Over the last few years, it seems as if most successful new musicians have gone in one of two completely opposite directions: electronica or roots music.
Indiana’s Houndmouth falls squarely in the latter camp, delivering harmony-drenched Americana that will hit the sweet spot for fans of The Band or recent acts like The Lumineers.
amNewYork spoke with singer and keyboardist Katie Toupin.
Did you listen to a lot of roots music growing up?
My dad is a blues guitar player, so I listened to a lot of Eric Clapton. I used to get Beatles CDs in my Easter basket. I remember in kindergarten, someone asked me about a band, and I didn’t know there were bands other than The Beatles.
Your band sometimes gets pegged as a nostalgia act. What do you say to that?
To each his own. We love old music. We love the way it’s tracked and recorded. I’d encourage anyone who says that to come to a show. It’s a genuine thing. It’s not contrived.
Were harmonies always part of your sound or did that develop over time?
I was the last person to come into the group. I remember going to the first practice and saying, “All these harmonies are completely off.” We spent a few practices working them out. But we all sang before this band, so it came together pretty naturally.
What was it like to have your hometown declare Houndmouth Day?
That was in Louisville, right across the river from [our hometown] New Albany, Indiana. I don’t know what it means that April 26 is Houndmouth Day, but it was cool. We got a plaque. We had a big hometown show opening an amphitheater and the mayor came out and gave a speech.
