Almshouse plays original folk-rock that maybe reminds you of classic 1970s female-fronted acts (think Fleetwood Mac, Heart, Linda Ronstadt) or maybe modern singer-songwriters with a pop/rock edge (Sheryl Crow, Jonatha Brooke, Kathleen Edwards). The band’s 2016 release “Bitter Thing” flirts with Americana while displaying a slightly dark progressive tinge. Almshouse’s trademark — dual guitar leads that wrap harmonically around each other — is used to powerful effect in Almshouse’s latest single, Gaslight. Urging you to “open wide, eat the lies,” to “shut your eyes” and “close your mind,” the song might easily allude to gaslighting on a personal level, but it was inspired by a much bigger picture. It's very true the band can rock hard and loud, but they often explore stripped-down acoustic versions of their tunes that showcase thoughtful lyrics, Irene’s sultry “burnished alto” voice, very handsome fretwork by Troy, Ken & Tony, and James’s tasteful drumming.