New indie band’s EP makes strides on streaming platforms

A new local indie-rock, alt-pop band has quickly gained a following on major streaming platforms.

The band almost a.m., made up of two brothers and a cousin, released its debut three-song EP titled “Dim the Night” in January and it already has more than 10,000 monthly streaming listeners.

Brothers Ben and Brandon Houser grew up close with their cousin Caleb Houser, all experienced musicians and songwriters. Growing up in Nashville before graduating from high school in Idaho, the two brothers come from a rich musical background with their father having been a highly successful songwriter in the industry for more than 20 years. They also played worship music together at church and, while all three share Christian roots, their music is secular — they say their message is wholly about meeting people where they’re at.

“It has always been a dream of ours to form a band,” lead singer and electric guitarist Ben Houser said in a recent interview with the Daily Inter Lake. He says the three grew up together as best friends and have always dreamt of throwing off the status quo and chasing after music.

Caleb had been living in Kalispell for the last four years when Ben and Brandon decided to make their leap of faith last fall and move to the Flathead Valley, a place they love, to start their band. Ben, a studio music producer for the last six years, does the production for the band’s synthesizer-infused music in a studio in their home.

"Our whole lives we have seen the potential that music has,” Ben said.

While Ben does most of the songwriting, he emphasizes that almost a.m. is a highly collaborative band.

“We love working together and we’re all involved in the songwriting process.”

Brandon plays keyboards and guitar, and Caleb is the band’s drummer.

The band’s musical influences include Coldplay and Twenty-one Pilots.

“We look up to them because of the message in their songwriting,” Ben said. “We look for that deeper method of songwriting that invokes deeper thoughts. Their songs cross the threshold of being able to withstand time and continue to impact people.”

Ben said they wanted to create music they love that speaks to their own emotions and to other people’s emotions, and that may be why their EP is having such immediate streaming success.

“We love to have people connect with us emotionally,” Ben said. “It’s enabled us to grow.”

Ben says the band’s message lies within the band’s name itself — almost a.m.

“The name is saying that though we’re still in the dark and in the night, the morning will come,” he said. “Our message is one of hope, but also of the realization of where you’re at in the present — that there are hardships in life, ups and downs — but you can still continue to look forward.”

“Dim the Night,” the band says, has a common theme of weight being lifted, being relieved of the pressures of life put on by one’s self or others. The songs don’t shy away from being honest and talking about the things that go below the surface.

Already in the process of making an album, Ben says almost a.m. is working hard to find the vision and inspiration for the direction they want to take it.

“We believe we were created to make not just music that sounds good but music with depth to reach people who need to hear it,” he said. “To reach the people who feel like they’re on the outside or in the dark, and to be a reminder of the hope of morning.”

Visit www.almost-am.com to learn more.

To watch the band’s introduction video, go to: https://youtu.be/kcXgpiO1Bg8

“Though we are in the dark, the morning is coming, so dim the night. because just as a light can be dimmed, so the night can be dimmed.” — almost a.m.

Community and Entertaiment editor Carol Marino may be reached at 406-758-4440 or community@dailyinterlake.com.