Tall Heights
{{Short description|American electrofolk band}}
{{refimprove|date=July 2022}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Tall Heights
| image = File:Tall Heights @ The Wiltern 08 16 2023 (53407199611).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Tall Heights in The Wiltern
| origin = Boston, Massachusetts
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| years_active = 2009–present
| label = United For Opportunity, Sony Masterworks
| website = {{URL|http://www.tallheights.com/}}
| current_members = Tim Harrington
Paul Wright
Paul Dumas
| past_members =
}}
Tall Heights is an electrofolk duo based in Boston, USA. The group was formed in 2009 and consists of the singer/guitarist Tim Harrington and the singer/cellist Paul Wright.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2015/09/09/438541978/tall-heights-on-world-cafe|title=Tall Heights On World Cafe |publisher=NPR|access-date=1 June 2016}} Tours have also featured the percussionist/singer Paul Dumas. Their albums are Man of Stone, Neptune, Pretty Colors For Your Actions,{{cite web|url=https://www.masterworksmusic.com/artist/tall-heights/|title=Tall Heights|website=Masterworks|access-date=1 June 2016|archive-date=23 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623165644/https://www.masterworksmusic.com/artist/tall-heights/|url-status=dead}} Juniors, and Softly Softly.
Biography
Harrington and Wright met in their hometown of Sturbridge, Massachusetts. They began busking in Boston, keeping their songs to the essential elements to make them easier to perform on the street.{{cite web|url=http://www.tallheights.com/bio/|publisher=Tall Heights|title=Biography|access-date=1 June 2016|archive-date=11 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611110725/http://www.tallheights.com/bio/|url-status=dead}} Shortly thereafter, Ryan Montbleau took the band under his wing after watching them perform at the Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Montbleau and Tall Heights began performing together, releasing an EP, All or Nothing / Fast Car, in 2014.{{cite news|title=For Montbleau It’s All or Nothing|work=Infinity Hall Live|date=6 October 2014|url=http://ihlive.org/montbleau-nothing/|access-date=15 June 2016|archive-date=18 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160618045951/http://ihlive.org/montbleau-nothing/|url-status=dead}} Tall Heights established itself as a Boston indie-folk staple alongside The Ballroom Thieves and Darlingside.{{cite news|last=Gottlieb|first=Jed|title=Certifiably unclassifiable: Tall Heights spearhead rising Boston scene|work=Boston Herald|date= 26 December 2014 |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/music_news/2014/12/certifiably_unclassifiable_tall_heights_spearhead_rising| access-date = 15 June 2016}}
Their first EP, Rafters, and their first full-length album, Man of Stone, reflect the acoustic sound of Harrington's guitar, Wright's cello, and their voices. For their 2015 EP, Holding On, Holding Out, they expanded their sound with drums, electric guitar, and keyboards. The single, "Spirit Cold", was premiered on The Wall Street Journal on August 19, 2015. According to Wright, the song's lyrics are about "staying present and awake to the bad, but also the good that's around us".{{cite news|last=Danton|first=Eric R.|title=Tall Heights Pursue Broader Musical Vision on 'Spirit Cold'|work=The Wall Street Journal|date= 19 August 2015 |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2015/08/19/tall-heights-spirit-cold-exclusive-song/| access-date = 1 June 2016}} Its accompanying music video was premiered by Paste on January 28, 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/01/tall-heights-spirit-cold.html|title=Video Premiere: Tall Heights - "Spirit Cold"|website=Paste|access-date=1 June 2016|archive-date=1 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501211541/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/01/tall-heights-spirit-cold.html|url-status=dead}}
The band's sound has been compared to Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes,{{cite news|last=Warren|first=Bruce|title=Download "Spirit Cold" by Boston’s Tall Heights|work=XPN|date=13 October 2015|url=http://thekey.xpn.org/2015/10/13/tall-heights-2/|access-date=1 June 2016|archive-date=19 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919200102/http://thekey.xpn.org/2015/10/13/tall-heights-2/|url-status=dead}} and Arcade Fire.{{cite news|last=Vickman|first=Anne|title=Five Reasons to Leave the House this Weekend|work=Boston|date=9 February 2012|url=http://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/blog/2012/02/09/five-reasons-to-leave-the-house-this-weekend-4/|access-date=1 June 2016|archive-date=18 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818000745/http://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/blog/2012/02/09/five-reasons-to-leave-the-house-this-weekend-4/|url-status=dead}} They have performed with artists such as Ben Folds, Blind Pilot, José González, Wild Child, Lola Marsh, Shook Twins and Gregory Alan Isakov.{{cite web|url=http://www.tallheights.com/tour/|title=Tour|publisher=Tall Heights|access-date=1 June 2016|archive-date=15 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615005558/http://www.tallheights.com/tour/|url-status=dead}} The band has recorded a World Cafe session with David Dye and performed on NPR's Mountain Stage.{{cite web|url=http://mountainstage.ticketfly.com/event/948205-mountain-stage-craig-finn-charleston/|title=Craig Finn, Langhorne Slim, Turnpike Troubadours, and more|access-date=1 June 2016}} Holding on, Holding Out and Neptune were produced by Oliver Hill of Pavo Pavo.
