Hounds - “Shake Me Up”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 3

Pairs Well With…The Ghost Wolves, The Black Keys, The Black Crowes

St. Louis rock band Hounds holds strong Southern rock roots, producing a ramblin’, electric spirit on their 2017 self-titled debut. Bluesy riffs find their way into Hounds’ guitars and vocals, a gritty, classic sound but performed with some modern rock edge. There’s some country and throwback rock and roll moments on Hounds’ record as well, but it’s when the band leads into their looser jams that they sound their most passionate and pointed. Their songwriting is rock-solid too, relatable with a smidge of spaced-out atmospherics to accompany the band’s 70s-vibed, psych rock roots. (Kevin McStravick)