Every Feeling on a Loop

Description

Just five years ago, when he took a leave of absence from the celebrated indie-folk band The Head and the Heart, the question was less about where Johnson’s path would lead him and more about whether his addiction issues would end his music career. Before co-founding the band, Johnson studied graduate-level math and computer science. But the magic of songwriting led him to an open mic that changed his life. At Seattle’s Conor Byrne Pub, Johnson sparked collaborations with other musicians who would eventually form The Head and the Heart. The band’s rise was swift. They built a devoted fanbase and zigzagged across the globe, with sold-out shows at historic venues from The Fillmore to Red Rocks, and appearances at festivals such as Coachella and Lollapalooza. On “Every Feeling on a Loop,” lush musical arrangements and harmonies buoy Johnson’s baritone vocals. At times, the songs feel like prayers. He says he feels like a new person finding his way, carving his path from darkness to the great waking morning, using the magic that was his all along.