To me, Best Coast represented the point and time where surf rock turned hopelessly vanilla. As a movement I understood it: the Beach Boys were in, minimalism was in, insane amounts of reverb were in… it was inevitable really. And if you told me that Best Coast delivered this brand of rock and roll the best I’d take your word for it but it wasn’t for me.

Rap blew up on the indie scene at the same time and I believe that it blew up for one reason far more than any other: Rock and roll wasn’t naughty enough anymore. It explains why My Dark and Twisted Fantasy was the perfect album to drop when it did and why Odd Future blew up the way they did and why the subsequent backlash was as immediate as it was forceful.

Howler hits the gap in between. They’re naughty but not abrasive and crude without being controversial. They’re a bunch of kids that love music, whiskey and cigarettes and that simplicity has always been the swagger that reeks of rock and roll.

Musically they combine three styles that have dominated indie rock over the last three years: shoegaze, surf, and whatever you want to call the 1950’s rock (which was never definitively named because at the time, there weren’t any other kinds of rock and roll).

To sum it up, Howler is a fine blend of shoegaze and surf-rock done with a punk attitude². And they pull it off with swagger. So their popularity with British teenagers shouldn’t really surprise anyone. There has been some concern that they have not caught on stateside, but they’ve been overseas for a while now and I see no reason to doubt that they will have a comparable reception once they’ve had a chance to tour their album nationally.

A better question is where they will be three years from now. Their style is a blend of different trends over the past few years. So will future Howler be an amalgam of newer indie trends, or will they develop the influences they’ve already incorporated?² Time will tell, but they are definitely off to a good start.

¹If you’re going to tell me that taking three things and mixing them together is boring, do me favor: take equal parts coffee, Irish cream and whiskey and mix them together. If you are not pleased with the resulting product I will happily take it off your hands.

²As with most “either or” suppositions the answer will inevitably a combination of the two. Howler’s success over the next few years will depend on how they incorporate new trends in original ways. They already have a fan base. If they can synchronize their development as writers with the development of their fans as listeners they’ll continue to be successful.

Every week I pick a few bands with upcoming shows that I haven’t written of yet and share a few thoughts about them. They’re quick introductions to help you get to know your local musicians. I think of it as a speed-dating equivalent of finding new local music.

• Hot Freaks: Almost too happy for their own good, bordering on twee. Catchy hooks, simple rhythms, a bit disco at times. If you like simple, catchy and peppy as hell, they’re a band to check out. Harmonies are a little strained, their chemistry is loose. But they do serve up catchy hooks. [331 Club FRI 1/27]
• Dial Up: If you were disappointed with their first endeavor, Seller Door, they deserve a second listen after showing great improvement with the release of Landline*. They’ve cleaned up the production (especially noticeable on the vocals), reworked their leads and have greatly improved their chemistry which will help listeners focus on the mid-tempo dance hooks. [331 Club FRI 1/27]
• Tiger VS: Moonpop? Good vocals, upbeat, simple low-fi keyboard leads over more complex rhythms. I suppose it sounds a little spacey, orbits much closer to trip-hop than the more common electro-pop I have been coming across lately. Good mood music. The beats stand out as the centerpiece of their sound. Not too ambitious but delivers. Band to watch. [Hell’s Kitchen, SAT 1/28]

*Rub Step for example was my least favorite track on Seller Door and my favorite track (of those available) on Landline.

Although most listeners younger than I (so most listeners) are going to draw other comparisons the Trent Reznor similarities are undeniable. Not the angsty distorted guitar rages of his bigger hits, but the intense production, predilection of discord and glitch-infused rhythms of his remix albums. The edge of the style is immediately introduced but quickly tempered with elements of house-pop and more upbeat danceable leads.

Would I like Wiping Out Thousands more if they committed themselves to a harder edge throughout? Maybe. But probably not. Variety is good and balance is better. Their noiseplay demonstrates their reluctance to inhibition which makes the softer (more accessible) elements believable. I’m convinced that their creative vision is mostly impartial to outside influence which lends an aspect of purity and reinforces its originality.

Alaine’s vocal lead is responsible for the Portishead and Bjork comparisons, although I associate her style much more closely with Portishead. Her voice is more subtle and nuanced like Beth Gibbons, whereas Bjork is more cudgel than scalpel. Despite extensive vocal editing (chopping, sampling, looping, fading etc.) the effects and layering are minimal compared to the other instruments posing contrast in the mix.

The Wiping Out Thousands sound relies on heavy production (careful vocal arrangements, tons of effects and layers, very tightly programmed instruments) which effectively makes it the opposite of “organic”. But I wouldn’t call it “overproduced” for two reasons. First, it’s electronica, which is largely exempt from that label. But more importantly it works well because it avoids repetition.¹ The result is very heavy bias towards transitions, frequent and ambulatory transitions that fly in the face of traditional song formats.² This is the keystone of their aesthetic.

Reaction Machine is available as a free download and they are scheduled to play Hell’s Kitchen on Saturday, March 24^th.

¹I do love repetition. It works very well for minimalism. But minimalism doesn’t work well with heavy production. Since production is a greater strength on which Wiping Out Thousands relies they did well to come across as well calibrated if not organic.

² I realize “Closer” fits the verse-chorus-verse format. But even in this case the repeated sections are differentiated more than you’d find in an average radio single. And the album on the whole is not beholden to this format. Collision of Teeth / Bodies is a good example of mid-song 180 device that I’ve become a fan of.