The duo Houses has been making their mellow indie beats since 2010 and simultaneously have been gaining support all over the nation ever since. From Chicago to Hawaii, Dexter Tortoriello and Megan Messina have put out two albums and are now touring this fall showcasing their newest album, A Quiet Darkness.
Rooted in simplicity, beauty, and organic sounds, their songs “Soak It Up,” “Reds,” and “The Beauty Surrounds” have made waves around the Internet. The humble duo draws inspiration from literature, nature, and emotions and achieve meaning and tranquility in their music, and indie music lovers can’t get enough.
I spoke with singer and artist Dexter Tortoriello to talk about his life as a musician over the years and life on the road for the fall tour across the country.
What inspired you to create the band? What did you do before Houses?
“A few years ago I was making music but also working a normal job with Apple but then I lost my job. At the time Megan was still working and we both wanted to shake things up. I had no college degree or anything, but I knew I hated the pressure of working for Apple Computers and I hated the idea of only doing that my whole life. When the job ended it was like ‘Wow, there is so much more out there’. So I went to Hawaii and moved there, and she came with. It was ‘real Hawaii’ — full of rainforests, not many tourists, and that’s where it began.”
What was your first big break and what did it do for you?
“I think I maybe haven’t gotten it yet, but my first break I guess was when I put songs online they got to right people quickly. Two weeks later Pitchfork posted the songs and shortly after we signed to our first label, Leffe Records.”
Why the name Houses? What’s the significance?
“Originally we were Sunhouse but there’s an old musician whose name was Sonhouse, and our publicist said everyone would think of the older guy not us so we had to change it. The band name doesn’t mean much really.”
What has been the most exciting thing about the newest album, A Quiet Darkness? What’s different about it from the first record?
“The most exciting thing was that we had enough time. The first time around the label told us we needed to finish our album in three months and I had to write seven new songs in that timeframe. It wasn’t enough time, but then we switched labels [to Downtown] and in-between the two I was able to work for this album for two years.”
What are you most looking forward to in your tour this fall?
“Playing Chicago this coming Friday [today]. We’re from Chicago, but live in L.A. and we haven’t headlined there in two years there. Hometown show with all of our friends at a great venue, probably sold out too. Some shows all seem the same but I’m really excited for this one.”
What’s your favorite song you play for a crowd?
“We close with ‘A Quiet Darkness,’ the last track on the new album. It’s not a crowd pleaser, but it’s most powerful live and we have fun playing it. We can put our last bit of energy out into the song.”
If you could play anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
“Definitely Iceland Airwaves Festival in Reykjavík. I’ve seen some amazing pictures from friends who played there and went to the festival. It looks awesome.”
Do you enjoy life on the road or prefer to be in the studio?
“Well, I’m a hermit by nature, I like being at home so being on the road shakes life up a bit. But I can get really into it; it’s like you can’t go back — there’s no other option once you’re on tour. My favorite part is that I feel like I only exist at night. Besides being at shows you’re just in quiet, underbelly places of cities, and I enjoy it. When I’m not on tour I live a normal life similar to most people. It’s structured with work and making music but it’s normal.”
How is the response to the music on the road? Has there been evolution over the years in the crowd and reactions to indie music?
“We’ve been on the road since March after SXSW, and yeah I can see a change. Sometimes midwest towns are more into rock, more hard than indie rock, especially live — so to go on stage using computers and drum pads, things have changed, sound guys don’t flinch anymore. It’s more normal now.”
What can people who attend your shows expect?
“Things change depending on the energy people have, like in Montreal we had a weird venue with lots of tables hidden away in the streets, but it ended up being one of the best shows. We had really engaged fans really into it, and we addressed the audience lots more as they sat and were polite and listened. We played Mercury Lines in New York and it was packed and energy was high at 1 AM, so there was less talking more playing. Both were as fun as other, fun to be wild and mellow.”