Album Review

Howling Bells – Cities Burning Down

• 11th Feb 2009

The spirit of The Sonic Youth is slid out with ambient dripping effect.

‘Cities Burning Down’, through the wandering guitars and pulsing percussion, replicates closer than most modern efforts of this ilk, the atmospheric impact that Thurston Moore and gang regularly used to achieve. There is a natural, slightly eerie feel to this lead single from what could be one of the dark horse second albums of 2009, ‘Radio Wars’.

Morbid life is captured almost as precisely as the great Edgar Alan Poe. At times, a Mogwai-esque instrumental build blends together neatly with the above mentioned The Sonic Youth touch and the low-key, yet slightly animated vocals of Juanita Stein.

Chilling mystery and swish tempo builds are conjured almost effortlessly, hinting at what Da Bells could achieve their forthcoming second album.

This being, achieving the sort of acclaim and atmospheric royalty status that many thought should have been bestowed upon them with their debut album.