The Head & The Heart

Across the globe, there are hundreds of young men and women who have taken up acoustic guitars, inspired by the grand folk and country tradition, and set about put their sleeve-worn hearts into musical form. But the result is often feather light and wispy and all too easily forgotten amid the din of the modern age.

Not so with the music of Drew Grow and the Pastors Wives.

The music on the band's self-titled LP (released on their own Amigo/Amiga label) shares the influence of many current indie artists, but carries with much more meat and gristle to chew on. It feels like it was molded after a long life of ups and downs, all set a soundtrack of the curlicued songwriting of Bob Dylan, the drowsy despair of Bill Callahan/Smog, and a thick stack of dusty Motown and Stax 45s.

Don't just take our word for it. Casey Jarman, music editor of Willamette Week, said of Grow's song "Company": "This is the kind of thing you want to pop on the stereo at your favorite dive, right after the whiskey hits you and you're feeling bold enough to actually talk to that girl." And the Huffington Post had this to say of Grow's music: "Their music melds together a scuzzy, squally blend of rebellious gospel/folk that at times possesses the radiant buoyancy of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, and in quieter moments the seeping warmth of M Ward or intelligent, lovely meanderings of Elvis Perkins. It's wild and sharp and smart."

Black Girls was born from the putty of their forefathers and will continue to do so.