The Loudest Engine#Production & Invisible EP
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox album
| name = The Loudest Engine
| type = studio
| artist = Howling Bells
| cover = HowlingBellsTheLoudestEngine.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2011|9|9|df=y}}
| recorded = September–October 2010
| venue =
| studio = Battle Born, Las Vegas
| genre = Indie rock
| length = {{Duration|m=41|s=19}}
| label = Cooking Vinyl
| producer = Mark Stoermer
| prev_title = Radio Wars
| prev_year = 2009
| next_title = Heartstrings
| next_year = 2014
| misc = {{Singles
| name = The Loudest Engine
| type = studio
| single1 = Into the Sky
| single1date = 18 July 2011
}}
}}
The Loudest Engine is the third studio album of London-based Australian indie rock band Howling Bells. The album was released through Cooking Vinyl on 9 September 2011 to mostly positive reviews. It was produced by Mark Stoermer and recorded at Battle Born Studios, in Las Vegas from September to October 2010.
Howling Bells began writing for The Loudest Engine more than two years preceding its release while they supported Coldplay on the Viva la Vida Tour. The band sought to capture more closely the essence of its debut album, Howling Bells, and retract from its technically inclined predecessor, Radio Wars. Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Juanita Stein was credited for writing most of the lyrical content on The Loudest Engine. The band moved on from all five record labels it was signed to and established an exclusive partnership with Cooking Vinyl. Only one single, "Into the Sky" was released from the album and it was the first Howling Bells album issued as an LP record. The Australian release and the LP release contain an extra track named "Arrows", which is a demo that was recorded in Sydney. Preceding the release of the album, Howling Bells released a non-physical EP issued via PledgeMusic, titled Invisible. The Loudest Engine appeared on both the UK Albums Chart and the Australian Albums Chart.
Howling Bells characterized The Loudest Engine as a contemporary psychedelic endeavor which was reinforced by the atmosphere of their time spent in the Mojave Desert. To support the album Howling Bells performed a number of headline shows and opened for both Elbow and The Killers. Following this period of time, bass player Brendan Picchio left the band and was subsequently replaced by Gary Daines.
Background
Howling Bells wrote most of the material for The Loudest Engine, while they were on the road supporting Coldplay in May and June 2009.Thompson, Jody (17 May 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20121020021644/http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/17/howling-bells-killers-mark-stoermer-interview/ "Howling Bells Say the Killers' Mark Stoermer 'Became Like a Band Member'"]. Spinner. AOL. Archived from [http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/17/howling-bells-killers-mark-stoermer-interview/ the original] on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2011.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110413213604/http://www.songkick.com/artists/154165-howling-bells/gigography "Howling Bells past concerts"]. Songkick. Ian Hogarth, Pete Smith, Michelle You. Archived from [http://www.songkick.com/artists/154165-howling-bells/gigography the original] on 13 April 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2011. Note: User required to navigate numbered tabs at bottom of page. The band returned to Australia later that year and rented a house in Valla Beach to use as a rehearsal space for their new material.{{cite AV media |people= Video Hits • Agolley, Faustina (Host); Stein, Juanita; Moule, Glenn (Guests)|date= 5 December 2009 |title= "Homebake 09 – Howling Bells" |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vgX2_FapcU |format= FLV |medium= Web video |publisher= Ten Network Holdings |location= Australia |accessdate= 29 September 2013 |time= a 5:22, b 6:15}} Although the band expressed that the album was very much a communal songwriting process with input from drummer Glenn Moule, bass guitarist Brendan Picchio, and guitarist Joel Stein, Joel's sister Juanita Stein was recognised for writing most of the song lyrics on the album.{{cite AV media |people= Radcliffe & Maconie • Radcliffe, Mark (Host); Stein, Juanita; Stein, Joel (Guests) |date= 9 May 2011 |title= "Radcliffe & Maconie with Howling Bells" |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011026t |format= mp3 |medium= Radio broadcast |publisher= BBC |location= London, UK |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20111024032524/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011026t |archivedate= 24 October 2011 |url-status= live |accessdate= 23 October 2011 |time= a 10:05, b 6:50, c d 8:15, e 17:20}} Note: Interview was removed from its host site. Alternatively, it can be downloaded from [http://www.mediafire.com/listen/er1jsqg8a03tgok/Howling_Bells_interview_with_Mark_Radcliffe_BBC6_Music_09May2011.mp3 here].{{#tag:ref |Songwriting credits for Juanita Stein adapted from ASCAP.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110413200814/http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=1652911&search_in=c&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v&results_pp=25&start=1 "ACE Title Search: Juanita Stein"]. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. ASCAP. Archived from [http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=1652911&search_in=c&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v&results_pp=25&start=1 the original] on 13 April 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2011.|group= "nb"}} "The Loudest Engine" (the title track) was written about the tour bus that the band used while they toured Europe with Mercury Rev in 2008.