Howler - This One's Different

They're calling this a mini-album, but five songs is more like an EP in my book. Who knows what the distinction is? Who really cares? Either way these guys are a new indie pop band from Minneapolis who peddle some kind of fairly anonymous '60s-style garage indie rock type stuff. There's four people in the band and only three on the cover. I wonder which one was snubbed. Their thank you list includes Prince, Pac-Man and Mister T. I'm really struggling to say a lot about the music. It's jangly, it's formulaic, it's upbeat but never particularly rocky...I'll have forgotten who they are by the end of the day but it's not making me angry. The guy's voice reminds me a little bit of Brian Jonestown Anton, but the music doesn't have the same shambling depth to it. The final track '14 Days' reminds me of the Strokes in their early days when they were like a hyper pop Velvets rip-off. Definitely my favourite cut here. It's poppy and fun and they're good when they get going, but this 12" is pretty hit and miss. If they can find a way inject a bit more character and fun into their sound there's real promise here, though.