On its debut album, Houndmouth lopes across an American landscape strewn with vagabonds, crooks, druggies, and brokenhearted romantics. The Indiana quartet’s music is at once melancholy and joyful, taking cues from the likes of The Band’s Robbie Robertson and The Faces’ Ronnie Lane while inviting comparisons to such contemporary folk-rock acts as The Lumineers and Mumford & Sons. Guitarist Matt Myers and keyboardist Katie Toupin are a formidable combo with their sour ‘n’ sweet vocal interplay, ably supported by the sturdy rhythm section of bassist Zak Appleby and drummer Shane Cody. Their club-seasoned chemistry is evident in the subtle blend of ragged licks and tight arrangements in songs like “Houston Train,” “Hey Rose," and “Palmyra.” Myers’ guitar work—by turns spiky, simmering, and serene—melds nicely with Toupin’s shivery organ lines. Lyrically, the band has a knack for vivid narratives with a sardonic edge: “On the Road,” “Penitentiary," and “Casino (Bad Things)” are typical of the desperate scenarios unreeled in these tracks.