Human Hearts, The

Human Hearts, The

Another

Shrimper

Franklin Bruno, songwriter / bandleader of The Human Hearts, has been a stalwart of the independent music scene for two decades. Since his first solo cassettes on Shrimper in the early 1990s, Bruno—and his previous band, Nothing Painted Blue—have recorded for a who’s-who of significant indie labels, including Scat / Matador, Shimmy-Disc / Kokopop and Absolutely Kosher. His songs have been covered by the likes of Lou Barlow, Jennifer O’Connor, and The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle (with whom Bruno occasionally collaborates in the duo The Extra Lens). In 2009, Pitchfork called Local Currency, a reissue of early solo material, a collection “most songwriters would love to call their own.” He’s also become a noted music writer, penning a book on Elvis Costello’s Armed Forces for the 33 1/3 series, and contributing to The Nation, The Believer and other publications. The Human Hearts is Bruno’s new, NYC-based band; Another is their first proper album release (following a mail-order-only CD in 2006 and some 7-inch and compilation appearances). Recorded at Brooklyn’s Seaside Lounge (New Pornographers, St. Vincent), Another finds Bruno and drummer Matt Houser joined by old and new friends, including Nothing Painted Blue / Mountain Goats bassist Peter Hughes, guest vocalists Laura Cantrell and Jenny Toomey, guitarist Pete Galub, and accordionist / composer Ted Reichman. Ranging from horn-driven power-pop (“Love-Starved”) to bossa nova (“Times Mirror Square”) and classic, Tin-Pan-Alley-inspired songcraft (“California Baby”), Another is one of the most consistent and fully realized records of a 20-year career.