Howl
by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club started off playing hard rock influenced by British bands such as Led Zeppelin, but on this their third album the band show other sides of themselves, with several songs similar to those of the young Bob Dylan.

The acoustic guitar is the most dominant instrument, which gives the numbers a crisp sound and the music in general a softer sound. The songwriting is mostly very strong, and the album contains many very fine tracks with inspiration from many different musical genres, such as folk, blues and gospel.

The opening track "Shuffle Your Feet" actually contains elements from those genres, and and works fine as the starting point for the rest of the album. The title-track "Howl" is a very British sounding number - slow tempo with organ and very hymn-like. Nice number.

Almost pure acoustic folk are the songs "Devil's Waiting," "Fault Line", "Restless Sinner" and "Complicated Situation" - all fine tracks, probably with the latter as the most memorable. Bob Dylan must have been part of the inspiration for these songs. "Is No Easy Way Out" is a number that could well have fitted into Led Zeppelin's third album, which was also very folk-inspired.

Other songs sound very inspired by Marc Bolan and T. Rex - this applies for example, "Weight of the World," "Sympathetic Noose" - two of the album's very best - and also the final track "The Line" The very melodic side, almost ballad like, shows on numbers such as "Still Suspicion Holds You Tight" and "Promise." A different BRMC album, but perhaps their most durable.

I'll probably have to give this album another listen, but Ain't No Easy Way is the only memorable track to me. However, I do recall liking the overall feel of the sound itself.

I'm absolutely amazed nobody else has voted for this masterpiece of an album!