Press Play: Colony House

Colony House began with brothers Will and Caleb Chapman in Nashville, Tennessee. The brothers started writing songs while in high school and named their band after the apartment complex that they lived in. Eventually, guitarist Scott Mills and bassist Parke Cottre completed the Colony House that you see today. The band’s debut effort When I Was Younger is pure and full of passion. The lead single “Silhouettes” gives the record a summery start. The rest of the album isn’t as poppy, falling somewhere between Coldplay’s lush atmospheric rock and the more rigid style of Cold War kids.

Colony House brings an assortment of anthemic choruses on their sophomore album Only the Lonely. The first single released “You & I” is a funky rock song that shifts drastically during the tempo into a dark, hazy, washed-out movement. The track’s long yet memorable buildup explodes into a surprise ending. After that, the album shifts gears with “Where Your Father’s Been.” It’s hard to pick a star on this standout track– the vocals switching between alto and baritone, the suspenseful bass, the driving percussion, or the guitar flourishes. Only the Lonely contains many melodic, catchy chants that can stick in a listener’s head for days.

On their third and most recent album, Leave What’s Lost Behind, Colony House takes their signature thundering soundscapes and mixes in new studio tricks like playful beat switches and danceable grooves. “El Capitan” is exhilarating, especially with the funky breakdowns during the chorus. “Why Even Try” is a stunning ballad with a clever change in its time signature and crisp harmonies that demand to be heard over and over. The lyrics are intelligent and the hooks are sticky, especially on “Original Material.” I got too much on my mind to be wasting any time, Caleb sings, pretending to fit in with the rest of them / I’d rather be original material. Check out the music video here:

Colony House will be in Tulsa on February 24th at The Vanguard. For tickets, visit this link.