| Heartstrings | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2 June 2014 | |||
| Recorded | November 2013 | |||
| Studio | Assault & Battery, London | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Length | 31:26 | |||
| Label | Birthday Records | |||
| Producer | Catherine J. Marks, Alan Moulder | |||
| Howling Bells chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Heartstrings | ||||
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Heartstrings is the fourth studio album of London-based Australian indie rock band Howling Bells. The album was released through Birthday Records on 2 June 2014 to generally favourable reviews. It was co-produced by Catherine J. Marks and Alan Moulder, and recorded at Assault & Battery 2, London, in November 2013.
Howling Bells, by and large, did not write for Heartstrings until more than two years following the release of their previous album, The Loudest Engine. Over that period, the band members committed themselves to other ventures. Original Howling Bells bass guitarist Brendan Picchio, left the band and was eventually replaced with Gary Daines. Furthermore, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Juanita Stein became a first-time mother after giving birth. The writing and recording process for Heartstrings was quick and was completed within the span of one month. The album bears resemblance to Howling Bells' first album Howling Bells, musically, thematically, and in the cinematic sense. The band moved on from record label Cooking Vinyl and entered an agreement with Birthday Records. Heartstrings and its accompanying singles failed to place on music charts in any nation.
To promote the album, Howling Bells performed a series of free in-store events at retail record outlets throughout the UK, which included shows at Rough Trade and Fopp Records. The band also headlined shows throughout the UK in the months surrounding the release.