When you are reading this, Belfast's Howlin' Widow have long since called it a day, so this single is a posthumous release of material that has not seen the light of day so far. Hailing from Belfast the band was deeply entrenched in Seventies Rock and thus maybe a bit ahead of their time with respect to the recent wave of all things retro. Listening to these two songs, it's easy to pigeonhole the four-piece with Sweden's current media darlings Graveyard, for there are several similarities.Both "Exorcised Accidental" and "Son Shine" are on the same level in that they are based on characteristical pentatonic (yet not moronic) riffs, the latter track being maybe a tad more bluesy than the A-side. The production sounds fittingly anachronistic, but not as if done in a garbage bin, as heard especially on records from recent bandwagoners stressing their "authenticity". Guitarists Jason Hendry and Gary Spence spice it up with playful licks, but the overall impression Howlin' Widow make is one of effective simplicity: The songs are king, and their hypnotic, with respect to the singing manic quality is appealing.
One could reason the band existed in a bubble with neither much support nor a proper surrounding to get their music across (while today, Northern Ireland is proud of a budding Stoner and Classic Rock scene), but anyway: Though not delivering anything spearheading, this single reeks sounds and looks like a labour of love - thanks to the label - and should appeal to all who feel they've been born too late.
- 7" on Transparent Red 70gm vinyl w/ insert. Hand numbered, ltd 250
copies. Released Oct 2012 -
words by Andreas Schiffmann
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