Howlin'
by Jagwar Ma
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
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  1. AllMusic
    Aug 12, 2013
    80
    Howlin is good enough to make you forget most of the bands they were influenced by too, as it both embraces and somehow transcends the '90s in a flash of sound and vision.
  2. Beats Per Minute
    Aug 26, 2013
    72
    Mindlessly hummable and pure of vision, Howlin’ sounds just as good coming from your headphones as it does from Marshall stacks.
  3. Consequence
    Aug 1, 2013
    70
    The hits are so strong that you won’t mind trudging through a few missteps along the way.
  5. DIY Magazine
    Jun 10, 2013
    80
    Howlin' works impeccably as a whole. Equally uplifting and calming, it's the dancefloor via the beach.
  6. Drowned In Sound
    Jun 10, 2013
    80
    The accomplished sonic collages of Howlin' finely balance Jagwar Ma's influences and in doing so transcends into something singularly thrilling and cohesive.
  7. Filter
    Aug 14, 2013
    78
    Drenched in echoed vocals and layered synth lines, Howlin maintains an incredibly optimistic, carefree tone.
  8. Mojo
    Jul 10, 2013
    80
    In short, it's the kind of pop music that works in any era. [Aug 2013, p.89]
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  9. musicOMH.com
    Jun 10, 2013
    80
    Howlin is an intoxicating first showing from a band with bags of potential and, although it loses its way somewhat towards the end, it is brimming with the confidence of a vastly more experienced band.
  10. New Musical Express (NME)
    Jun 10, 2013
    90
    It’s a tightrope across a canyon down which many a pie-eyed baggy daredevil has fallen. Jagwar Ma make it look effortless.
  11. Pitchfork
    Jun 21, 2013
    77
    The music is a heady swirl of baggy beats and unabashed Beach Boys melodies, while the lyrics are wholly uninterested in anything intellectual.
  12. PopMatters
    Nov 1, 2013
    70
    The back half of Howlin’ falls off a bit, which is kind of inevitable with an album that starts as strongly as this one does.
  13. Q Magazine
    Jun 17, 2013
    80
    The naysayer might dismiss it as an elaborate pastiche, but this would be to miss the point of an often intoxicating LP that's more than the sum of its parts. [Jul 2013, p.108]
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  14. The Line of Best Fit
    Jun 10, 2013
    80
    It’s designed for the outdoors, for huge crowds and for losing your mind to. There are few artists that have perfected the kind of engrossing and engaging dance delights that Jono and Gabriel are demonstrating here.
  15. The Quietus
    Jun 12, 2013
    70
    Ignoring the pair of low-key, forgettable tracks that close the album, Howlin is a cracking summer album.... but whether the album has a shelf life beyond that remains to be seen.
  16. Uncut
    Jul 31, 2013
    70
    Songs like "That Loneliness" can make Jagwar Ma sound a little clean-living, while the ingenuous "Let Her Go" simply bowls you over with sun-bleached pop-psych. [Sep 2013, p.90]
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  17. Under The Radar
    Jun 10, 2013
    70
    Despite its pleasures, Howlin struggles to surpass the faint feeling of pastiche that runs through "Uncertainty" and the frankly ridiculous pop flutter "Let Her Go."

User Reviews

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User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. WadeVS
    Aug 28, 2013
    6
    Wow these guys are the new darlings of the music reviewers! I am yet to see a negative review. I agree with VIMTV this album feels like aWow these guys are the new darlings of the music reviewers! I am yet to see a negative review. I agree with VIMTV this album feels like a compilation rather than a cohesive album. But there is still enough on here to give you an idea of where they're coming from, but not perhaps where they're going to. An often catchy debut for sure, but how will they follow this up? If the answer is with more of the same, then you can keep moving. Catchy, subtle, 90s-esque & rather likeable. This album kind of fizzles out towards the end.… Full Review »
  2. Forest90
    Sep 14, 2013
    8
    This album impressed me, the music is massively influenced by both Madchester and Psychedelia, but the result is unique enough and modernThis album impressed me, the music is massively influenced by both Madchester and Psychedelia, but the result is unique enough and modern enough to be a sound that is definitely their own. We could do with this band becoming a big deal.… Full Review »
  3. VIMTV
    Aug 20, 2013
    8
    Jagwar Ma hail from Australia, thus we expect their music to be eclectic by nature. Their debut record Howlin didn’t let us down; this thingJagwar Ma hail from Australia, thus we expect their music to be eclectic by nature. Their debut record Howlin didn’t let us down; this thing is crawling with styles and genres ranging decades all culminated in one, concise, polished package. This is clearly a pop album; the dance beats and poppy vocal hooks cement that fact. However, the beats, samples, and guitar and bass instrumentation have a unique authenticity to them which sets this album apart from its peers. Howlin is far from perfect; there are several tracks that are simply not as good as the stronger tracks, and it feels more like a compilation than a true record. We were still pleasantly surprised with this debut and will gladly come back to this album in the future.… Full Review »
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