Rating: NNN
Hyped by frontman Jordan Gatesmith as the next great dirty rock ‘n’ roll record, the debut LP from Minneapolis five-piece Howler delivers catchy choruses, danceable garage rock riffs and narcissistic machismo, all the requisites of the Next Big Rock Record Wrought From Sexual Frustration.
Their sound falls somewhere in between the Strokes’ pop precision and the Jesus and Mary Chain’s grungy detachment. Peppered with riffs and references typical of young musicians rabidly researching their predecessors (Back To The Grave’s melody borrows from JAMC’s Taste Of Cindy, just one of the many quotations), this is an endearing and eminently likeable listen.
Although Howler don’t exactly overcome their influences, they hardly phone in the formula. They play with confidence, attacking each song with a frenetic fury that’s easy to get caught up in – more so on the high-octane pop numbers than on the shoegazey dirges.
Top track: Told You Once
