Tall Heights

Tall Heights
Tall Heights in The Wiltern
Tall Heights in The Wiltern
Background information
OriginBoston, Massachusetts
Genres
Years active2009–present
LabelsUnited For Opportunity, Sony Masterworks
MembersTim Harrington
Paul Wright
Paul Dumas
Websitewww.tallheights.com

Tall Heights is an electrofolk duo based in Boston, USA. The group was formed in 2009 and consists of the singer/guitarist Tim Harrington and the singer/cellist Paul Wright.[1] Tours have also featured the percussionist/singer Paul Dumas. Their albums are Man of Stone, Neptune, Pretty Colors For Your Actions,[2], Juniors, and Softly Softly.

Biography

Harrington and Wright met in their hometown of Sturbridge, Massachusetts. They began busking in Boston,[1] keeping their songs to the essential elements to make them easier to perform on the street.[3] Shortly thereafter, Ryan Montbleau took the band under his wing after watching them perform at the Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Montbleau and Tall Heights began performing together, releasing an EP, All or Nothing / Fast Car, in 2014.[4] Tall Heights established itself as a Boston indie-folk staple alongside The Ballroom Thieves and Darlingside.[5]

Their first EP, Rafters, and their first full-length album, Man of Stone, reflect the acoustic sound of Harrington's guitar, Wright's cello, and their voices. For their 2015 EP, Holding On, Holding Out, they expanded their sound with drums, electric guitar, and keyboards. The single, "Spirit Cold", was premiered on The Wall Street Journal on August 19, 2015. According to Wright, the song's lyrics are about "staying present and awake to the bad, but also the good that's around us".[6] Its accompanying music video was premiered by Paste on January 28, 2016.[7]

The band's sound has been compared to Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes,[8] and Arcade Fire.[9] They have performed with artists such as Ben Folds, Blind Pilot, José González, Wild Child, Lola Marsh, Shook Twins and Gregory Alan Isakov.[10] The band has recorded a World Cafe session with David Dye[1] and performed on NPR's Mountain Stage.[11] Holding on, Holding Out and Neptune were produced by Oliver Hill of Pavo Pavo.

Tall Heights announced their first major label album, Neptune, with a premiere of "River Wider" on Stereogum.[12] Fuse premiered the next single, "Iron in the Fire", calling it "breathtaking",[13] and NPR premiered the lyric video for Infrared.[14] Spin magazine listed the band as one of "Five New Artists You Should Hear"[15] and Paste included them in it "Best of What's Next" series.[16] Tall Heights' made their first late night television appearance was performing "Spirit Cold" on Conan on September 26, 2016.[17]

On July 10, 2018, the band announced a third full-length album, Pretty Colors For Your Actions, to be released on the Sony Masterworks label.[18][19]

On January 14, 2022, Tall Heights released their fourth full-length studio album, Juniors.[20]

Discography

  • Smoke Signals (2009)
  • Rafters (EP) (2011)
  • The Running of the Bulls (EP) (2012)
  • Man of Stone (2013)
  • All or Nothing / Fast Car (2014) (with Ryan Montbleau)
  • Holding On, Holding Out (EP) (2015) – United for Opportunity
  • Neptune (2016) – Sony Masterworks
  • Pretty Colors For Your Actions (2018) – Sony Masterworks
  • Juniors (2022) – Tall Heights and Many Hats Distribution
  • Softly Softly (2024)

References

  1. ^ a b c "Tall Heights On World Cafe". NPR. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  2. ^ "Tall Heights". Masterworks. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  3. ^ "Biography". Tall Heights. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  4. ^ "For Montbleau It's All or Nothing". Infinity Hall Live. 6 October 2014. Archived from the original on 18 June 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  5. ^ Gottlieb, Jed (26 December 2014). "Certifiably unclassifiable: Tall Heights spearhead rising Boston scene". Boston Herald. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  6. ^ Danton, Eric R. (19 August 2015). "Tall Heights Pursue Broader Musical Vision on 'Spirit Cold'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Video Premiere: Tall Heights - "Spirit Cold"". Paste. Archived from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  8. ^ Warren, Bruce (13 October 2015). "Download "Spirit Cold" by Boston's Tall Heights". XPN. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  9. ^ Vickman, Anne (9 February 2012). "Five Reasons to Leave the House this Weekend". Boston. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  10. ^ "Tour". Tall Heights. Archived from the original on 15 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  11. ^ "Craig Finn, Langhorne Slim, Turnpike Troubadours, and more". Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  12. ^ Gelfand, Zac (23 June 2016). "Tall Heights – "River Wider"". Stereogum. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  13. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (13 July 2016). "Tall Heights' 'Iron in the Fire' is the Gorgeous Track You Need Today". Fuse. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  14. ^ Marketti, Anna (26 October 2016). "Tall Heights Stretches Its Sound In 'Infrared' Lyric Video". All Songs TV. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  15. ^ Brown, T.M. (14 September 2016). "Little Artists, Big Sounds: Five New Artists You Should Hear". Spin. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  16. ^ Edelstone, Steven (9 November 2016). "Tall Heights: The Best of What's Next". Paste. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  17. ^ "Tall Heights "Spirit Cold" 09/26/16". Team Coco. 27 September 2016. Archived from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  18. ^ Howard, Lindsay. "Watch Tall Heights' Video for Their Shimmering New Single 'The Deep End'". Variance. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  19. ^ Graff, Gary (3 December 2019). "Tall Heights Stay Hopeful With 'Under Your Skin': Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  20. ^ "JUNIORS IS HERE!!! Go listen to it now!". Twitter. Tall Heights. Retrieved 3 March 2022.