Review Summary: Howard’s growth is evident on this short EP and even though these songs did not fit on to Noonday Dream, they have been sewn together in a cohesive way that builds a tapestry of nostalgia’s highs and lows
Ben Howard’s journey has a humble start with grassroots in folk music using only his voice and an acoustic guitar. It didn’t take long for Howard to catch the hearts of fans around the world, with his smooth, delicate voice and his percussive, fingerpicking guitar style. From the very beginning, on his stripped-down early EPs, Howard was able to not only put together catchy songs with memorable hooks, but he had the sharp lyricism and poetic know-how to convey true emotion with his songs.
Fast forward to Howard’s latest album from 2018, Noonday Dream, he has grown beyond just a guitar and voice, adding in further instrumentation and musicians to build unique soundscapes dripping with passion and conviction. Howard has grown and it shows with each album and EP he releases. His growth continues on to this short 2018 EP, Another Friday Night/Hot Heavy Summer/Sister, which are songs that did not find their place on the full-length Noonday Dream, earlier in the same year.
Off the first listen, each song on this EP seemed to have its own identity and felt like they were all just extra tracks Howard didn’t know what to do with, which could actually be the case. However, after a few spins, it was hard for me to hear one song without the others surrounding it and the warm, crisp production made it even easier for everything to really settle in.
The opening song “Another Friday Night” showcases Howard’s finger-picking style that he is known for. Howard’s experimentation and growth are demonstrated with his use of programmed drums and a didgeridoo sounding synthesizer played by his frequent collaborator, Mickey Smith. The instrumentation in this song builds a strong feeling of melancholy and regret, similar to his powerful 2012 EP, The Burgh Island. Howard's voice shines on this track in a bleak and sorrowful way. “Another Friday Night” brings me feelings of loss, grief, and nostalgia, kicking me in the gut with ominous beauty and stars out of reach. Nostalgia is a powerful thing and Howard knows how to use his voice, poetry, and instrumentation to release various emotions inside of his listeners to connect his music to their own personal imagery. Howard’s lyrics, as per usual, are top-notch and only add to the feeling of melancholy “Another Friday Night” brings, as he passionately sings:
“Oh, looks like the end again
Her body bleaching out into the waves
It's still the loudest thing
Oh, I wish I had all my friends
Somewhere drinking
The sunny afternoon
Into oblivion”
Hot Heavy Summer, the second track on this EP takes us down a new path of nostalgia with dreamy guitar slides, subtle synth-scapes, airy drums and the addition of guest vocalist, Sylvan Esso. This track brings a lighter tone and drops the melancholy for reflections of love and connection. Both the instrumentation and vocals suspend this track in weightlessness, as Esso’s vocals are placed right beneath Howard’s to create an excellent dynamic that adds a unique character to the song. The lyrics on “Hot Heavy Summer” are a touch more straightforward for Howard, but they still maintain their poetic and vague nature.
Though “Hot Heavy Summer” is experimental, the final track on this EP, “Sister”, is probably the most experimental and odd song Howard has written to date. Dropping guitar and drums for an acapella-esque track held together by a deep, bassy undercurrent. The main melody on “Sister” is carried by a robotic-sounding synth lead and layers of Howard’s vocals (which may or may not include a subtle auto-tune underneath, it is kind of hard to tell).
Throughout this track there are barely discernible samples of modified speech and chatter that pop in and out, creating a bizarre and mysterious feeling. It’s safe to say this track is fairly weird and at first, I wasn’t sure I was into it, but after a few listens, it got stuck in my head and became a stand-out. Thematically, the song seems to be about how the future’s promise of uncertainty and change can affect even the strongest of relationships. Howard paints the picture of uncertainty and change with simple, but far-reaching lyrics: “Sister, love comes and goes. You walk a tight-rope through it. Who really knows? On tip-toes, picking acorn burrs, Spring comes too early most years now.” Everything about this song screams off-kilter and disorienting, especially for fans of Howard’s past music that relied more on simple song structures and catchy choruses. Even Howard’s release of Noonday Dream garnered mixed reactions from his fans, but that doesn’t seem to sway Howard’s adventurous musical spirit, and it shouldn’t.
On the Another Friday Night/Hot Heavy Summer/Sister EP, Howard delivers lush instrumentals, thought-provoking poetry, beautiful vocals, and immersive soundscapes to help us uncover buried memories and lingering emotions. Howard’s growth as a lyricist, musician, and full-fledged artist are evident on this short EP and even though these songs did not fit on to Noonday Dream, they have been sewn together in a cohesive way that builds a tapestry of nostalgia’s highs and lows.
Personally, I’m excited to see where Howard will go from here, as he continues to prove that his evolution from a simple folk artist to his current form is akin to a caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly; he started simple and humble, but now he’s leaving the shell to showcase an expansive array of colors are.
Hopefully, the evolution continues on to the next Ben Howard release and shows him reaching even greater heights.
