[rating=3.00]
On “Phantom In The Valley” lead singer/guitarist/song-writer Ethan Miller sings about “Dusty notes of music/at the far end of the world!” but you don’t need to travel all that way to find Howlin’ Rain’s inspiration. Just head into your parents basement and dust off the milk-crates that host your big brothers mid 70’s “classic” rock albums from a time gone by. This is a big meaty album, a return to arena rock pomp and excess; knowing that in advance will clue people into the pluses and minuses fairly early of Howlin’ Rain’s newest release The Russian Wilds.
With 11 (really 10) tracks running over an hour, the album fits the term Long Play straight out of late ‘75 with Peter Frampton in tow. The opening “Self Made Man” would make a great 8-track Maxi-Single with it’s winding sections, distorted bass, falsetto/screeching vocals and (of course) multiple guitar solo’s. The effort is a good summation of The Russian Wilds as a whole; while trying for a specific genre and musical time the group added in so many sections, instrumentation and winding parts that by the close of things rather then feeling exhilarated from the journey it leaves you a bit lost.
The group took four years to make this record with the help of the iconic Rick Rubin and the length of time seems to have allowed them to toss the kitchen sink into the proceedings, cluttering things up to a disadvantage. The earlier mentioned “Phantom In The Valley” starts off very strong for fans of the monster riff’s and “nuclear winter” lyrics, but the Spanish exit jam complete with trumpet and odd laser sounds is unnecessary.
“Can’t Satisfy Me Now” is the disk highlight with its straight ahead blues feel, recalling another band Rubin has worked with, The Black Crowes. Continuing this theme “Dark Side” plays simple (for this band) and straight ahead which (somewhat shockingly) are Howlin’ Rain’s strengths. The directness displayed on those tunes is even more stark next to some of the bands more elaborate songs both lyrically (“Strange Thunder”) and musically (“Phantom In The Valley”). “Walking Through Stone” is just an excuse for the band to let their hair down and riff until the sun comes up, and it is sure to be a burner live.
One major plus that should also be mentioned is the overall sound of the disk; full, alive and nuanced. Production this rich is nice to wrap yourself in even if in the end the songs are a bit confused.
