Houndmouth - “Miracle Mile”
SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 10
Pairs Well With… The Band, Killers, Lumineers
As the replicant Leon said to Harrison Ford’s character in the original Blade Runner, “Nothing is worse than having an itch you can never scratch.” That’s how I feel about my efforts to see Houndmouth, long an OEB favorite, at SXSW. I missed them in 2013 (an 8-hour plane delay), 2015 (no Southbye due to work), and then 2020, of course, was COVID cancelled. I hope this is the year, as Houndmouth is back with a new album, Good for You, which harkens back to their earlier Americana infused alt-country, bluesy and rootsy music that pays clear homage to The Band. There are strong story-rich songs of reminiscence on the new album including the melancholy title track, “Miracle Mile” (with Lumineers-like percussion and cadence), “Make it to Midnight” (a classic sounding alt-country ramble), and “Cool Jam” (with vocals that remind me of recent Killers songs). As we noted in our last review, the band’s rather stark shift to synth and vocal and guitar distortions on their 2018 “Golden Age” was likely due to the departure of keyboardist Kate Toupin (who is showcasing her new solo work this year). The reversion to alt-country forms on the Good for You, may have been influenced by the more recent departure of bassist Zak Appleb, leaving only guitarist Matt Myers and drummer Shane Cody of the original foursome. Thus, harkening back to Heraclitus’ profound statement that "you cannot step into the same river twice,” while I may finally get to see Houndmouth, it will not exactly be the band I yearned for in the past. And that’s more than OK because this version is pretty darn good. But Heraclitus be damned, I can still hold out a slim hope that Katy Toupin will join her old bandmates for a set that includes my original must hear Houndmouth song “Penitentiary.” (David Zlotnick)
2020 Review: Their new release, “Golden Age” employs layers of synths, both to lead the melody and for exploration. Moreover, guitars and vocals employ distortion and feedback to achieve an overall haze and texture. It’s as modern as their first album was throwback, but these songs are still catchy and with compelling elements worth a repeated listening. Most of the tracks on the record hew to these themes: “Never Forget” has more spaced-out electronics and vocals, “Golden Age” is a stronger but still hazy pop anthem with a subtle dance beat and an earworm chorus. Acoustic guitars, violin and impassioned vocals provide the basis of “Modern Love,” a simpler song that is almost a ballad.