GIG REVIEW: The New York Howl
- Posted on February 2, 2007 10:25 AM
- 0 comments
The New York Howl - People Will Come To See us Ride
By Joanne Conlon
A mid-summer Jeffrey Lewis outing in Brixton is where I first encountered this Dickensian chimney sweep-looking mob, and while I was left surprisingly unenthused by the former, The NY Howl got me mightily excited. So much so, that I bought their album off the sax player at the bar; a bargain-esque seven quid for the 16 tracks.
People Will Come to See Us Ride opens with 'Can't get it Right Right Now' and within 3 minutes, manages to capture the entire essence of the NYH; Hypnotising vocals and a foot tapping, hand clapping beat, bursts into a frenzy of cocky sax, carefree harmonies, messy guitars, and some old fashioned 'Da da da-ing' for good measure. Listening to the NYH feels like having a boozy night out in a 1930s underground dirty dancing jazz café; and that can only be a good thing.
Perhaps slightly overdone in length, the high standard of the blues soaked 'Oh Bury Me Not' or the quirky chord changes of 'Critters' brings on the inevitable 'Poly-Filler effect' to an album of this size, phasing out the more forgettable and somewhat self-indulgent tracks.
Their oddly romantic lyrics; "wrap my body in crushed blue velvet..." and Andrew Katz's vocals on the mighty 'Black Stallion' find an overriding sexiness in the raw, untouched sound of the Howl, encapsulating the spirit of rock 'n' roll and the sincerity of their talent. Seven quid well spent.
People Will Come to See Us Ride is available to buy on The New York Howl website, where you can also hear a sample of tracks:
www.myspace.com/thenewyorkhowl
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