The album opens gently with “After the Setting Sun,” where a sweet guitar line and echoing piano usher in one of Jon Russell’s most gorgeous vocal performances in recent memory. The track feels like a thesis for the rest of the record: reflective, open-hearted, and unafraid to sit in life’s transitions. (…)

“Time With My Sins” leans into the band’s folk and country roots, complete with banjo and harmonica. It’s a classic Head and the Heart moment (…).

While some tracks lean introspective, others are just plain fun. “Beg Steal Borrow” brings in bright basslines, beachy vibes, and standout vocals from Charity Rose Thielen, who plays a more prominent role throughout Aperture than on some past records. There’s a lightness here that feels earned—a band that’s pushed through darkness and landed somewhere sunny. “Fire Escape” is another chaotic good time, speeding through its verses with fast piano and a sneaky party story (…).

The themes here—love, honesty, communal support, the dance between independence and interdependence—are clear without being heavy-handed. Aperture captures a band willing to risk softness and sincerity in a world that doesn’t always reward it. There’s a rawness here, but also deep care. You can hear it in the harmonies, in the unguarded lyrics, and in the way every voice—especially Thielen’s—is given space to shine.

(Staged Haze)