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May 7, 2014On the second album by Minneapolis four-piece Howler, an energy level worthy of forebears the Replacements, Soul Asylum and even, in places, Husker Du is dialed up, making such tracks as the thrumming/thrashy “Indictment” and the hardcore-tilting “Drip” buzz around the listener’s head like so many hornets.
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Mar 24, 2014Tearing through its 10 songs in a shade under 28 minutes, World Of Joy sounds like a band straining themselves to top a personal best. Happily, they’ve managed it.
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Mar 25, 2014Half of the tracks on World Of Joy don’t even crack three minutes. It certainly validates the album’s garage-punk ethos, but at the same time, it barely gives Howler enough time to prove itself on its second album.
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Mar 24, 2014World of Joy's second half isn't quite as cohesive as its first.
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Mar 21, 2014Just before World of Joy threatens to peter out entirely, Howler’s first ever attempt at a ballad strides in to offer some welcome variation.
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Mar 27, 2014The vivacious, visceral World of Joy is the musical equivalent of riding a well-worn mechanical bull.
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Mar 24, 2014To put it in an alcoholic analogy; their sound may be like a fine wine, maturing as it gets older. But they’re sure as hell not going to hesitate in sprinting to the nearest wood and necking the whole damn bottle.
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Q MagazineMar 21, 2014Things unravel with the folky fuzz of closer Aphorismic Wasteland Blues, but for a band whose charm is enjoyably slack'n'sleazy that's kind if the point. [Apr 2014, p.112]
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UncutMar 21, 2014No prizes for adventurism, but bracingly fat-free, with attitude in spades. [Apr 2014, p.77]
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Mar 21, 2014There's a second-half tail-off, but enough in the first half to keep up the sugar rush.
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Apr 15, 2014The trouble with World of Joy isn’t that it’s bad, but that it seems perfectly content to stop short at “pretty good.”
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Mar 24, 2014World Of Joy, ultimately, is impounded by its own musical influences.