Band Of The Week: Howler

Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Howler are a gutsy Indie-Rock foursome you may have heard of in passing, but not yet fully appreciated. They’ve been around since 2011, with their 2012 album ‘America Give Up’ garnering considerable notice by the likes of NME. They’re BBM’s Band Of The Week because they have a new album coming out that we’re pretty excited for and we think they deserve some love.

Like an Indie summer; happy melodies punctuated with often-melancholic vocals and plenty of teenage brooding. They’re a little like a younger version of The Libertines – fortunately without the misdirection of Pete or the unabated swagger of Carl. Their music is unpretentious and fun, perfect for road trips and lazing in the sunshine, but a Howler gig is one you’re not likely to forget. Frontman Jordan is a feisty young thing, so expect epic crowd banter, lashings of x-rated cursing and some cool stories in between songs. These boys are entertainment with a capital E.

For some vintage Howler action, try ‘Back Of Your Neck’. It’s suitably emblematic of what they do and was the song from their debut album that really made critics sit up and listen. The video is what you’d expect from four young guys embarking on their first taste of fame (cue candid shots of backstage pranks and leaning moodily up against cars spliced with some nice gig footage). We defy you not to tap your feet to this one.

Be sure to also check out ‘Don’t Wanna’, the first video from Howler’s new album ‘World of Joy’, set to be released 24th/25th March 2014 through Rough Trade Records. The new track has a distinctly psychedelic 60s feel with some REM vibes thrown in for good measure. It screams nostalgia and we certainly hope it’s a good indicator of what the rest of the album will be like.