Quiet Hounds: It’s a Living Thing

On the surface, there’s something pretentious about the whole Quiet Hounds presentation. For the most part, it’s folks in dog masks, making derivative, artsy-fartsy indie rock that’s supposed to be outside-the-box. They provide the ideal soundtrack for your next craft beer tasting or 1920s cosplay expedition, or something like that.

That said, it’s not hard to imagine “Emperors,” the focus track off recent album Characteristics of Living Things, as something The Killers might rip through when they slow their set down a bit. To be clear about that analogy, The Killers still rule and this song does, too.

The last two tracks also exceed harshly low expectations. “Living Things” and “If the World” build off acoustic riffs in a quaint way that allows the group’s diverse vocal talents and abilities as song interpreters to shine.

If the band keeps on writing songs like these three, they might just make the meanest cynic have to eat his hat (or their fedoras).