Indie duo A House Safe for Tigers has released its self-titled debut album through Headless Actor Records.
Borrowing its name from an obscure Lee Hazlewood soundtrack, A House Safe for Tigers has garnered accolades for its reflective, haunting, yet melodious songcraft. In theory, the pairing of vocalist/songwriter Mark Costantino and multi-instrumentalist Brandon Delmont shouldn’t work. The two musicians come from seemingly disparate backgrounds. Costantino’s last group, The Exit Strategy, earned praise for its raw, post-hardcore recordings and sweat-soaked live performances. In its review, Pitchfork singled out Costantino’s vocals for “adding a youthful, spirited feel to the tracks.” Meanwhile, Delmont earned his stripes as the drummer for Mercury Rev side project Odiorne, a synth-heavy, symphonic-rock group that recorded with famed producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Sparklehorse, MGMT).
While owing a debt to some past performers, A House Safe for Tigers has captured something original and compelling on its debut. Songs like “Ann Marie,” “Searchlights,” and the lead-off single “Evaporate,” are aural delights-memorable and contagious, while bearing fruit with each new listen.