The Hounds Below

The Hounds Below

The Hounds Below are an indie rock group from Ferndale, United States, active since 2009. The band centres on Jason Stollsteimer, with Griffin Bastian, Skye Thrasher, Mathew Hofman and Molly-Jean Schoen also listed as members.

Sound and style

The group works with angular post-punk guitar lines, house-party-style drums and a broadly indie rock approach. Their music also draws on rock ballad traditions and mature indie-pop, while keeping some of the energy associated with youth rebellion. Their influences include early U2, Archers of Loaf, 1970s punk, and, more generally, music they describe as honest and good.

Background

The band is described as a four-piece rock outfit rooted in Michigan. Its songs present a contrast between Midwestern roots and expansive, dreamlike imagery, with lyrics that often suggest restless nights and wasted time alongside a sense of hope.

Live work and associations

The Hounds Below have shared stages with Airborne Toxic Event, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Whigs, Band of Skulls, The Heavy, The Cribs and The Raveonettes. Their track “Chelsea’s Calling” is singled out for its opening line and for the way it combines Stollsteimer’s vocals with jagged guitar and driving drums.