Josiah Johnson of The Head and Heart (Solo) with Birthday Dad

953 10th Street,Modesto CA 95354

08 May, 2023

Description

JOSIAH JOHNSON“Josiah Johnson of The Head and the Heart steps out on his own on a record full of sun-dappled indie rock, with booming brass & big refrains.” – Bandcamp “At times, Johnson turns to mid-tempo laments to process days of fire and turbulence. But his slow-burn songs can also stretch into a Zen stillness, on an album that yearns for healing.” – The New Yorker Josiah Johnson is singer-songwriter best known for his time as a founding member of folk-pop powerhouse The Head and the Heart. He has been making a name for himself as a passionate performer and writer since leaving his old band and beginning a solo career in 2018. Josiah writes with a deeply rooted vulnerability and presence, cultivated through a life of dreams, setbacks, and persistence, with the heart at the center. He released his debut solo album, "Every Feeling on a Loop" in 2020, and a follow up is being released in 2022. His recorded output in 2022 is exciting and adventurous, mixing folk instrumentation with electronics, in the vein of Bon Iver or Sufjan Stevens. His live performances are cathartic, bringing emotive music and story-telling, with melodies that stick in your head for days after. BIRTHDAY DAD"Birthday Dad's first single 'Death Too' wastes no time in getting to the point." - The Alternative Imagine if Bright Eyes locked themselves in a room for a year and only listened to Jack's Mannequin. Birthday Dad's debut album, The Hermit, would be the result. Songwriter Alex Periera roots started in a mini Les Paul his father gifted to him at the ripe age of 4, only to sit and collect dust until he turned 10. From there, he found himself forming bands and writing Blink 182 rip-offs with friends. Somewhere, an 8 track demo tape exists, but we'll probably never hear it. As Birthday Dad took root in 2019, COVID quickly sheltered the artist in place and turned the project into a solo adventure in writing. On The Hermit, Alex found himself writing about the anxiety of life, isolation, and sitting at home watching TV. With the songs taking shape, he needed to recruit musicians to fill the space. Through Reddit and Fiverr, he found an assortment of talented musicians, and eventually was led to Will Schade -- who played saxophone on Slaughter Beach, Dog's album, "At the Moonbase". He then found George Gadd, a UK based engineer who mixed the album, and All Get Out's Nathan Hussey who mastered the album. Through the power of the internet, an isolated songwriter found his voice and created something beautiful to share with us all.