HOWLER at the Drake Underground, Thursday, April 5. Rating: NNN
It’s easy to see why NME writers have been pissing their pants with excitement about young Minneapolis rockers Howler.
They sound like a less abrasive Jesus and Mary Chain crossed with a tighter version of the Replacements with just enough sullen Strokesesque swagger to seem vaguely modern. It’s not the most inventive formula, but they do it well and sound as good live as on record.
While many pine for the days when cute musicians with guitars could change the world with a snarl, maybe it’s time to let go of that dream. Marketing a band as both teen magazine pinups and the saviours of rock ‘n’ roll just isn’t convincing any more and forces talented young groups into restrictive retrogressive identities before they’ve had a chance to find their own sound.
Howler are good, but when a packed club of curiosity seekers doesn’t care enough to even summon them back for an encore, maybe the hype is hurting more than helping?
