Howlies: Stunned EP
OverUnder Records
Maturity creeps over Howlies in strange ways with the Stunned 10-inch EP. "Zombie Girl" opens with yawning feedback before blasting to life with a simple, fast rock 'n' roll charge that's fun but a bit juvenile - even for the group that penned a groaner like "Aluminum Baseball Bat." Despite the opening song's campy qualities, there's a more defined Howlies style in the truck stop riffs of "Stunned" and "Yer Hell." There's also confidence in the title track and "Secret Charmer" that transcends the tongue-in-cheek swagger. The driving backbeat and countrified jitters of "Tie Me Up, Throw Me Down" create something akin to a magnetic pull as the record spins, bringing to Stunned an audible sense of chemistry and camaraderie. (4 out of 5 stars)