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.

Background Throughout the duration of time that Heartstrings was conceived and Howling Bells' last album, The Loudest Engine was released, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Juanita Stein, drummer Glenn Moule, and Juanita's brother Joel Stein took a break from the band and dedicated themselves to other projects.Maine, Sammy (18 February 2014). . Drowned in Sound. Silentway. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014. Juanita, along with Nick Hodgson, former drummer of Kaiser Chiefs, Tom Greatorex and Danny Prescott of Black Wire, and Hodgson's wife Anna Goodall formed a band, Albert Albert."Albert Albert". Great Escape Festival. MAMA & Company Ltd. (2014). Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014."Music interview: Howling Bells". Yorkshire Evening Post (Leeds, UK: Yorkshire Post Newspapers). (26 May 2014). Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014. Joel produced an album and started a solo project titled, Glassmaps.Harper, Rhiannon (19 December 2011). "The AU Interview: Steve Smyth (Sydney)". the AU review. Heath Media & the AU review. Archived from the original on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2014."Glassmaps". Facebook. (2011-2014). Retrieved 3 April 2013. Moule was credited for his work on albums for other artists.Spencer, Hannah (2011). "The Pierces – You & I Album Review". Contactmusic. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2014. During this period, native Londoner Gary Daines replaced original Howling Bells bass guitarist Brendan Picchio, who left the band."DGR Music Press, RTV & Concert Promotion – Howling Bells (UK)". DGR Music. (7 April 2014). Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014. According to Juanita, the addition of Daines brought balance to Howling Bells, whereas before she felt that the band was unsteady.Gilbert-Cross, Richard (1 May 2014). "Interview: Howling Bells – "I'm The Most Comfortable In My Skin I've Ever Been"". Louder Than War. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.

In 2012, Juanita gave birth to a baby daughter, Daisy Jean."Stein: Baby makes me more creative". MSN. Microsoft. (25 May 2014). Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014. Through motherhood, she discovered that things that used to be important to her were no longer nearly as relevant as she once thought. This affected her songwriting process in a positive way as she became less self-critical.Bertok, Nina (14 March 2014). "Interview: Howling Bells". London On The Inside. Ben Smith. Archived from the original on 2 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014. During October 2013, Juanita, in a creatively inspired bout, wrote songs every day in the basement of her North London home and exchanged them back and forth amongst the other members of the band to collect ideas. According to Juanita, the album is filled with extreme highs and lows which resemble what the band has endured over the years. As a result, the choice of the name Heartstrings was appropriate. Juanita stated that the title means the most emotional of feelings and it seemingly captured the open and expressive nature of the album.

Howling Bells sent demos out to prospective producers, one of which was Alan Moulder. At the time, Moulder was busy mixing another project, but he suggested that the band get into contact with an associate of his, Catherine J. Marks, a native Australian who moved to London and became an audio engineer for Flood and Moulder.Crane, Larry (30 July 2014). "Catherine J. Marks: Happy Accidents". Tape Op (Sacramento, CA: John Baccigaluppi). (102): 22–24. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014. The band met with her and there was an immediate connection, so they accepted her as the producer of the album. In the end, Marks and Moulder came together and co-produced the album. Shortly before the recording of Heartstrings, Marks contacted Juanita and expressed her fear that the band would not have enough time to record the album and suggested that they consider delaying it until after the new year. Howling Bells decided against this and began recording soon thereafter. The band wanted to recapture the urgency that was exhibited on their first record, Howling Bells, that they felt was missing on their previous two records, Radio Wars, and The Loudest Engine. Juanita credits the sound of the album to the band being comfortable and accepting of the way that they sound as a band instead of trying to sound like something that they are not, which is something that they attempted in the past.Cummins, Chris (24 April 2014). "Ticketmaster meets Howling Bells: "We're older, we're wiser, we're more confident"". Ticketmaster. Live Nation Entertainment. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.

Production

In November 2013, Howling Bells recorded Heartstrings over an eleven-day period at Assault & Battery Studios in North London. The album was predominately produced by Marks but Moulder periodically came to the studio where he gave insight and perspective, and ultimately oversaw the process.Duda, Marty (25 August 2014). "Howling Bells – The 13th Floor Interview". The 13th Floor. Flipside Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on 29 August 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014. Members of the band stated that Marks had an immense energy about her and was very intense and enthusiastic in the studio.

The piano on "Paper Heart" was played on a Grotrian-Steinweg Concert Grand Piano that was previously housed at Abbey Road Studios and was owned by English audio engineer, musician, and record producer, Alan Parsons (The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project)."Assault & Battery 2 Goes Grand. We Unveil a Grotrian Steinweg Concert Grand Piano". Miloco Studios. Milo Music Ltd. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2014. Howling Bells wrote "Heartstrings" (the title track), a few years prior, but were never content with its outcome so they suspended the song's recording. It initially featured a different instrumentation and musical structure with a piano and synthesizers, along with a higher vocal register. The band substituted a guitar for the keyed instruments and took the song down an octave to make it work with the album."Track By Track: Howling Bells – Heartstrings". This Is Fake DIY (Gloucester, UK: Sonic Media Group). (22 May 2014). Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.Forte, Dean (21 July 2014). "A few minutes with Howling Bells". What Sound Melbourne. Creep Media. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.

Along with production, the album was mixed by Marks and Moulder as well. It was mixed on Pro Tools with a Chandler Limited 16 x 2 Mini Rack Mixer and ran through an EQ, as well as a compressor. The album was mastered by John Davis at Metropolis Studios in London.Davis, John (19 February 2014). "cutting the awesome new album from @howling_bells with Catherine @cjmarks and Juanita for @birthdayrecords ". Twitter. Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014. Two of Juanita's Albert Albert bandmates, Hodgson and Greatorex, played a part in the overall production of Heartstrings. Hodgson founded the small, independent record label, Birthday Records, and signed Howling Bells to it after the band parted ways with previous record label Cooking Vinyl."Nick Hodgson explains his exit from Kaiser Chiefs". NME (London, UK: IPC Media, Time Inc.). (25 January 2013). Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2013. Greatorex was responsible for the art design of the album. Juanita was responsible for the photography on the album, which was taken at Clissold Park, near her home.Ferla, Lisa–Marie (2 June 2014). "CD: Howling Bells – Heartstrings: Adopted Londoners are back to what they do best on album number four". The Arts Desk Ltd. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014. Howling Bells referenced movie posters from the 1970s, including the film, Badlands, for the artwork on the album."Howling Bells talk film inspiration". Something You Said. Robert Townsend. (28 May 2014). Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.

Singles