With the US release of their sophomore album KINGDOM due out April 8th via Aunthill/Big3 Records, the Irish sister duo Heathers have announced a free download of their single ‘Forget Me Knots’, as well as, the launch of the KINGDOM presale. Equal parts anthemic and intimate; KINGDOM is a beautiful and engaging record that has sold over 15,000 copies already in Europe. With Heathers having just taken SXSW by storm, the timing for this release seems perfect as the buzz stateside is beginning to indicate this record could achieve the sort of success and accolades that it already enjoys across the pond.
The blend of sharp melodies, tight harmonies and punk-infused delivery led to KINGDOM being nominated for the 2013 Meteor Choice Music Prize ‘Album of the Year’ award. Forget Me Knots, which the band is now offering as a free download, was also nominated in the category ‘Irish Song of the Year’. The record was produced by Max Dingel, best known for producing the #1 UK album from White Lies), and is critically and commercially loved throughout Europe.
Heathers first began garnering an international buzz with their debut HERE NOT THERE in 2008. That record resulted in two summer-length US tours as well as invites to perform at the CMJ Festival in New York, Canadian Music Week in Toronto and such European festivals as Eurosonic, The Great Escape, Camden Crawl, Oxygen and Belsonic. More recently, the band has been a part of HMV UK’s ‘Next Big Thing’, performed two brilliantly received sets at Camden Crawl Festival and also a sold-out headline show at London’s Barfly last May.
Heathers’ have a gift for writing the rare sort of music that instantaneously endears itself to the listener while managing to maintain a lasting effect. While the buzz in the US may not yet match the raucous crowds that show up for the band’s gigs in Europe just yet, the release of KINGDOM will certainly help to bring the stateside fanfare up to the level the band deserves. Stay tuned for more from the band as we get closer to the release date and Heathers’ return to North America in support of it.
