Notions by Heavy Gus
Born of the stark beauty and bittersweet desolation of the high desert, Heavy Gus blurs the lines between grungy garage band fare, hazy surf, and dreamy indie rock on their captivating full-length debut, Notions. Bristling with live-wire electricity, the collection is lean and spare, fueled by distorted guitars and a driving rhythm section, and the performances are loose and organic to match, captured spontaneously in the moment with little room for overthinking or second-guessing.
Heavy Gus formed in 2020 in the high desert of Bishop, California. Songwriting couple Dorota Szuta and Stelth Ulvang (of The Lumineers) teamed up with drummer Ryan Dobrowski (of Blind Pilot), and the trio’s organic chemistry nudged them to drive cross-country to live-record in Nashville. Reminiscent of bands like The Breeders or Acetone, Dobrowski’s tasteful drumming paired with Ulvang’s instrumental landscaping provide a familiar cushion for Dorota’s lush guitar tones and vocals.
Tracklist
| 1. | Dinner for Breakfast | 2:58 |
| 2. | Weird Sad Symbol | 2:23 |
| 3. | Do We Have to Talk | 3:14 |
| 4. | Breathe | 3:42 |
| 5. | Still to Be | 2:27 |
| 6. | Trees | 4:12 |
| 7. | Try | 2:51 |
| 8. | Paracosm | 5:01 |
| 9. | Distant Thunder | 3:24 |
| 10. | Scattered | 3:35 |
Credits
Heavy Gus is Dorota Szuta, Stelth Ulvang, and Ryan Dobrowski
With recording help from Tyler Osmond, Parker Cason, Byron Isaacs, and Lauren Jacobson
All songs written by Dorota Szuta and Stelth Ulvang
Recorded in Feb and June, 2020 at Creative Workshop in Nashville, TN
Engineered and mixed by Parker Cason
At Creative Workshop, Nashville TN
Mastered by Pete Lyman
At Infrasonic Sound, Nashville TN
Album design and layout by Cody Ackors and Easy Pete’s
Cover photos by Ben Fee
Inside photo by Lauren Jacobson
Thanks to Griffith James, Ben Fee, Lauren Jacobson, Brandon and Adriene Miller, Chaz Prymek, Anna Wilson, Nick Jaina, Buzz, Chelsey, Jupiter, and Cora Cason, Paula Flakser, Linda Laird and Double L Ranch, Blind Pilot, The Lumineers, Dog Dreams, Secret Pluto Band, and John Candy the Van.
License
All rights reserved.
Dorota Szuta fronts this bittersweet desert-dream band joined by Stelth Ulvang (the Lumineers) and Ryan Dobrowski (Blind Pilot).
Their songs capture the vibes of the lenticular clouds of the high desert of California, and their goofed roots of Santa Cruz, and grunge soaked sincerity of the northwest.
Their full length debut album, Notions, is out now.