Review by Dom Vigil
Heavy Is The Head marks an explosive return from a seven year hiatus for Sullivan. The theatrical first track, “You Don’t Mean It” is a perfect opener, and by the time that the athematic chorus kicks in, this album promises to serve as an incredible comeback. All eleven tracks on Heavy Is The Head are solid, explosive and full of a new energy that is sure to keep both new and old fans satisfied.
“When The Pavement Meets The Road,” follows “You Don’t Mean It,” and while I’m not a big fan of the production of the vocals on this track, the upbeat and aggressive energy of the song absolutely makes up for it. This song is fast-paced and definitely keeps you on your toes, especially when it unexpectedly transitions into the slower track, “Profile.” While it doesn’t have as much energy as the first two songs on the album, “Profile” is definitely a moving track musically, vocally and lyrically. The following track, “What’s Good For The King,” follows suit with another slow beginning – just stripped down vocals and acoustic guitar opening the song. When the rest of the band comes in about a minute into the song, however, the track really seems to come alive and explode.
Another strong track on Heavy Is The Head is “Melanoma Lullaby.” Sullivan starts this song off slow, much like “Profile” and “What’s Good For The King,” but what sets this song apart from the others is Brooks Paschal’s vocal versatility and the lullaby-like quality to the music (which makes the title of the track very fitting). “Melanoma Lullaby” is a very heartfelt and anthematic track. “Statuette” is also another strong track. The way that the song transitions from fast to slow parts without any hesitation and is incredible. On top of that, “Statuette” hosts some of the strongest vocal and lyrical work on the record.
With every single track, Heavy Is The Head just seems to get stronger and stronger. There really isn’t a low point on this album. In fact, the only complaint I really have with Heavy Is The Head is the production on the vocals at times, which can sound a little overdone in certain tracks. The guitar tone, however, is absolutely incredible throughout the entire record, and musically, Heavy Is The Head is very strong. This album just seems to grow with each song, leading up to the amazing final track, “Playing With Fire,” which leaves you hanging and wanting more, proving that Sullivan are more on top of their game than ever.
Rating: 4/5
Listen to “You Don’t Mean It” “Melanoma Lullaby” and “Statuette”