The Heavy Heavy set to release debut album

Every year, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival attracts some of folk music’s best emerging acts from all over the world. Brighton, United Kingdom (U.K.)-based band The Heavy Heavy are no exception. 

With their debut album One of a Kind set to release September 6 — less than a month after their August 11 set at Folkfest’s main stage — The Heavy Heavy, led by Georgie Fuller and Will Turner, are already on tour. Having only released the EP Life and Life Only and a few singles, One of a Kind will likely be the influx of new music that fans have awaited two years for.

“We’ve been working the five-track EP for the last two years. It feels really like it’s time,” Fuller said.

“Now we’ve sort of plugged a new piece of art into this world we’re in. It’s new ground and it’s exciting,” Turner added.

The Heavy Heavy’s throwback, retro sound hearkens back to rock and roll’s rise, but sets them apart in today’s music landscape. The proper setting for listening to their music is at least 50 years in the past, sitting in the passenger seat of a red, stick-shift truck. They’ve garnered praise for this sound, with The Guardian commending the “lick of madness” they write and play with.

Although the sound of the new album is consistent with their previous releases, Turner described One of a Kind as “slightly more bombastic and powerful.” Fuller noted “some darker qualities to it.”

“The EP was very pretty and beautiful. This one is still pretty beautiful, but it also has a ragged edge I would say,” Turner said.

“I still feel like each song, again, has its own colour palette within that unified identity,” Fuller says

From One of a Kind, The Heavy Heavy have released two singles: “Because You’re Mine” and “Happiness.” As of August 6, “Happiness” is placed at seven on the Adult Alternative Airplay (AAA or Triple A) charts. On the Americana radio charts it’s at five. The reception so far has left them feeling optimistic, Fuller said.

“Really, from the first few days of it being out, people were coming to the shows and singing along.”

Turner noted the yet to be released title track “One of a Kind” as a favourite. Fuller expressed a fondness for “Salina,” the closing track, for its departure from typical songwriting structure and its dreamy quality. 

“I feel really happy and proud to say that there are loads of tracks I’m really excited for everyone to hear. One thing that we loved about the EP was that the five or six tracks all had their own identity,” Fuller said. “And whilst the album is obviously quite as many tracks, I still feel like each song, again, has its own colour palette within that unified identity.”

While Fuller has now arrived at a place of pride, the process of writing was much more tumultuous.

“When you’re in the process of it you’re like ‘this is shit, this is shit, this is shit.’ And then you’re like ‘is it ok?’” 

Now she’s excited for One of a Kind to take on a life of its own through its listeners. 

“Once it goes out into the world, it doesn’t really belong to you anymore. So you get to see it through other people’s eyes, and hopefully they really like it.”