By Avinash Mittur
Feb. 16th 2012, The Echo, Los Angeles CA: For years and years, rock music has had its fair share of “revival” acts- bands dedicated to recreating an earlier non-contemporary style of music. From the southern throwback of the Black Crowes, to the traditional metal worship of Armored Saint, these bands have proudly had their minds in the past and have achieved varying degrees of success as a result. The best of these groups have written songs in the old style that rival their beloved classics, while the rest only offer a pale imitation of timeless staples. Howlin’ Rain have been described as one of these kind of groups; critics and journalists have been quick to note their love for classic rock and long jams and a refusal to adhere to modern trends. After giving the Echo an hour of some the best live rock and roll I have heard in a long time, Howlin’ Rain have shown that they’re far more than any mere seventies worship act.
Neal Casal, perhaps better known as the one-time lead guitarist for Ryan Adams’ backing group, the Cardinals, kicked things off with a mellow and laidback set. Armed with only a Gibson SG and his relaxed yet confident voice, Neal played tracks that brought the folk and country-rock styles of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Dan Fogelberg to the live setting. This was a far cry from the more direct and decibel-heavy sound of Howlin’ Rain, but Neal’s set wasn’t a bad way to start the show at all. His guitar playing in particular was exquisite; tracks that featured his fingerpicking were a true delight to listen to. The only complaint I could lodge against the performance was that I wished it was played acoustically. Neal’s guitar was given basic amplification and nothing more. As such, I feel a nice acoustic guitar could have really sounded beautiful given his obvious proficiency.
The second and last opening act was the Allah-Las. Their set also harkened back to the folk-rock groups of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, but this time the sounds leaned towards the amplified acts like the Byrds and the Grateful Dead. The choruses often featured crisp harmonies and a tambourine. Allah-Las’ drummer Matt (somehow, these guys have managed to hide their last names from the internet!) provided basic rock beats, but had a rhythmic pulse greater than many faster and harder hitting drummers. He knew exactly when to kick in the tambourine or switch cymbals or change the bass drum patterns; Matt may have given a modest performance, but the songs sounded far greater with him behind the kit. Lead guitarist Pedrum gave a restrained yet successful show as well. His solos may not have been flashy, but there wasn’t a single note wasted. In addition, his bright and jangly tone complemented the happy and upbeat tracks very well. I have to admit, I grew weary of the band’s set near the end. Nearly every song was similar in tone and emotion, and my ears begged for something different by the end. It was still an enjoyable set, but the addition of a slower track or a more somber one could make it all the more energetic.
After a short wait, Howlin’ Rain started began their set with the southern-fried stomp of Self Made Man, the opening track to their new album, The Russian Wilds. Lead singer/guitarist/band mastermind Ethan Miller’s falsetto vocals during the chorus, coupled with backing harmonies from fellow guitarists Joel Robinow and Isaiah Mitchell evoked memories of acts like the Doobie Brothers and Rubber Soul-era Beatles. However, it was the next track, Phantom in the Valley, which absolutely sold me on Howlin’ Rain. With Joel switching to keyboards (set to a killer organ sound), the song began with cymbal flourishes from drummer Raj Ojha. The others soon came in with interweaving guitar lines and subtle, yet wonderfully earthy textures from Joel’s organ. The verses featured some of the most soulful vocals I have heard from a modern vocalist, and the organ only served to complement this near-gospel sound. You can’t get this sound with AutoTune folks! The Latin-rock break in the middle of the song was cool, but only seemed to build energy. This musical tension was finally released with long guitar solos from Isaiah and Ethan in place of the horns on the album version. I was in awe as the song came to the end. Long, intense jams straight out of the Fillmore West like these should exist only in the history books, but here I was witnessing it in 2012 in a tiny club in downtown Los Angeles.
Even better, I was hearing a sound I hadn’t come across yet. Even though Howlin’ Rain borrow elements from countless classic rock acts, the Deep Purple-esque Hammond B3 organ sound, combined with long guitar solos, pitch perfect harmonies, and some of most soulful and passionate singing I have heard coalesced into a sound that I can’t even think of another act sounding like. Not even the Allman Brothers Band went Latin in the middle of a song just because they could.
The jams continued, with the new tracks often being highlights of the set. The biggest issue I could levy against Howlin’ Rain’s set would have to be the live sound. While it was fine for the most part, when the guitars and organ would kick into full gear they would often drown each other out. As amazing as the band’s extended jams and solos were, hearing them subside into a wash of distortion was not uncommon. The fact that the sound in general was quite a bit louder than it needed to be didn’t help either. This was a relatively minor issue – a small blemish on an otherwise fantastic set.
The band capped off their set with another new track, Strange Thunder. Introduced as a “song with two parts” by Ethan, he began with an acoustic guitar with an understated keyboard accompaniment. The song truly came to life during its second half however, marked by a strutting bassline from bassist Cyrus Comiskey. Perhaps even more than Phantom in the Valley, this song seemed to define the Howlin’ Rain sound. Harmonies that would make Motown groups blush? Check. Bluesy, white hot guitar solos? Check. Vocals with about as much soul as a plate of chicken and waffles smothered with hot sauce and syrup? That would be a check. The song finished off with solos from Joel (who had returned to the axe yet again), Ethan and Isaiah. As one would carry the rhythm, the other two would solo, creating an effect not unlike many of Tony Iommi’s signature double-tracked leads. Upon the conclusion of this absolutely stunning jam, the band exited the stage. Despite much of the audience patiently waiting and cheering for an encore, the band did not return.
On Wednesday night at the Echo, Howlin’ Rain delivered more in their one hour than most bands attempt to do in 90 minutes. For the price of only 12 dollars, it’s hard to complain about wanting a longer set anyway. If bands like the Black Keys can find success playing old-school rock and roll, then Howlin’ Rain deserve all they get for actually moving rock music forward with their sound. Even though the opening acts may not have been stunning, the increasing intensity with which they played was effective primer for the show. Intentional or not, moving from laid back country-rock to poppy folk-rock and finally to searing hard rock was easy on the ears and effective for the audience. A great show all around, Howlin’ Rain is not to be missed should they drop by your area.
Rating: 9/10
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