Search - Teenage Fanclub :: Howdy!

Beautifully made pop

Aylie's Mom | Bloomfield, NJ USA | 12/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can't imagine a Teenage Fanclub fan not loving this CD. Unfortunately, I can imagine a lot of people not loving this CD but that's only because the masses have such bad taste. This CD is one of the best pop albums to come out in years. "Near You" is one of the most perfect pop songs ever recorded. "Howdy" is chock full of hooks, harmonies and melodies. What more could anyone want?"

TFC keeps it simple

Peter Lavezzoli | Ft. Lauderdale, FL USA | 06/15/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I almost gave this CD away, because the first few listens were very disappointing compared to TFC's other efforts. I felt that Howdy is basically a repeat of the previous album, Songs from Northern Britain. I do think that Songs is a superior effort. But I was determined to give Howdy a few more chances, because I truly respect TFC and what they STAND FOR: simple and heartfelt songs coming from a guitar pop tradition stretching back to the Beatles and Byrds. They must be the most unpretentious band out there today, and the most democratic. Norman, Gerry, and Raymond share equal songwriting space. Anyway...these are all things I respect a great deal, so I gave Howdy a few more listens. I discovered that it takes time for these songs to sink in, because on the surface they sound like a mere rehash of the previous album. TFC has found their own sound which works for them, and sometimes a band does not need to progress stylistically with every album. Their approach is tried and true. They know who they are.



As to the songs themselves, Raymond has emerged as a writer of equal standing with Gerry. For the first time, I am quite disappointed with Norman's songs, and this is why I held back the top rating. I think his material is dispensable on this record. The more I hear Howdy, the more I like Raymond and Gerry's songs, and the less I like Norman's. But this is also OK. Norman wrote a good share of their best songs in the past, and perhaps it's now time for Raymond to shine. His songs are all very well written, arranged, and performed. His melodies and chord progressions are simple yet effective and unique, always with an unexpected little twist in there somewhere. "The Sun Shines From You," and "My Uptight Life" are my favorites of his songs here. Gerry's songs are always very refreshing and moving, and Howdy is no exception. He is a classic pop songwriter, no question about it.



So basically, the highlights are the Raymond and Gerry songs. The Norman songs are average...not bad, just not as great as the songs from the other two writers. In fact, "Dumb Dumb Dumb" is quite annoying! But again, this band is a true democracy among the three writers, and as I said, Norman was bound to take a back seat at some point. There is nothing wrong with this. Raymond was the underdog for quite a while himself, and now he is showing significant progress. Gerry's material is, as always, excellent. But I would say that sometimes I wish Gerry would articulate his lyrics a little better, sometimes I can't make out everything he is singing. Raymond and Norman both do a better job in that department. But despite that, Gerry's songs are still outstanding, all four of them. The production on this record is--as always with TFC--clear, clean, cohesive.



Therefore I give this record four stars as a good record of straightforward songs by a straightforward songwriting band. It's not a departure from what we heard on Songs from Northern Britain, and it's not quite as strong as that record, either. But it's still a worthwhile effort from a band who ultimately deserves a great deal of RESPECT for sticking together despite apathy from the music industry, for staying democratic, and for sticking with what they love to do...writing guitar-driven pop songs. They've outlasted just about every other band from their era who attempted to do the same thing, and they've remained a true BAND, not a collection of hired hands performing one producer/writer's material. If for no other reason than this, they deserve our respect."

Wow...amazing music

wxd | Calgary, Alberta Canada | 03/26/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had never heard of Teenage Fanclub before I heard this CD. I checked out "I Need Direction" and didn't think it was that great at first, but eventually I starting liking it quite a bit. This led me to check out Howdy!, which is one of the greatest finds I've made...At first this album didn't catch my attention at all. But as I listened to it more, it quickly grew to become one of the best albums I've heard. These individual songs don't hit you like a brick, but instead they welcome you to sit back and just day dream. If you allow it to, the upbeat melodies lifts your spirits in the way a 12 year-old kid finds excitement in an amusement park. You can find exhilaration around every corner. I agree with the previous reviewer that "Near You" is one of the best pop songs out there. Of course, "I Need Direction" is also a masterpiece on its own. Another one of my personal favorites is "Cul de Sac", which can always soothen the mood. It's a wonder why I didn't like this album the first time round. But even though there are many stand out songs, the album needs to be listened to as a whole to get the full picture. If you didn't given this album a chance, you should listen to it a couple more times and see if you like it then. But if you have never heard this, you really should give this album a shot, even if you've never heard of "Teenage Fanclub"."