Howlin’ Rain – Mansion Songs

Southern Rock | Blues

44%

The psychedelic San Francisco blues band will be releasing their latest album at the end of the month. It showcases a change in musical direction for them. Gone are the long Grateful Dead style acid test blues jams, here replaced with more stripped back balladry. There are certainly times when everything fits and they admirably perform some excellent gentle pieces; “Coliseum” and “Lucy Fairchild” being the best examples, but for the most part they feel somewhat out of their comfort zone. There’s a lack of light and shade, a change of pace is desperately needed. Without any of their signature jams, and with the final track being spoken word, it struggles to capture your attention and frontman Ethan Miller’s vocals aren’t all that suited to the style of the songs. If these are mansion songs then they’re more for Mr Burns’ house than the Playboy Mansion. It’s an admirable effort of them trying to expand their horizons but it doesn’t do them justice. Anyone that want’s to listen to Howlin’ Rain should stick to their eponymous debut as they have yet to match it.