For those who may be unfamiliar, lighthearted is the captivating songwriting brainchild of Gracie Huffman. With the help of her twin sister Eliza Lemmon, as well as a versatile ensemble featuring Win Cawthorne on electric guitar, Toni Hunlo on drums, and Aidan Hill on bass, the Athens-based quintet has developed a unique and beguiling sound that effortlessly blends elements of indie folk, dream pop, and post-rock into a seamless and hypnotic whole.
At the heart of the band’s music lies a fascination with the intricate workings of the human psyche, as well as an unshakeable desire to explore the nuances of emotion and lived experience. Whether they’re weaving together shimmering vocal harmonies, crafting delicate guitar lines, or building towering walls of sound, lighthearted has an uncanny ability to draw listeners into their world and leave them transfixed.
On “prove a thing,” the lead track from the group’s debut LP from here on out (out today), lighthearted offers up a sparse and vulnerable song about learning to let go of a close relationship. The track burns slow and steady while splashes of banjo, mesmerizing piano arpeggios, fingerpicked guitar, and graceful vocals invite you into a warm nook of a song. As gentle textures bubble beneath the surface, Huffman coos “you don’t have to prove a thing.” The effect is sweet, soothing, and calmly reassuring.
Later in the song, however, a dissonant chord enters and Lemmon confesses “this is what you promise me.” The difference in tone is subtle yet undeniably stark. The mood sours with discontent, throwing the beginning of the song into sharp relief. It’s a fantastic introduction to how lighthearted weaves delicate knots in your heart, evoking powerful emotions in the briefest of pauses.
Recently, Huffman joined me for a brief chat to discuss “prove a thing,” the band’s debut full-length, and the secrets of writing dynamically interesting music.
Your songs have such an adventurous use of instrumentation. Can you tell me about your choices on “prove a thing”?
We knew this was going to be a simpler song because the lyrics are sweet and speak for themselves. The choices really revolved around my vocals and guitar. We ran Aidan’s bass through an octave shifter effect to give it a little edge as well as dimension. There are some noises that sound like atmospheric whale sounds that come in towards the end of the track. We made these sounds while all sitting in Tommy’s room with one mic and added a bunch of delay to our vocals. There’s a piano part and shakers to add some more layers to the simple, yet dimensional instrumentation of this song. All the boys, Toni, Aidan, and Win, sang on the track.
I’m always struck by your diverse arrangements and ability to maintain a cohesive thread. What do you think the secret is to writing dynamically interesting music?
The secret to writing dynamically interesting music is to write honest music. And then to flush out the arrangements based on the original sentiments of the writing. I think the secret for everyone is different, especially unique to who you are working with and what dynamics they bring to the table. All the folks involved with this record are immensely talented and dynamic.
Why did you chose “prove a thing” to kick off the album?
I chose “prove a thing” to kick off the album because it sets the stage for the narrative arc of the album as a whole. The album as a whole is a collection of songs I wrote during and after a dear romantic relationship. The album details my process through loving someone and learning to let them go.
So, “prove a thing” encapsulates the beginning of that relationship in which I was blissful and arguably ignorant. The last track on the album, “again & again,” is in the same guitar tuning as “prove a thing,” but the song discusses a very raw feeling of frustration once that relationship had come to a close.
I love the shift of repeating “you don’t have to prove a thing” and then coming in with “this is what you promise me” at the end. It changes the meaning in a really profound way, throwing the reassurance from earlier into doubt. Can you tell me about writing those lines?
The lyrics at the end of “prove a thing” sets up what the relationship was founded on at its beginning: acceptance and vulnerability. This sentiment ties into my spirituality. Because I believe the acceptance and care we can give to other people is simply a reflection of the love we have first been given by God.
This writing ties into later doubt in the relationship explored in “wild woods” through the line “you said you needed me, and you have your promises to keep.” This lyric in “prove a thing” sets up what one of these “promises” includes.
There’s some fantastic collaborators on this record. Can you tell me about working with them?
Our good friends helped us put this record together. We had the honor of working alongside four different producers, Andrew Blooms for “ghost,” Alec Stanley (Wanderwild) for “wild woods,” our very own Aidan Hill for “from here on out,” and Tommy Trautwein (Well Kept) for the rest of the album. Alec Stanley approached me about wanting to produce “wild woods” after hearing it on a livestream we did. He brought such creativity and it was his idea to have the drums come in when they did. His brilliance brought a new level of energy to this song.
We also collaborated with several musicians. Alec connected us with Matt “Pistol” Stoessel (Faye Webster) to play pedal steel on “wild woods.” Cannon Rogers (CannonandtheBoxes) played pedal steel on “ghost” and harmonica on “riverside.”
Working with good friends of ours who are super talented made it really easy to collaborate and added so much dimension to the songs.
What’s next for lighthearted?
We are going on a tour for the vast majority of May 2023. This is our first big tour and we are going up the northeastern United States and out to Texas and back. We are planning, booking, and promoting it all ourselves and it is the first touring push for this album. We also have vinyl records for the album in the works!
lighthearted will celebrate the release of from here on out on Thu., Apr. 27 at Flicker Theatre & Bar alongside Sophia Barkhouse. Music starts at 8 p.m.
More Info
Bandcamp: lightheartedband.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @lightheartedtheband
Instagram: @lightheartedband