The Pine Hearts
The Pine Hearts are totally rad! They're one of the best new bands on the scene. The singing, picking and songwriting is fabtastic and organic. Two thumbs up!" -- Charles Humphrey III (Songs From The Road Band) Just beneath the eaves of Washington's Cascade Mountains, The Pine Hearts are combining wood, ore and soul to channel the colossal, organic spirit of the untamed Pacific Northwest. Their sound, like the environment around them, is ever-changing, harnessing classic country songwriting, the powerful emotive themes of experimental folk, and the blazing-fast pickin' rhythms of traditional Appalachian bluegrass -- all the while staying rooted to their rock-n-roll backgrounds. "A catchy, peppy mixture of folk, indie and jamgrass" -- Bluegrass Today The Pine Hearts first formed in the early 2010's as a traditional-leaning folk and bluegrass trio, establishing bandleader and guitarist Joey Capoccia's distinct picking flair and alt-Americana songwriting style after long-running stints in classic Olympia, WA bands such as The Pasties and The Blackberry Bushes, culminating in the albums Distant Lights (2013) and Winter on Orcas (2013). In the fall of 2015 came their successive album, Thin Walls (2015), which took a decidedly more country bent, enlisting a wider variety of instruments while honing their roster of dense, powerful tunes, imbued with themes of love and of loss. In 2016, two permanent members joined the fold ~ fast-picking mandolinist Derek McSwain (formerly of the trad-bluegrass powerhouse The Oly Mountain Boys) and genre-defying upright bassist Dean Shakked. All three are accomplished vocalists in their own rights, allowing for lush, complex three-part vocal harmony to give new depth and dimension to the band's lyrical melodies. 2018 saw the release of Carousel, a return to classic Nashville bluegrass sensibilities, followed shortly after by 2019's Back To Sustain, a live album recorded direct to tape inside an old grange hall on the outskirts of Olympia, which featured rerecorded and stripped-down versions of the band's favorite original tunes. Looming on the horizon is 2022's upcoming release Lost Love Songs, the most mature and fully-developed album of The Pine Hearts' career, featuring a more deliberate and polished sound to complement their finest collection of songs yet. "A tight folk/bluegrass band that wears its punk roots on its sleeves" -- Antiquated Furniture Filled with a vigorous dedication, The Pine Hearts are aiming to show listeners the true spirit of the Northwest, as lived through each of them, telling stories of pain and growth to inspire audiences everywhere. Catch them at a performance near you and get a taste for yourself! "... Particularly upbeat original tunes that are instant classics, The Pine Hearts sing with sincerity and pick with deliberate dedication." -- Anacortes Magazine