Londoners Magazine

Artist: Howlin’ Rain
Album: Magnificent Fiend
Label: Birdman Records
Released: 28 April 2008

Chris Lo plans a road trip to savour the all-singing, all-dancing second album from California’s bearded barnstormers, Howlin’ Rain.

For their follow-up to 2007’s self-titled debut, Howlin’ Rain have decided to ratchet things up a notch. Taking the band’s basic formula of nostalgic, rip-roaring R&B, frontman Ethan Miller (also of avant-garde noisemongers Comets On Fire) has written songs that allow for more flashy musicianship and toe-tapping groove.

The twin titans of Miller’s raucous vocals and Joel Robinow’s Hammond organ dominate the tracks, the best of which create a cascading, exultant wall of sound. “Dancers At The End Of Time” sends the record roaring out of the starting gates with fiery, funk-infused guitars and righteous keys, while “Nomads”, a meandering slow burner, provides a respite from all the bombast.

Such luminaries as Procol Harum, James Brown, Creedence, The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd make their presence felt on the record, and it’s to the band’s credit that they don’t ever sound like a pub tribute band. They sound like Howlin’ Rain.

But Miller’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach is inevitably accompanied by a sacrifice of subtlety. At worst, Magnificent Fiend sounds a little too much like Classic Rock: The Musical.

“Lord Have Mercy” starts with a solid core, but gradually degenerates into a tacky jazz-hands jam which sounds like it should be accompanied by a line of rock ‘n’ roll cheerleaders. With all the theatrics, it might shine brightest when heard blasting from a sweaty stage.

Howlin’ Rain walk that perilous tightrope between warm reminiscence and pointless revivalism. It’s a tightrope that, for the most part, they navigate with ease, crafting songs that deserve to accompany a long drive down a dusty highway.

Despite the occasional slip into hokey sentimentality, the band’s all-or-nothing attitude is something to be admired in an industry too often constrained by artistic cautiousness.