The Foresters Open ​“House”

“The Tenement Sweep,” from the Foresters’ latest album House Stories, starts with three muted strums from the electric guitar. They’re the countoff, the metronome, for a swinging waltz between guitar and piano. One musical later, and the rest of the band has crashed the party with drums and bass.

But then, another figure later, and the sound changes again, as singer Evan Nork’s first line slides in on a slippery line from a keyboard. Suddenly the chords have gotten a bit more complicated, too; its harmonic structure rolls out measure after measure before landing on a massive hook. It’s a song that puts the smarter side of rock music from the past several decades — think the Beatles onward — puts it all in a blender, then mixes thoroughly. And comes up with something fresh.

And maybe that combination of old and new is fitting. In musical years, the New Haven-based Foresters have put in their dues, playing, recording, and performing together since 2010. But at the time, the brothers Nork — Evan on guitar and vocals, Hayden on bass, and Liam on drums — were 10, 8, and 7 years old, respectively. The brothers are now 17, 15, and 14, and joined by multi-instrumentalist Luke Slomba, the Foresters have created in House Stories, their second full-length release, an album brimming with ideas and ambitions. Who cares that they’re not out of high school yet? House Stories is fully grown.

“Bamboo Harvester,” the album’s second song, is a blast of sunny pop, a melody that bubbles and soars over a propulsive rhythm but also find time for a musical saw. ​“Misterman” is a straight-up ode to the Beatles in their Revolver phase that in the end sounds like the Foresters again. Meanwhile, ​“Nedobity” showcases just how knotty a melody the Foresters can write that still proves to be insanely catchy.

Like Mighty Purple before them, the Foresters are a group of young musicians that have already put in their time. They’ve listened to the albums that preceded them. They’ve gotten good at their instruments. They’ve learned their way around recording equipment. And they can write songs — really write songs — that engage the brain and tug at the heart. House Stories overflows with a knowing optimism that suggests that the Foresters are only looking forward to what comes next. And why shouldn’t they? Having already played around town over the years, and with upcoming shows in Athens, Georgia, over the summer and a spot at the Wapping Fair in September, the Foresters are already getting around. Meanwhile, we can grab a copy of House Stories, roll down the window, and take the fastest road to the beach, playing it loud.