Two people that we love mentioned Spare Parts For Broken Hearts to us in the last month.
First, it was Animaan from Analog Party who brought them to the conversation. He said to me they were a very solid live band and we should consider having them perform at one of our Hanging On Sunset / Team Nowhere events.
Then, Anthony from Teenage Wrist / Iron Point came to the studio to record our latest episode and he said we should have them on the podcast. When two of the most talented musicians in town agree on such a thing, you don’t have much choice, and that’s why we reached out to Sarah Green to schedule an interview.
The frontwoman was joined by bass player Jonny Cifuentes and both came to our very secret location last Friday and we had a very great time. First, the music they create resonates with us. Like I said during the interview, it sounds familiar because the musical and cultural bath of influence we hear in their craft is probably very similar to ours. The names that we brought in the conversation were those of the artists we grew up with like The Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, or Nirvana but also lesser know acts like K’s Choice and the Spanish band Heroes Del Silencio. That’s where Jonny’s Guatemalan roots and my Spanish roots cross paths.
Spare Parts Of Broken Hearts can’t be reduced to their musical influences though and you need only to listen to them once to be touched and impressed by the quality of Sarah’s vocal melodies and the powerful authenticity Jessica Lankford helps them deploy with her drumming. They’re not here to compromise on anything and their music is very well reflecting their motto: « Everything heavy, everyone here ». Yes, the music is heavy but so are their heart. Sarah’s lyrics are very transparent about her feelings and struggles in her daily life. The emotion she carries through the many aspects of her voice is very often overwhelming and distressing because you can tell it comes from a very honest place.
The vocal tremolo she uses in the lower parts is haunting and it puts you in a sort of trance, the raspiness coming from her throat grabs your heart and you can feel she has the ability to rip it out in a second, and when she finally does, Sarah lets it all out in one of those epic choruses filled with long notes and unexpected changes. The pain finally equals the pleasure and we are experiencing the adrenaline rush of a rollercoaster. The most beautiful part of this rollercoaster is that everybody is invited to the party because the things she deals with are universal sufferings. Spare Parts For Broken Hearts make a point that they want their band to be a refuge for the outcast, the lonely, the left out and all the freaks out there. It seems they have created a real bond with their fans that’s breaking the old stereotype of rockstars versus groupies. Thank god, it’s 2021 and we don’t need that anymore. We need more bands like SP4BH, carrying values of empathy, equality, and tolerance. We need more bands that are actually bringing more to the table than posture and dreams of glory. We need authenticity, community, and great music.
Vincent Jacob
LISTEN TO OUR EXTENDED INTERVIEW:
Photo: Fernanda Linhares
Photo: Vincent Jacob
Photo: Vincent Jacob
Photo: Fernanda Linhares
Photo: Vincent Jacob