Indie Rock with an Impulsive Heart of Gold: a Listen to metoo: a benefit for Resilience

It is common for music to come with a message attached. For Danielle Sines, head of the indie band Impulsive Hearts, a message was not enough. “metoo: a benefit for Resilience” is a grungy, honest EP with all proceeds going to benefit Resilience Chicago. Resilience provides crisis intervention and advocacy to survivors of sexual violence. They train individuals, provide therapy, advocate medically and legally, and are an invaluable resource to the many survivors who reside in Chicago. With Sines on guitar, keys, and lead vox, Doug Hoyer on bass, guitar, keys, and backing vox, Daniel Julian on percussion, Jessica Tace LeMaster on violin, and Fallon McDermott on tenor saxophone, “metoo” packs a powerful garage-rock punch that pairs beautifully with a cloudy day and a strong cup of coffee.

Impulsive Hearts gives off a strong Pretenders vibe, but also has its own distinct sound. The percusion is tight and pops, the guitars are shiny and a little lo-fi, and the backing vox are heavy on the reverb. The EP has a lovely sound that tucks right in somewhere between alternative, new wave, and 2000s indie rock. Everything is well-recorded and has a nice, toasty analog feel to it, which I’m sure translates excellently to the cassette release of the EP.

The songs are catchy and, to me, capture the brooding yet hopeful atmosphere of a Chicago spring. There’s a lovely balance of harsh and soft elements and reminds me of long drives with my mother (who loved the Pretenders and would always be singing along to alternative rock). My favorite track from the EP is “Alien,” a poppy tune that feels both nostalgic and futuristic.

It’s admirable that a band would dedicate themselves so wholeheartedly to actively serving their community, and Impulsive Hearts never strays from playing benefit shows, releasing material in support of good causes, and uniting Chicago musicians and fans to enjoy the music and uplift one another.

You can purchase the limited-run cassette tapes of “metoo” here:

Be sure to follow Impulsive Hearts on Facebook to keep up with releases and events: https://www.facebook.com/impulsivehearts/