11. March 2025
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Media Review

Houndmouth – Good For You

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Houndmouth - Good For You

Houndmouth - Good For You
3.9

Rating

 3.9/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Brave list of well-written folk songs

Flyctory.com Cons

  • One or two big songs missing

Alternative bliues and folk sounds from Indiana: Houndmouth are releasing their fourth studio album Good For You on 5th November 2021. I had a listen to tell you whether the collection of songs is really good for you.

 

Houndmouth – About The Artist

Houndmouth is an alternative blues and folk rock band, which has been formed in 2011 in New Albany, Indiana, USA, which is more or less the Indiana borough of Louisville, Kentucky. They are currently working as a trio of Matt Myers (guitar), Zak Appleby (bass) and Shane Cody (drums), all three are also contributing to the vocal side. The only past member is Katie Toupin, who played the keyboard and left the band in 2016. The first long-play of Houndmouth was From The Hills Below The City, their 2013 debut album. Their breakthrough was their 2015 album Little Neon Limelight, which went Top 10 in the US Folk and Indie charts. The key driver for that was the single Sedona, which topped the US AAA Single Charts and received a golden record in the USA as well as platinum in Canada. Even though the album contained another single with some chart appearance, Say It, none of the later albums or singles could connect to it. Apart from their latest album, Golden Age (2018), the band’s discography also lists a live album as well as three EPs.

 

Houndmouth – Good For You – Track by Track

The ten track album lasts 36 minutes.

1. Good For You

The album opens with the title track – a slow folk rock track with quiet, carefully set up lyrics. The chorus quickly creates that “Stay in my mind” feeling – thus, it is not that surprising that the band and their team went for these tunes as a single release.

2. Miracle Mile

The second song comes with a significantly stronger rhythm, so that Miracle Mile feels easier, a bit of cheeky. Houndmouth nicely develop the song towards the climax of the chorus. Good one.

3. Make it to Midnight

In this song, the Indiana band nicely describe an evening scene. Some lyrics are likely not too much meant for your kids – you might explain them words like The summer dove was under love // and she was naked by design. Feels to be a nice, hot summer for the protagonists. Nice vibe, good song.

4. McKenzie

McKenzie has been one of the single releases of the album already. The song is very melodic, the chorus is again one of these tunes, which simply stays in your mind. Very modern sound, especially in the verses.

5. Cool Jam

Like many songs of the album, Cool Jam starts with a rather slow, laid back verse – but this time, the song stays in this relaxed mood. The blues touch of the band’s music reflects nicely in the groove of the song.

6. Jackson

Jackson is just a very straight, well-written soft rock song, which has a touch of folk rock. Again, it is worth listening to the great storytelling by the band – not too rarely with a smile on your face (or behind your Covid-19 mask).

7. Goodbye

The band is already giving a Goodbye having heard seven out of ten songs so far. The song comes with a nice farewell character – but the US band and their team obviously did not want to end their 2021 project like that. Might be the closing track of a future, maybe.

8. Ride or Die

The album is delivering a very constant quality of songs – sometimes also a very similar sound. Ride or Die at least comes with a very nice work on the electronic strings.

9. Ohio

The very quiet Ohio can easily be over-heard when you listen to Good For You. The song develops to an a bit of stronger and more energetic listen during its four minutes playtime – but overall, the focus on this song is rather on the lyrics. Nonetheless, there are too many Don’t kill my Ohio in this one for me.

10. Las Vegas

The album opened with the title track – and it closes with its best one. This travel to Las Vegas does not only have a folk-rock touch, but there are also some references to alternative rock to me. The song is not too much a praise for the Nevada touristic centerpoint – I believe in Las Vegas, // City of plastic does not feel to be that admiring.

 

Houndmouth – Good For You – Spotify

Here is Good For You on Spotify:

 

Houndmouth – Good For You – My View

Good For You is an album, which has a lot of potential and creates fun while listening. However, I feel that the band could do more if they fully relied on their talents. Thus, the album does not make it to the top rankings this time – but I am optimistic for future releases.

 

Flyctory.com in Indianapolis

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