Howl

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 23, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Red Int / Red Ink
• ASIN: B000A7S4B0
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (97 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,601 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #52 in Music > Miscellaneous > Experimental Music

Track Listings

1. Shuffle Your Feet

2. Howl

3. Devil's Waitin'

4. Ain't No Easy Way

5. Still Suspicion Holds You Tight

6. Fault Line

7. Promise

8. Weight of the World

9. Restless Sinner

10. Gospel Song

11. Complication Situation

12. Sympathetic Noose

13. The Line

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

San Francisco's Black Rebel Motorcycle Club weren't exactly shy about their taste for early ‘90s UK rock (Jesus and Mary Chain, Ride, Stone Roses), influences that freely permeated their debut and Take Them On, On Your Own. But Howl argues that B.R.M.C. understands how such devotion can often be a creative straightjacket, stripping their songs bare via almost exclusively acoustic arrangements that variously evoke gospel-tinged Appalachia and gritty country-blues ("Devil's Waitin', "Ain't No Easy Way," "Restless Sinner"), gentle, mouth-harp seasoned folk ("Fault Line") and vocalist Peter Hayes invoking various ghosts of Dylan past on "Still Suspicion Holds You Tight," "Promise," and "Complicated Situation." Indeed, in everything from its music and Allen Ginsburg-inspired title to the LP-deriv! ed running order and artwork, it's an album whose retro-'60s counter-culture vibe may be no less original than their previous musical obsessions, but one whose strong, mature songs and dedicated performances can't be denied. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

Ori Release '05. Third studio album by the American alternative rock band. Limited Edition 13-track CD album including the single 'Ain't No Easy Way', presented in deluxe embossed hard-back book-style packaging. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still holds their sound nicely, August 24, 2005

By 

MEWZIK - See all my reviews

This review is from: Howl (Audio CD)

I knew when I heard the advance cd, people would be a bit upset regarding the departure of the previous two albums' anthems of addrenalin - I was taken back as well, but kinda pleased to see the expansion. I mean, BRMC are talented enough to not rely on the same formulas. To be honest, I shouldn't be rating this album so quickly, but for all the people that think it's sorta terrible, I needed to write a review to counter their motion. This band is great. They still have that Love & Rockets/Jesus & Mary Chain factor working for them - it is just something you will have to sit with instead of instantly saying - I love it...although track 5 is one of their best songs to date.

EXTENDED REVIEW:
Howl is an excellent album that partitions their catalog in two. The best generic description I can come with is Johnny Cash vs. Love & Rockets. The lyrics are brilliant, regarding love, religion and self as the focal points. The music, not a total departure from the previous two, but stripped down to more of an acoustic kickback to contemporary artists like later Dylan. I don't think BRMC was going for any particular sound, nor gave a care about keeping a fan who loved the last two albums. This was about keeping it real in a round about way - and what they are into, NOT what the fans expected them to do, which I totally respect. I don't mind people saying this record is not what they are into, but to say it is terrible means you have no clue to what music is. No offense, but I guess take some.

25 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unplugged... and seated (on the back-porch in the deep South), September 3, 2005

By 

Paul Allaer (Cincinnati) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Howl (Audio CD)

Wow... where to begin? I am a huge fan of the band's first 2 albums ("B.R.M.C." and "Take Them On, On Your Own"). I knew the buzz was that the new album would be different. I've had the new album since it came out about 2 weeks ago, and have been listening to it quite a bit.

"Howl" (14 tracks, 52 min.) is not just an evolution from the previous sound, but as radical a departure that I can ever recall from a single band. The best way to imagine what this album sounds like it is to picture the band sitting on the back-porch somewhere in the deep, deep South about 100 years ago, and strumming along to some songs, all acoustic if course. The influences of gospel, blues and even country are everywhere. That said, if you can accept that a band can make such a musical departure, you can then start to appreciate the album for what it is, and the inevitable conclusion then is that "Howl" is a terrific album. From the opening sounds of the opener "Shuffle Your Feet", with a gospel choir filling the air, "Holw" is a mood piece that begs repeated listening. "Ain't No Easy Way" (UK single) is a short blast of acoustic jamming, but most songs are pensive ("Fault Line", "Restless Sinner", "Gospel Song" are good examples). This album reminds me in spirit of the "O Brother Where Art Thou?" soundtrack and it's no surprise then that T-Bone Burnett contributed as well to "Howl".

In all, this is a very nice album. If, however, you are looking for more of the sound of the first two BRMC albums, save your money and DON'T buy this. As a separate thought, I am really curious how BRMC is going to take this album on the road. I guess they'll simply have 2 different sets altogether, one for the old stuff, and one for the "Howl" songs. Maybe they'll change outfits as well. It would be appropriate. "Howl" is highly recommended!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong album, October 24, 2005

By 

Tankery "Tankery" (New Orleans) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Howl (Audio CD)

This is a strong album that expands this group into a bit larger realm. Not as radical as you might think. Their concerts will have a nice acoustic interlude now. This is good and shows their talent.

There's a couple songs that are Dylanesque and more than a couple that sound like late Lennon Beatles influence. All good.

My favorite songs are Ain't No Easy Way, Shuffle Your Feet, and Devils waitin but none disappont. It's all strong though.

My complaint is with the software that installs when you plug the CD into your PC. It blew up the first time and then tries to copy protect etc. (It's one of the reasons I no longer buy anything Sony besides artists I can't do without, and then I hesitate) If you have an Apple though it rips it perfect and you can then burn from there. (Is there no limits to greed and irritation in this industry?)

Not to mention the fact that you blow on these CD's anymore and they skip. And they expect us not to make copies?