Howling Bells arrived back in 2005/06 like a psychedelic rock lozenge. Had you ever heard a more delicious dusty strum, melodies that melted like a sunset and about the most delectable female lead vocal since Hope Sandoval drizzled magic over Mazzy Star in the early 90s? No, of course you hadn’t. And you’d have been delighted with more of the same, and in a way you’ve got it too because it’s all still in there; the distinct, hopelessly lush vocal gilding, languid posture and afternoon heat hazy off-focus melodies. But, pleasingly it turns out, that’s not all there is for their sophomore effort. A framework has been assembled, bolts tightened, electricity supplied, foundation applied and lights faded up as the day fades. It’s not exactly a stylistic overhaul because they’re recognisable still, but they’ve been beamed up from the desert to a neon-tinged floor with echoes of 80s pop – somewhere between Martha & The Muffins and Roxette – and the 90s too – take the aforementioned Mazzy Star and especially The Cardigans. The entrancing ‘Golden Web’ pitches itself between Kate Bush and The Eurhythmics in a robotic chill-out, ‘Treasure Hunt’ is like Nina Persson fronting a Britpop Depeche Mode and ‘Cities Burning Down’ is all leathery like INXS. With The Cardigans on a seemingly indefinite hiatus and Nina Persson off making sweet country-tinged solo albums it’s nice to have audible confirmation of what they should be sounding like. Consider this radio war won.
‘RADIO WARS’ IS OUT NOW