Hearts and Plugs is pushing the indie-rock scene closer to home. In its first year, the independent record label has been promoting new Charleston artists like Brave Baby, The Lovely Few, Run Dan Run and Elim Bolt. Dan McCurry is the label’s founder and frontman of Run Dan Run. With bandmates Nick Jenkins and Ashely Hopkins, McCurry has built a strong foundation for future additions to Hearts and Plugs.
     Their mission is “to foster a successful group of career-minded artists,” he says. “Our approach is hands-on with direct involvement from the label throughout the creative process through the use of our in-house design and recording studio, Apartment A. We view our relationship with our artists as a partnership.” Here’s a closer look the Hearts and Plugs lineup.



* Run Dan Run began in spring 2006 as a recording project among the three friends, and their local success has grown to newer locations and bigger venues. In summer 2007, they released their first full-length album, Basic Mechanics—lyrical-driven indie rock whose sound reflects their home-recording techniques—and toured around neighboring cities. In late 2009, they released sophomore album, Normal, which features indie-rock arrangement styles but explores darker content while using higher-resolution recording gear.



* Brave Baby features musicians Keon Masters, Wolfgang Zimmerman, Christian Chidester, Jordan Hicks and Steve Walker. They were based near Charlotte, N.C., but Masters, the bandleader, moved here to begin undergraduate studies at the College of Charleston. Inspired by the local music scene, he convinced his bandmates to join him. As Brave Baby adapted to the local scene, it released its debut-album, Forty Bells, recorded using home studio equipment. Forty Bells explores the nostalgia of childhood through songs like “Lakeside Trust” and “Day of our Youth.” Violin swells and acoustic guitars provide an atmospheric warm sound. Although recorded in 2011, Hearts and Plugs just released the album online in January.
    
* The Lovely Few is a Hearts and Plugs addition whose sound is electronic-folk-pop with elements of soft synthesizers and retro drum machines. Frontman Mike Mewborne brought together the trio in Columbia, S.C., before they relocated to Charleston in 2009. Soon after, they released their debut album, The Limited Abilities of Man, which brings together acoustic guitars, electronic synthesizers and soft vocals to create a dreamy, atmospheric sound.

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* Johnnie Edward Matthews started Elim Bolt in his hometown of Florence, S.C. While in high school, he learned to play bass guitar and formed the pop-band Sequoyah Prep School. Over several years, the band played more than 200 hundred shows, including Charleston’s Music Farm, and signed a deal with Atlantic Records in 2008. Unsatisfied with Florence’s pop scene, Matthews moved to Charleston, and in early 2012, added close friends Christian Chidester and Dan McCurry to the Elim Bolt lineup. Their debut album, Nude South, combines twangy-toned guitars and slightly distorted microphones. With songs like, “Alright,” Elim Bolt uses heavily decayed percussion and hi-reverb guitars with a touch of Southern blues and rockabilly melodies. The band has established a fan base in the Southeast and plays small festivals such as Phuzz Phest 2013.
    
     Hearts and Plugs sees itself as a family of musicians interested in building the local indie-rock scene. The record label is young, and the bands are gaining recognition in the music community. When asked about his hopes for Hearts and Plugs, McCurry says, “there are a number of great indie labels around Charleston, and I think it’s about time that we had one. I believe the climate is right.”