Album Review: Tiny Little Houses - 'Misericorde'

After a full year of anticipation following a string of singles, Melbourne’s Tiny Little Houses make a mighty return with their sophomore album, Misericorde — a melancholy masterpiece of '90s pop rock nostalgia.

Rising again to the group’s reputation for achingly sincere songwriting, Misericorde is raw to the bone, embarking on a search for salvation through suffering. With unflinchingly honest lyricism, lead singer, guitarist and chief songwriter Caleb Karvountzis lays his innermost musings bare in a feat of emotional alchemy, forging power from pure vulnerability.

Cold Showers kicks off the album with a distorted blast before melting into a stripped-back melody of warm guitar and Karvountzis’ tender vocals. Gradually building at the hand of masterful restraint, this opening track sets the tone for the album’s sonic ebbs and flows, providing listeners with an array of cathartic headbangers, candid pop punk jams, and heartfelt folk rock ballads. 

Amidst each track, Misericorde oozes with deliciously cynical lyricism, featuring the politically commentative Emperor and sarcastic gems like Happy Piece Of Gum: “It’s not as simple as a nursery rhyme / I’m a skinny little teapot, not that stout / Here is my handle, broke my spout / If you want a cup of tea, go and knock yourself out.” While delving into depths of inner turmoil, Misericorde refrains from the coaxes of despair and instead, extends a comforting embrace of nostalgic instrumentation and intimate storytelling.

Produced and mixed by longterm collaborator and ARIA Award-winning engineer Steven Schram (Paul Kelly, San Cisco, Jaguar Jonze, Mo’Ju), Misericorde delivers an essence of '90s reminiscent grunge in a way that feels authentic yet artfully balanced. Through varying soundscapes, Tiny Little Houses channel a vein of rock that is soothing to the soul — an effortless blend of brightness and shade, heaviness and fragility. Turning the album’s final page, Holy Water transcends to the heavens in an impassioned cry for closure, shattering the stratosphere with fuzzy riffs, celestial synth and thundering bass. Complete with a choir intro and tubular bells, this epic finale bares a parting air of hope that will linger with listeners long after the last chord fades.

Now adorning their impervious discography, Misericorde is yet another timeless collection from Tiny Little Houses, cementing their place once again in the top tiers of Australian indie pop rock.

Written by Twistie Chaney