After thoroughly observing the various sexual positions illustrated in the liner notes, I asked myself, what more could a person ask for than an album with naked chicks pasted all over the CD? Well, is it too much to ask for something more than organized noise?
Overall, the abrupt sounds of self-proclaimed "spiritualized psychedelic soul" mixed with a touch of "Memphis Soul" startled me, although the first joint scarily resembled both the vocal as well as guitar distortion present on the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour. Lupine Howl experiments with bizarre yet groovy chord progressions, featuring lead guitarist, Mike Mooney, who can occasionally compete with the vibrantly melodic phrases and beautiful tones of Steve Kimock. Mooney's free-spirited jam sessions, however, often become smothered as synthesizers and other more obscure instruments such as the cymbalin and the glockenspiel drown out his guitar with excessive noise.
Additionally, in joints such as "Sniff the Glue" and "Carnival," the band experiments with abrupt dynamic changes as well as very controlled piano moments, suggestive of Pink Floyd's psychedelic melodies. But these softer moments lost my interest as they became tiresome and predictable. It was like being in Twilo, listening to Sasha and Digweed crescendo a phat beat, but without the much anticipated climax--ever.
With a little more experience and perhaps a bit more artistic ability, Lupine Howl is well on its way to success--not as the next Pink Floyd, but rather, as a popular indie rock band of Howl's generation.
