Something Like Sound

“Why is the Spring EP only 21 minutes long?!” lamented my fellow writer and music aficionado Jake Rezac a few days after we received the debut release from Denver’s newest music outlet, Houses. In fact, for about a week after we first started listening to Houses, the Spring EP was the only thing we listened to (with maybe an occasional break for some Achille Lauro). About two weeks later we found ourselves at the Westword Music Showcase, watching Houses perform live, our admiration grew even more.

What is it about this band that is so captivating? Initially we tried to identify influences: maybe some some classic rock? Wilco? Death Cab? No. Tags wouldn’t work, no matter how hard we tried to pigeonhole this group, we always managed to pick up on something new, something fresh.

With regards to the Spring EP, concept albums based on the seasons have been done before, but not like this. For a 6-song record, this EP packs the same amount of theme and quality that most musicians try to contain in full length records with twice as many songs. From the slow-building instrumental opener “Beach Song” to the anthemic “We’ll See The Sun,” Spring will quickly become your favourite season.

Perhaps the best song on the record is the sing-a-long “We’re Alright.” This track combines the catchy lyrics and vocals of lead-man Andy Hamilton, with a buildup that proceeds to showcase the musical talent of the entire group. This song, like the entire EP, has an incredible replay value, with the listener not quickly becoming bored with either the words or the music.

Houses has a MySpace and their EP is available on iTunes. Expect to see the Summer EP some time soon.

Listen to “We’re Alright” here, and download the track at Westword’s MP3 Freeloader

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