The Helltones - “All My Heart”
Oakland, CA-based The Helltones have just released “All My Heart” and it is more than a treat. Brimmed full of classic guitar tones and funky grooves, you can’t help but love this song.
One of the song’s highlights, for me, is the addictively good, jangly guitar tones. You are instantly transported back to the days of West Coast surfer rock. The playing is carefree and breezy and makes me think of sun-drenched beaches. But The Helltones have given this slice of nostalgia a great modern twist, as they also seduce you with the pulsing funky bass groove and persistent thrust of the four-on-the-floor drum beat. “All My Heart” will definitely get your head bopping.
Lead guitar is the constant companion on this track, whether hitting home the main guitar riff or shuffling subtle textures underneath the vocal. The standout part for the lead guitar is the solo. which is effortlessly filled with ornate flourishes. Just as you are swept away by the smooth and extravagant guitar solo, The Helltones push home the feeling of pure joy with the addition of saxophones. For me, this gives the song a decidedly mid-1970s twist.
The lead vocal is full of crooning and balladry, which enhances the retro tones of the track perfectly, whilst giving off the feelings of desire and melancholy. The dreamy female backing vocals are also a lush, vintage-vibed addition. They enhance the lighthearted and joyful atmosphere. You could be forgiven for thinking this is not a new release, but a track from a dusty jukebox.
The dynamic break brings the ballad-like elements of the song to the foreground, giving us a brief contrast to the constant funky groove. Tremolo guitar tones shimmer underneath the vocal before sweeping us away again with the song’s main hooks. The band says that “All My Heart” is “about knowing that on paper this person is perfect, but you still can’t say “I love you” like you mean it. It’s as though someone put Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana” into an indie rock blender and poured us a daiquiri of cool.”
“All My Heart,” by The Helltones, is a musical voyage full of contagious hooks, flawless guitar playing, and a simply delightful vocal performance. The guitar playing on this song alone should make you want to buy a Jaguar and Jazzmaster! “All My Heart” is taken from their new album, Medusa (out Nov. 17)