Other Houses
Fortune Selector
(Iron Pier)
The album artwork, featuring an inverted palm tree, is the ideal visual representation for the record’s sound; the imagery plays off a sunshine appeal, all while blending in swirls of different moods. Coming in at six songs, Other Houses presents the third entry in their Iron Pier’s Mini-LP series, luring in listeners with delightful power pop. Fortune Selector is able to weave in lots of brightness that flows and bops throughout each song, presenting various emotions.
In “Bad Ace”, there is a moody tone that sets up this dusk-like atmosphere. Moments of guitar picks that shoot off with brightness vibrate throughout the song, the drumming keeping the beat at a mid-tempo with consistency and heft. “Stormed Out” shifts the guitar sound with a joyful sense, coming off with a warm twang. The vocals match this with vibrant inflection and rhythm. The song shows off a nice mix of gentle that meets amped up energy. “Me As Periodicals” returns to more moody vibes, the guitar playing around with bright and darker notes. One moment will show off the note progression as cheerful, producing a trickling effect, while the next moment gives off this deep strum.
“Meaning of the Band” is the record’s “fun in the sun” jam. Light drum work meets a gentle guitar rhythm, giving the vocals a relaxed element. There is a beach-like atmosphere to the tune, creating a sense of joyful ambience. “Fortune Selector” introduces some heavier guitar strums, the vocals taking things to a lower tone. There’s a neat duality here, for while the instrumentation progresses with an upbeat mid-tempo energy, the song creates a tense atmosphere that looms about. The final track, “Cats Know Me”, plays with more of those sunshine twangs, keeping the drumming to a gentle rhythm. The vocals come through prominently, bursting forward with radiance over the instrumentation. It’s another track that plays to a vibrant energy, producing a feeling of distance.
Other Houses’ Fortune Selector keeps things simple in its short run time. With some variations of guitar sounds throughout each track, there isn’t any standout chemistry in song structure. While the songs play out in similar length and style, it is nice that there is a mix of emotion to be felt. Fortune Selector is more of a sit back and take in the vibes record. Other Houses gives a delightful power pop snack, providing the listener with just enough to appease their appetite for bright guitars, sunshine vibrancy, and a blend of emotion.
