Number Six Album of the Year

I will post a full top 10 list at the end. In the meantime, I am going to explore each record in my top 10 and why I selected them. Again, this is not a "Best of". It is the albums that I've heard and resonated with me personally. There is some really good stuff out there that doesn't make my list because, well, it's my list. There's a lot of stuff I haven't even heard. Maybe you'll like some of it.

Houndmouth has taken it to a new level with their 2015 release Little Neon Limelight. Each song is so well-crafted. Each song tells a story. Storytelling is a real missing element in most of today's music. This Indiana-based quartet is bringing that back.

Little Neon Limelight is a record best consumed in its entirety. With the different members of Houndmouth taking lead vocals on different songs, and sometimes within the same song, you can't get a full understanding of what they're all about unless you listen to the whole record.

What kind of music does Houndmouth play? I don't know. Americana, country-tinged roots rock, alt-folk, all of the above? Doesn't matter. It's just good music. Listen to it. Enjoy it.

Really, I can't pigeon-hole what they do, except to say that they write good songs, sing and play well, and there is not a skip-worthy song on the record. And that's really what we're all looking for, right?

Album Spotlight: Houndmouth: Little Neon Limelight

I first became aware of Houndmouth a little over a year ago when I stumbled upon their album From The Hills Below The City, which had come out sometime in 2013. I fell in love with their songwriting and storytelling.

They have taken it to a new level with their latest release Little Neon Limelight. Each song is so well-crafted. Each song tells a story.

I guess it's a result of the time that I grew up in, but I like to hear an entire album. I grew up in the cassette era, which was probably the least accessible time for singles consumption. Of course there were the "cassingles" which many times cost almost half of what the full cassette would cost. We bought the whole thing, usually. And there was no skip function on cassettes. So we usually listened to the whole album.

All that being said to make this point. Little Neon Limelight is a record best consumed in its entirety. With the different members of Houndmouth taking lead vocals on different songs, and sometimes within the same song, you can't get a full understanding of what they're all about unless you listen to the whole record.

What kind of music does Houndmouth play? I don't know. Americana, country-tinged roots rock, alt-folk, all of the above? Doesn't matter. I'm done with genres. It's just good music. Listen to it. Enjoy it.

Here's a clip of the song "My Cousin Greg" that features all four members singing lead at times.