SoundPost: Howler, Elsie, Little Doses

Groups with guitars is the theme for this edition of SoundPost where we have pleasure in sharing with you some new releases from the world of Indie Rock. Hope you enjoy these tracks, each of which was helped into the world via the mystic midwifery practiced in our beautifully furnished but slightly untidy audio mastering studio…

Howler – “Back Of Your Neck”

One of the most talked about acts of 2012 so far, Howler are from Minneapolis and have signed a four album deal with Rough Trade in the UK. The music has a raw garage-rock flavour but with a pop sensibility running right through it (writer Jordan Gatesmith claims to have locked himself away with only The Jesus And Mary Chain for company while writing debut album “America Give Up”).

When the album came in for mastering it was accompanied by a clear brief from Jordan to ensure that it had plenty of crunch, and was not to be polished or finessed – rather, there were a couple of tracks that sounded too pretty already and the whole thing needed to be moved towards an edgier, punkier sound. No problemo. I must give some credit here to the excellent Manley Massive Passive EQ for helping to add some additional grit to tracks such as this, the debut single “Back Of Your Neck”.

mastered by Nick Watson

Elsie – “The Assassin (Bang Bang)”

I said “groups with guitars” didn’t I? Well then ok, you got me – Elsie isn’t strictly speaking a group-with-guitars, she’s a solo artist – but most certainly not one of the wallflower variety. Elsie’s got swagger, and her music employs the guitar-band aesthetic to great effect, often reminiscent of Blondie at their energetic best. Her press describes her as an alpha-woman and from this great video it’s not hard to see why.

mastered by Tim Debney

Little Doses – “Peace Into War”

Kirsten Ross’ vocals have invited comparisons to PJ Harvey and Stevie Nicks, while the pounding rhythm section of Mark McClelland (Snow Patrol) and Michael Branagh (Degrassi) comes over like a beefed up Grandaddy taking Elastica’s best hooks to the prom with a half bottle of Makers Mark in one pocket and a three pack of Trojan in the other! Look out for debut album “Rock Riot Soul” coming out in March 2012…

mastered by Tim Debney