FATHER” 

Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter Izzy Heltai has unveiled “Father,” the title track and its accompanying video from his forthcoming debut full-length album, due out October 9th. The video features footage of Heltai as a child - innocent, carefree, and unburdened by the hardships of the world. "Coming of age, as it stands, is one of the most sought after and widely discussed phenomena of life,” said Atwood Magazine in their premiere. “As we get older…we all become subject to the notion that we must humanize our parents. Our parents are the people that have not only given us life, but also nurtured it – and it’s hard, objectively, not to revere that. From day one we look up to our parents and all they have taught us. However, a shifting tide presents itself in the form of singer/songwriter Izzy Heltai’s newest single, ‘Father’…Heltai ushers in the idea that at the end of the day, our parents are people – important people – but people who are nonetheless far from perfect.”  

“As a transgender person I have always lived in a world where self-affirmation was necessary for my well being,” Heltai explains. “As a young trans person, I was forced to know myself more than some people ever will. A world that always told me I shouldn’t and couldn’t exist demanded that I have confidence enough in my own identity that I could go out and prove that I knew exactly who I was. Due to my experiences, I was armed with the tools to radically reflect and affirm my identity from a young age. This instilled in me an obsession with knowing myself to the fullest, in any given moment. I am made up of moments. I live in the constant wake of what was,” he continues. “This song is about the people I see myself in. Seeing the roots of where, and who, I come from. The process of sifting through these home videos was a concrete and visual form of processing the amalgamation of all the moments I am made up of." 

“Father” follows the release of album track “Songbird,” inspired by life as a troubadour and car-sleeping in Walmart parking lots, and lead single “The Stranger You’ve Become,” a compelling track about betrayal.  

LISTEN: “SONGBIRD” 

LISTEN: “THE STRANGER YOU’VE BECOME” 

With brutal honesty towards himself and forgiveness for those around him, Izzy Heltai’s music walks the elusive line between confessional and relatable. On his debut album Father, Heltai dives deep into his fascination with human relationships, and specifically the way that those relationships change and reorganize themselves over time.    

Heltai sees his own coming of age reflected in the album, which includes songs written over the past four years. “Finding myself as an adult has largely been about how the people who have always been there for me can fit into my life in a new way,” he explains. 

Throughout the record, Heltai braves the exploration of not only interpersonal and societal relationships but also his own relationship to himself, and reckons with the ways that periods of depression have caused him to abandon those he loves.  The production is raw and full, with subtle harmonies and guitar lines weaving their way unexpectedly through the mix almost as if they were grown in the song. There is no sign of musical overthought, allowing Heltai’s emotional vocals to shine organically.    

At a time when any conversation with a stranger can quickly become a sociopolitical battle, Heltai’s introspective and thought out songs are a breath of fresh air. With an overwhelming empathy for humanity, and willingness to search for personal responsibility, Heltai’s Father will not leave your heart or your ears unchanged.  

CONNECT WITH IZZY HELTAI: 

Website || Facebook || Instagram ||  Spotify || YouTube 

JON REYNOLDS & THE ACHES PREMIERE SINGLE  “LOVE BLIND”  VIA ATWOOD MAGAZINE 

 JON REYNOLDS & THE ACHES PREMIERE SINGLE  “LOVE BLIND” VIA  ATWOOD MAGAZINE    

NEW EP PETRICHOR  SET FOR RELEASE  ON SEPTEMBER 4TH 

JR&TA - _LOVE BLIND.png

Jon Reynolds & The Aches have unveiled their latest single “Love Blind,” a track from their forthcoming EP Petrichor, due out September 4th. "Heartbreak permanently alters our outlook on life and love, impacting how we interact with the world. Nashville’s Jon Reynolds & The Aches captures heartbreak’s lasting scars in his effervescent new single 'Love Blind,' a catchy pop/rock expression of lessons learned and minds changed," says Atwood Magazine in their premiere. "A rollicking pop/rock tune that breathes as much of the ’80s and ’90s as it does of today, “Love Blind” feels like a classic pop hit. Big melodies and crying guitars keep us excited for every chorus climax, and a storyline love, loss, and growth – that personal journey we must all embark on – keep us hooked to the each verse...Petrichor's songs are the truest representation of this young, still-evolving artistry – and if 'Love Blind' is any indication, we can’t wait to hear the full package." 

LISTEN: “LOVE BLIND” 

“It was the first song I wrote after the pandemic shut everything down,” explains frontman Reynolds. “I was discovering how much I had compressed myself in order to maintain the work schedule I had volunteered for over the last two years. I was finding my voice again. I was connecting the artist back to the art. ‘Love Blind’ was born out of that reconnection. As I allowed my mind to rest, memory - and the emotion associated with that memory - came back to me. I was able to connect more personally to my own experiences which led to more granular lyrics. It’s not another heartbreak song. It is a commentary looking back on what the first heartbreak creates in a person and the undeniable truth that you are permanently changed after experiencing it,” he continues. “Love Blind” follows the release of “Come Now Spring,” the first single from  the five-song Petrichor EP.  

LISTEN TO“COME NOW SPRING” via SPOTIFY // SOUNDCLOUD  

Miles Davis once said, “Sometimes it takes a long time to sound like yourself.” That concept has been a muse for Jon Reynolds since moving to Nashville in 2015. Following his well-received grass-root singles “Undertow” and “Tomorrow’s News,” Reynolds buckled up for a challenging year and a half. “Most of my song ideas came to me while driving in the car because it was the only time I had to think,” he explains. But over-extending himself forced him to be honest with his music. “I didn’t have time to self-sabotage.  I just wrote what came naturally.”    

Rebalancing his life and signing with the UK’s Frictionless Music, Reynolds buried himself in the studio with engineer Owen Lewis and drummer Matt Singler, settling into the producer chair with a clear sense of purpose: sounding like himself. “I'd rewrite lyrics minutes before tracking, scrap a day of work because it didn’t hit the right vibe, and had to address some personal struggles all in the name of creating my most authentic expression.” 

Petrichor  was born from this effort. “These songs preserved me while I was lost in a cycle of excessive work and distraction,” he explains. "They are the foundation that existed when I finally came back. Now, they are the representation of who I am.”   

The word “petrichor” refers to the smell of earth after rain breaks a long drought. Centered on revitalization themes, the EP’s tracks delve into depression, heartbreak, and self-discovery.  Surrounding the dense, humanistic lyrics is Reynolds’ musical signature - an evolution of modern pop-rock and larger-than-life vocal arrangements, resting on an ethereal hum propped up by verb-y slide guitar. Be sure to follow Jon Reynolds & The Aches via the links below to stay updated on the band’s latest news.  

FOLLOW JON REYNOLDS & THE ACHES: 

Website || Facebook || Instagram || Twitter || Spotify || YouTube