Houndmouth are a band from Indiana. Their music fuses the Americana pop sensibilities of the Lumineers with the grit and storytelling of the Band. Their debut album, From The Hills Below The City, was released in early June. Great tracks like “Ludlow”, “Penitentiary”, and “Casino (Bad Things)” tell tales of survival, hard times and addiction in a brutal world. These songs are delivered with engaging and cinematic lyrics, as well as sing-along Appalachian harmonies. The music goes down pretty easily on the first listen. Many of the songs are mid-tempo, but the drums hit hard and drive the music while the tasteful, but fiery electric guitar work adds its own drama and exciting crescendos to the music. The latter half of album loses a little steam in few places, but on the whole, it’s a damn good debut and worthy of your time.

Essential tracks: “Ludlow” “Penitentiary” & “Casino (Bad Things)”