Tall Heights announced their first major label album, Neptune, with a premiere of "River Wider" on Stereogum.{{cite news|last=Gelfand|first=Zac|title=Tall Heights – "River Wider"|work=Stereogum|date= 23 June 2016 |url=http://www.stereogum.com/1884218/tall-heights-river-wider-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/| access-date = 5 Dec 2016}} Fuse premiered the next single, "Iron in the Fire", calling it "breathtaking",{{cite news|last=Lipshutz|first=Jason|title=Tall Heights' 'Iron in the Fire' is the Gorgeous Track You Need Today|work=Fuse|date= 13 July 2016 |url=http://www.fuse.tv/2016/07/tall-heights-iron-in-the-fire-new-song| access-date = 5 Dec 2016}} and NPR premiered the lyric video for Infrared.{{cite news|last=Marketti|first=Anna|title=Tall Heights Stretches Its Sound In 'Infrared' Lyric Video|work=All Songs TV|date= 26 October 2016 |url=https://www.npr.org/event/music/499141886/tall-heights-stretches-its-sound-in-infrared-lyric-video| access-date = 5 December 2016}} Spin magazine listed the band as one of "Five New Artists You Should Hear"{{cite news|last=Brown|first=T.M.|title=Little Artists, Big Sounds: Five New Artists You Should Hear|work=Spin|date=14 Sep 2016 |url=http://www.spin.com/2016/09/little-artists-big-sounds-five-new-artists-you-should-hear/| access-date = 5 Dec 2016}} and Paste included them in it "Best of What's Next" series.{{cite news|last=Edelstone|first=Steven|title=Tall Heights: The Best of What's Next|work=Paste |date=9 November 2016 |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/11/tall-heights-the-best-of-whats-next.html| access-date = 5 December 2016}} Tall Heights' made their first late night television appearance was performing "Spirit Cold" on Conan on September 26, 2016.{{cite news|title=Tall Heights "Spirit Cold" 09/26/16|work=Team Coco|date=27 Sep 2016|url=http://teamcoco.com/video/tall-heights-09-23-16|access-date=5 December 2016|archive-date=10 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161210171213/http://teamcoco.com/video/tall-heights-09-23-16|url-status=dead}}
On July 10, 2018, the band announced a third full-length album, Pretty Colors For Your Actions, to be released on the Sony Masterworks label.{{Cite web|url=https://variancemagazine.com/sights/9490-tall-heights-the-deep-end|title=Watch Tall Heights' Video for Their Shimmering New Single 'The Deep End'|last=Howard|first=Lindsay|website=Variance|access-date=10 August 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Graff |first1=Gary |title=Tall Heights Stay Hopeful With ‘Under Your Skin’: Premiere |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/tall-heights-under-your-skin-premiere-8545201/ |access-date=15 February 2023 |work=Billboard |date=3 December 2019}}
On January 14, 2022, Tall Heights released their fourth full-length studio album, Juniors.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/tallheights/status/1482017304527396868|title=JUNIORS IS HERE!!! Go listen to it now!|publisher=Tall Heights|website=Twitter|access-date=3 March 2022}} It was followed by Softly Softly, released October 18, 2024.
Discography
- Smoke Signals (2009)
- Rafters (EP) (2011)
- The Running of the Bulls (EP) (2012)
- Man of Stone (2013)
- All or Nothing / Fast Car (2014) (with Ryan Montbleau)
- Holding On, Holding Out (EP) (2015) – United for Opportunity
- Neptune (2016) – Sony Masterworks
- Pretty Colors For Your Actions (2018) – Sony Masterworks
- Juniors (2022) – Tall Heights and Many Hats Distribution
- Softly Softly (2024)
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:American folk musical groups