Heaven’s Jail – “Heart to Love”

Heaven’s Jail is one of those bands that have been steadily working in the NYC scene for a while, but with the impending release of their 4th album, Widow’s Work, they seem well-suited to take a large stride into the spotlight this year. Frontman Francesco’s roots in turn-of-the-century heavy metal bands gives him a solid grasp of gloomy, yet rousing dynamics, but for his subsequent and current project, he has brought those skills to a headier indie-rock setting. With prior assistance from the likes of Phosphorescent, he & his bandmates have hit upon a winning formula, and we are pleased to be premiering the latest advance track from the album, “Heart to Love.”

Plucky guitars, a medium tempo, moody lyrics and Francesco’s sonorous voice all give a whiff of elder indie-rock statesmen The National, but “Heart to Love” is a good example of how the band has progressed to the point of sounding like themselves more than anything. In the band’s own words: “’Heart To Love’ is a sincere and conflicted love song that hinges on a dopey pun. It’s about a most holy and flawed love. It’s about how one’s ideas of oneself and one’s history simultaneously construct and obstruct who you are and who you’re trying to be. Like many Heaven’s Jail songs it yearns for a better present, but accepts a failed reality, and traffics between the sacred and the profane. Juxtaposing elevated and debased language and imagery for a jarring and uncanny effect. The closer you get to a meaning the more it retreats and becomes less real.”

Widow’s Work comes out May 6.