There’s nothing unusual about kids getting together and forming a band, but what is unusual and remarkable is if the band stays together once the kids grow up.

But that has been the case with Kalliope Jones. The Shelburne Falls-based group of Lou Batteau (guitar/keyboards), Wes Chalfant (bass), and Isabella DeHerdt (guitar) has been making music together since they met at the Institute for the Musical Arts in Goshen and formed the band in 2012. They grew up in the hilltowns of Franklin County; Chalfant in Conway, DeHerdt in Ashfield and Batteau in Shelburne Falls, and consider the area their home base.

The band will release “Carnivorous,” their first full-length album since 2017, on April 10, and will host an album release show at the Iron Horse in Northampton on Friday, April 11, at 7 p.m.

Having grown up together has led to a closeness among the three friends to the point that they view each other as family. Each has found their lives taking them in various directions, but like family they always come back together.

“Right now, we are so deeply immersed in the world of ‘Carnivorous’ and so happy to be here,” said Batteau. “But I think our longevity comes from allowing for space and rest. We have absolutely grown and changed and are constantly renegotiating among ourselves what ‘Kalliope Jones’ is, but because we started so young we have this really strong foundation to carry us through.”

This foundation hasn’t cracked despite each member having other musical projects. DeHerdt is half of the folk-punk duo High Tea, who have recently been on tour with Heather Maloney. Chalfant creates indie folk under the moniker Wheelzie and plays bass with Maloney, Ciarra Fragale and other notable local musicians. Batteau leads a heavy rock band under their full name, Alloeutte Batteau. The band members have found that these additional musical outlets have contributed to their musical range and creative capacity.

“Together, we have been able to develop our own sounds in various genres so that when we come together, it’s like a super-group-power-trio-creative-explosion,” Batteau said.

And what a creative explosion “Carnivorous” is. This album is raw, real, and rockin’. On this collection they rock harder than ever as they take their sound in a bolder and broader direction. There is no holding back here as they express their anger (and there is a lot of anger here) and joy with equal intensity. It’s all here, from the powerful to the playful, from heartbreak to happiness, from the political to the personal.

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The three band members, all songwriters, successfully combine their distinct influences and experiences on this album.

Dov Plotkin of Greenfield plays drums on most of the tracks, allowing Batteau, who typically plays the drums, to branch out on keyboard and guitar. The group still has a talent for crafting memorable hooks and irresistible harmonies, but the overall sound here is more expansive and edgy.

The song “Not My Body” reflects the influence of punk, while “Holy” demonstrates the band’s softer side and “Get in Trouble” even incorporates elements of country. Each song has been developed in a way that suits its unique direction, incorporating various sounds and styles.

You will find yourself returning to this album repeatedly as you explore the layered meanings in each song.

“We all write straight from the heart, so creating a space in which we can share everything allows us to construct more whole versions of our own interpretations of ourselves and the world,” Batteau said of the project.

Various musical influences impact this work, but they agree that Fiona Apple is a major one.

“I draw a lot of inspiration from Fiona Apple,” Chalfant said. “I am always striving to create as honestly as she does. I value her anger and her passion so deeply, and I really think she is the most influential artist in my work.”

The unusual title, “Carnivorous,” comes from the opening line in a song called “Bog,” but it goes beyond that.

“We were considering many different directions to go with the album,” Batteau said. “We examined just what exactly we were writing about and what the key aspects were that tied all of our songs together.”

“Coming from three different songwriters, it was at first difficult to find the through line,” Batteau said. “We wrote about very primal emotions like rage, sadness, grief, and frustration, and we wanted to normalize the power of those raw feelings. We also want to normalize the multiplicity of those feelings and acknowledge the ways in which rage, sadness, triumph, and joy coexist and contradict.” In addition, they explore the chasm between what we are taught to want and what we know we need.

The trio have poured their hearts and souls into this record and are excited to share it with their listeners.

Hazel Foucault, from Shelburne Falls, will open the show. She is the daughter of singer-songwriters Kris Delmhorst and Jeffrey Foucault and is emerging as a talented singer and songwriter in her own right. Dov Plotkin will join Kalliope Jones on drums.

So do come out and check out some of the finest talent coming out of the hilltowns of Franklin County.

Tickets are available at ironhorse.org. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Last Sunday, Jeffrey Foucault and Kris Delmhorst joined forces with drummer Don McAulay and bassist Jeremy Moses Curtis for the first Sunday Sing-down at the Floodwater Brewing Co. in Shelburne Falls. This marked the beginning of a series that these musicians will continue every Sunday throughout April. They kick back the chairs and play acoustically in a circle, recreating the feel of an Irish pub while performing music that inspires them.

Each week, there will be special guests (this past week, the Hilltown Ham Hocks made an appearance), so you never know who you might see. Come out and enjoy the jamming! The shows start at 6 p.m. and wrap up at 8 p.m., so you don’t have to worry about getting up in the morning. And best of all, it’s free!

The Disco Biscuits (Marc Brownstein, Aron Magner, Jon Gutwillig and Allen Aucoin), a band whose music is called “trance-fusion” in that it bridges the gaps between electronic dance music and jam rock, will bring their 30th anniversary tour to the summer stage at Tree House Brewing Co. in South Deerfield on Thursday, July 10. Tickets are on sale now at Tixr.com.

Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at soundslocal@yahoo.com.