Album Review: S/T – The Hosts

After releasing their self-titled debut this summer and finally giving it a proper release party at the Crofoot last month, The Hosts are starting to establish themselves. Centered around husband and wife Greg and Melissa Host, the band also features members who have done time in The Volebeats and even Elliot Smith’s early Portland -based band, Heatmiser.

As far as their sound goes, don’t let the album cover’s promise of psychedelia fool you: though the record features snippets of Middle Eastern-sounding strings and touches of electronica, overall the disc is pretty sober. In fact, the somber tone, marital vocals, and emphasis on instrumentation remind me more of Blanche’s American Gothic than the swingin’ Sixties, especially on tracks “Gone”, “Almost Lost My Way”, and “Seize The Moment”.

That said, The Hosts is subtly eclectic. “Stripper Girl” sounds like a Spaghetti Western soundtrack. And “Buffalo” has some topical environmentalist protest-folk with a groovy breakdown, and is one of the disc’s highlights.

Featured Track:
“Buffalo”