On their new album Lions and Ore, The House Flies expand their post-punk foundation without losing the directness that has defined their earlier work.
The Moline, Illinois band’s second full-length moves through seven tracks shaped by recurring images of houses, fields, heat, sleep and things left behind. Those details give the album a consistent atmosphere, while the music itself shifts between restrained, melodic passages and heavier guitar-driven sections.
The addition of Burnie Eckhardt as a second guitarist is important to that development. Alongside Alex Riggen, Eckhardt gives the band more room to build contrast into the arrangements. The guitars can feel spacious and atmospheric in one moment before becoming denser and more forceful in the next, while Ozzie Woods and Nick Pompou provide a steady rhythmic foundation beneath those shifts.
The first cut ‘Goodnight, Goodnight, Lover Dear’ establishes that approach early, moving from a quieter opening into a broader guitar sound. ‘Lost Literature’ is more immediate, with a clear post-punk pulse and a stronger melodic pull, while previous single ‘Derelict Crawl’ leans into repetition and weight through its recurring refrain.
The second half then sees the record become more patient. ‘Snakes and Toads’ slows the pace and brings devotional and animal imagery into a darker setting, while ‘Count Us Down’ relies on atmosphere to create a more hypnotic centre. ‘Shelter Me’ is comparatively direct, before ‘The Glass, The Orchard’ closes the album by building from a quieter scene into a more dramatic final section.
Recorded in Riggen’s basement, the album retains a relatively intimate feel despite the wider arrangements. That setting suits a band whose music depends as much on atmosphere and repetition as it does on impact.
There are clear goth, shoegaze and alt-rock influences throughout, as The House Flies sound more expansive here, but also more controlled. The result is a thoughtful second album that develops their existing identity rather than trying to replace it outright.