Since 2005, Careless Hearts have been moving audiences and critics
alike with their stirring live sets of original indie-twang-folk-rock.
Having weathered a few line-up shifts in that time has only served to
strengthen the visible chemistry between Paul Kimball (lead vocals and
rhythm guitar) and Derek See (lead guitar and vocals), while more
recent members Brian Michael (bass and vocals) and Eric Powers (drums)
have taken the band to new, harder-hitting frontiers. Consistently,
Careless Hearts' approach to music remains rooted in tradition, novel
in execution, and free from pretense.
Taking inspiration from California artists that came before them
(Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers,
X, and The Beat Farmers, to name just a few), Careless Hearts place
melody, honesty, and heartfelt playing above all else, and the
evidence is all there on their dynamic self-titled debut, "Careless
Hearts". Eleven tracks, all originals, solid from top to bottom with
stories of sleepless nights, love gone awry, and the tense thrill of
possibility.
"Careless Hearts' self-titled debut has a lot to offer the country
rock-loving masses, California and Nashville alike. Primarily a
country band disguised as a rock outfit, the California-based ensemble
covers a lot of ground, scratching out rowdy dance floor busters and
just as easily swinging a ballad... they have the right kind of
talent. "
West Coast Performer magazine, 4.2007
"A GREAT band."
Ray Randall, AmericanaRoots.com, 4.2007
"The San Jose-based Careless Hearts call themselves alt-country, but
we say they're purveyors of good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll. The kind
that'll have you singing along and tapping your foot before the end of
the first chorus. The kind with more hooks than a convention of
pirates at a bait-and-tackle shop. You'll be sucked in by the first
line of the first chorus of the first song, a delightful
three-and-a-half-minute number called "Chattering Teeth." Lead singer
Paul Kimball alternately wails and whines (in a good way) while
powerhouse drummer Craig Heitkam never lets up. Lyrical gems like "I'm
shaking like a junkie in a film by Gus Van Sant" are the icing on this
cake. They've also included a straight-up country ballad ("Old Ways
Die Slow"), complete with a honky tonk and a cheating heart. But we're
still calling these Hearts rock perfection."
Performing Songwriter magazine, 3.2007
"Check out Bay Area twangers, Careless Hearts. Their self-titled debut
is full of sad songs influenced by traditional country songbooks
juxtaposed with rockin' twang channeling the likes of The Band, the
Stones and more recently Two Tons of Steel"
Twangville.com, 2.15.2007
"Can't Tell a Man and Never to Return showcase the range of the
country music spectrum influencing Careless Hearts. The first clearly
has sprung, like a green sapling, directly from American roots music.
You can almost hear the old Kentucky hills in the rhythm and the
lyrics. The second is a story of isolation and tragedy, a very
traditional American song theme, though here the sound is updated,
relying more on the last two decades of alternative rock music than it
does on the beginning of the last century."
Hardcore-Troubadours.com, 2.19.07
"Careless Hearts are an alt-country band winning hearts and minds from
San Jose to San Francisco, and have just released their first CD. The
songwriting on this CD is its first attention getter. They take their
listeners into places new and familiar, but rarely in expected ways.
Their sound covers bases from Wilco to the Velvet Underground and
points in between. As HWS has said before, these guys are
single-handedly kicking the long dead carcass of South Bay twang back
to life."
HicksWithSticks.com, 11.16.2006
"Careless Hearts could be compared to the Donny & Marie Show of the
'70s: they give us that perfect blend of country AND rock 'n' roll
entertainment, minus the skits."
The Wave magazine, 1.25.2006
