Heart Bones is a collaboration between Sean Tillmann (aka Har Mar Superstar) and Sabrina Ellis (A Giant Dog/Sweet Spirit). The two became fast friends while touring together in 2016. They recognized a kindred quality of over-the-top showmanship, and their new project became inevitable. Throughout 2018 the duo have been alternating visits to each other’s hometowns of Minneapolis and Austin to co-write original material. Inspired by their favorite classic duos such as Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood, Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin, Sonny & Cher, and Sam & Dave, their influences have spanned everything from doo wop, classic duets, musical theater, electro dance, and melancholy pop.
(Photo Credit: Jackson Schwartz)
Sean Tillmann, better known as Har Mar Superstar, got to know Sabrina Ellis — who fronts both A Giant Dog and Sweet Spirit — when they toured together a couple of years ago. They knew pretty quickly that their voices would mesh nicely, particularly on ‘70s-style duets. The duo visited each other’s home bases — Minneapolis and Austin — and came up with a debut full-length called Hot Dish, which will be out in February of 2020. Talkhouse has the exclusive listen to the first track, “Open Relations.” Tillmann told us about it:
“Me and Sabrina are co-writing everything, and we’ve tried to explore many different facets of interpersonal relations, which is a great way to make duets happen. This song is kind of a character who’s in a committed relationship but that wants to go open. It’s the woman that’s wanting to go into the untethered dating world. It’s a pop-song juxtaposition partly about a person being afraid of the loneliness that they could end up being trapped by, by the other person’s freedom. And it’s set to a pop melody, so it tugs at both heartstrings.”
(Photo Credit: Jackson Schwartz)
