Library Magic

I am a very casual listener of the Head and the Heart. They released their debut and sophomore albums during my college years, fitting tidily in the indie folk wave of the early 2010s. Think the Lumineers and Mumford and Sons, the latter being distinctive only in their Britishness. Both bands had a penchant for fedoras, banjos, and melodrama. If you share my hate (and I love to hate them), you will understand how unfortunate this era was for fashion and music alike. Their style felt gimmicky to me and their lyrics overambitious, the antithesis of the unembellished storytelling that folk music should be. If you want to indulge your inner critic, please enjoy this video of Alice Cooper taking down both the Lumineers and Mumford and Sons. While the Head and the Heart journeyed into similar territory, my partner has a few of their songs downloaded that work their way into our daily commutes and dinner prep, and I have grown more fond of their vocals over time.

“Library Magic” is entrancing, blending imagery of pages turning, live performance, and nature. The most memorable parts of the song recall the open road, at least in spirit, and the comfort of returning home from tour (“Postcard dreams of full-sized bed”). Lush harmonies and instrumentation balance the zen of being in the moment with a stir of anticipation, like coming around a bend in the road. For me, it specifically evokes the winding bit of Highway 50 between Cañon City and Salida (“I can see the sunshine’s rays beaming through the clear water”), a drive I have completed countless times in pursuit of mountain adventures and that presence of mind for life’s simple pleasures. The harmonies take center stage on many live versions, which I also recommend. The sunglasses are a bit distracting, so maybe just listen.