Featured Band: Howling Bells

So what's been playing on my ipod this week? Beirut (see post a few days ago) and Howling Bells.

This Australian band has been on the NME tour (unfortunately being replaced by the Long Blondes by the time the tour gets to London) and their self-titled album was released last week - produced by none other than Ken Nelson, the renowned Coldplay producer. Going places? I would say so.



Howling Bells is almost gothically tinged folk rock, and "the result is a debut album that couldn't be more sophisticated if it wore a beret and smoked filterless French cigarettes while reading Rimbaud by candelight in a subtitled black and white film short set in Montmartre." (according the the Yahoo! Launch review.)



I had trouble deciding which two songs to let you all sample, so I've chosen three.

The sultry and brooding delivery of "Wishing Stone" is instantly contagious, the melody backed up by lead singer Juanita Stein's brother on guitar. Definitely a must-listen.

The grinding intro to "Velvet Girl" leads way to an intoxicatingly beautiful melody that you won't get out of your head for days.

Last year's single, "Low Happening" is a stronger rock song, described as "PJ Harvey hitching a ride with The Velvet Underground through 'Twin Peaks.'" Sounds good to me.

Howling Bells have just begun their massive UK tour, see their beautifully designed (yes, I'm jealous) website for tour dates and more info. They're playing two London dates, Kings College on May 25th and the Brixton Academy on June 1st (with Editors!)

Count me in!

Download:

Wishing Stone - Howling Bells

Velvet Girl - Howling Bells

Low Happening - Howling Bells

Buy:

Howling Bells - Howling Bells (iTunes Music Store)

Howling Bells - Howling Bells (Amazon)