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27. Rooms of the House - La Dispute (2014)

Post-Hardcore

Rooms of the House is a complex, nonlinear story told across several decades with characters unwittingly linked together through their shared history in a house they all lived in at various points of their lives. It’s a beautifully executed exploration of a gorgeous concept, one that has likely been pondered by just about anyone that’s lived in an old house or apartment; “who were the people that lived her before me?”

The album features intricate interpretations of some of the most meaningful moments in these tenants’ lives. Weathering a destructive storm, falling through the ice on a frozen lake, surviving a car crash, losing a stillborn child; all moments that would go on to define the characters for the rest of their lives. The lyrics are profound and packed with morsels of humane wisdom. “For Mayor in Splitsville” features an uncanny insight into the way adults sometimes seem to warn children of the brutal facts of life through jokes they know won’t land on young ears. “Stay Happy There” hints at the interconnectedness of these characters lives and at the fact humans are all much closer to people they’ve never actually met than they can comprehend. The depictions of mundane life are elegant and astutely illustrate the true beauty and importance of these seemingly innocuous moments.

*image; cover art for the album Rooms of the House by La Dispute