Sunday, June 01, 2008
A+E, Music, Reviews
Howlin’ Rain
“Magnificent Fiend”
(Birdman/American)
Courtesy of Birdman Records
HOWLIN’ RAIN
w/Royal Thunder, U.S. Royalty
Friday, June 6
Drunken Unicorn at MJQ Concourse
www.thedrunkenunicorn.net
Like the most effective spin-off bands, Howlin’ Rain sounds virtually nothing like Comets on Fire, the psychedelic noise group Rain’s singer and songwriter Ethan Miller fronted for the better part of the last 10 years. Comets was too staunchly indie, and noisy, to ever be picked up for distribution by a major label (“Magnificent Fiend” is co-distributed by superproducer Rick Rubin’s American Recordings), so the shift to a slightly more commercial approach was logical.
But the results are a mixed bag. Howlin’ Rain thunders through ’70s rock clichés with admirable facility, even charm. Miller’s grainy voice mixes the right amount of soul and bluster, and Joel Robinow’s Steppenwolf/Deep Purple organ work references a time lost to all but those with dusty record collections. The result is a retro-inspired album you want to like, even love, yet never escapes from its victory of style over substance. In other words, the songs aren’t very good.
Tracks such as “Goodbye Ruby” take a reasonably good funk riff and let it dissipate against a vague semblance of steamy hard rock that never gels as it fights with Miller’s overabundant lyrics. Everyone tries hard enough, but after it’s over, little sticks in your skull, something that could never be said of the bands that clearly influenced Miller. There’s a rocking group lurking under the surface on “Magnificent Fiend,” but it would take someone like Rubin to find it. 2.5 STARS—Hal Horowitz