Howlin Rain - Under the Wheels, Vol. 2 LP

On Under The Wheels, Vol. 2, Howlin Rain’s trademark rock ’n’ roll bombast and intricately woven, extended improv passages swirl into a distinct form of storytelling, expressed through spiraling energy and a near constant flow of form and melody. As a companion to its Vol. 1 predecessor, this latest offering is also drawn from North American coastal tours in 2018 and 2019 that came in support of the band’s most recent studio album, The Alligator Bride. Curated by Howlin Rain founder Ethan Miller, it presents favorite song performances selected from different shows along the way.

“The last time I saw Howlin’ Rain ignite a stage—at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl in the summer of 2018—I could never have imagined the profound silence that surrounds me two years later. In a world without the sustenance and sacrament of live music, my long, loud memories from that night—Howlin’ Rain bringing The Alligator Bride to life in a rush of joy and cascading guitars—have been big medicine, keeping me sane and psychedelicized. Now there is a record from that tour to prove I wasn’t dreaming—and spread this band’s cleansing might until we can all meet again in true, electric communion.” —David Fricke (MOJO / Sirius XM Radio / Rolling Stone)