{{cite AV media |people= BRfm 97.3 Live at the Vault • Phillips, Chris (Host); Moule, Glenn (Guest) |date= 14 September 2011 |title= "Live at the Vault Wednesday 14 September" |url= http://www.podcast.canstream.co.uk/brfm/index.php?cat=Live%20at%20the%20Vault |format= mp3 |medium= Radio broadcast |publisher= Kevin Williams |location= Nantyglo, Blaenau Gwent, South Wales, UK |accessdate= 22 October 2011 |time= a 35:15, b 33:40, c 31:30, d 34:15, e 31:15}} Note: Interview was removed from its host site. Alternatively, it can be downloaded from [http://www.mediafire.com/listen/4ca50xv9l6rwkno/brfm_14-09-11_3-10_1315990805.mp3 here]. Juanita referred to The Loudest Engine as a modern psychedelic record, and one that was more folk and rock than their previous two releases, but which felt like a continuation of their first record, Howling Bells.{{Cite news |url= https://www.nme.com/news/howling-bells/57448 |title= Howling Bells reveal new album release date |date= 20 June 2011 |magazine= NME |publisher= IPC Media) (Time Inc. |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110622032728/http://www.nme.com/news/howling-bells/57448 |archivedate= 22 June 2011 |url-status= dead |accessdate= 20 June 2011}}
On three separate occasions in 2006 and 2007, Howling Bells appeared as the opening support act for The Killers. They connected well with all members of the band, but especially with bassist Mark Stoermer.Von Pip, Andy (29 September 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20111023230519/http://vonpipmusicalexpress.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/howling-bells-loudest-engine-special/ "Howling Bells The Loudest Engine Special – Album, Gig and Interview"]. The Von Pip Musical Express. Automattic. Archived from [http://vonpipmusicalexpress.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/howling-bells-loudest-engine-special/ the original] on 23 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2011. He and members of Howling Bells discovered that they shared a similar taste in books, film, and music. At the time that the band considered potential producers for the album, Stoermer proposed to Howling Bells the idea that he produce it.{{Cite news |last=Kanoniuk |first=Lachlan |date= 22 September 2011 |url= http://mixdownmag.com.au/2011/09/22/howling-bells/ |title= Howling Bells: Firing All Cylinders |issue= 209 |page= 28 |magazine= Mixdown |publisher= Furst Media Pty Ltd |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20111017024243/http://mixdownmag.com.au/2011/09/22/howling-bells/ |archivedate= 17 October 2011 |url-status=live |accessdate= 16 October 2011}} The band members liked the concept of a fellow musician as the acting producer, so they agreed.{{cite AV media |people= Salford City Radio • Zenner, Shell (Host); Stein, Juanita (Guest) |date= 23 October 2011 |title= "sun17 Sunday 23 October: Shell Zenner – New Music Sunday Installment" |url= http://podcast.canstream.co.uk/scr/audio/scr_23-10-11_717_1319385610.mp3 |format= mp3 |medium= Radio broadcast |publisher= Roy Saatchi ¤ Community Media Association |location= Salford, Greater Manchester, UK |accessdate= 29 September 2013 |time= a 26:15, b 26:23, c 28:40}} Note: Interview was removed from its host site. Alternatively, it can be downloaded from [http://www.mediafire.com/listen/4b7ytays0zzazem/scr_23-10-11_717_1319385610.mp3 here]. It was Stoermer's first experience as a record producer.newsdesk (14 June 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20120308204209/http://www.music-news.com/shownews.asp?nItemID=41977 "The Killers today announce two very special warm-up shows at Londonʼs Scala"]. Music-News. Publishing Group Network. Archived from [http://www.music-news.com/ShowNews.asp?nItemID=41977 the original] on 21 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
Howling Bells expected the album to be released in 2010, but the record label(s) that the group was previously signed to, which included the UK-based Independiente, preferred the band to write material that it did not so desire.{{cite AV media |people= Drive with The Doctor • McDougall, Lindsay (Host); Stein, Juanita (Guest) |date= 14 September 2011 |title= "The Doctor : Wednesday 14 September" |url= http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/triplej/thedoctor/doc_2011_09_14.mp3 |format= mp3 |medium= Radio broadcast |publisher= triple j tv – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) |location= Australia |accessdate= 29 September 2013 |time= a b 20:15, c 19:45, d 20:05}} Note: Interview was removed from its host site. Alternatively, it can be downloaded from [http://www.mediafire.com/listen/197c13uddz1w9xd/doc_2011_09_14.mp3 here]. This forced Howling Bells to relinquish from all five of its label partners and proceed to record without being signed to a record label.{{cite AV media |people= Tijs, Andrew (Host); Stein, Juanita (Guest) |date= 4 November 2011 |title= "Howling Bells" |url= http://www.noise11.com/vinterviews/howling-bells |format= MP4 |medium= Web video |publisher= The Noise Network Pty Ltd |location= Melbourne, Australia |accessdate= 3 January 2012 |time= a 3:21, b 1:45}} Note: Interview took place on 2 September 2011.
Production & ''Invisible'' EP
Recording sessions for The Loudest Engine took place at the Killers' Battle Born Studios, in Las Vegas, from September to October 2010. The album was recorded with a Studer A820 2" 24-track reel-to-reel analogue tape machine.Howling Bells (September–December 2011). "Invisible EP – Howling Bells EP". M4V. Video footage. Loudest Engine Ltd. Las Vegas. 25 October 2011. a b 00:07, c 3:00, d 1:25, e3:23. After Joel insisted that the album be recorded to tape, Stoermer sought and acquired the recording unit. The band decided to not record anything that they could not perform live, referring to their last album Radio Wars, which was very electronically oriented. Members of the band stated that they had a lot more freedom than ever before in the studio, which is one of the reasons they chose Stoermer as a producer. They knew as a musician that he understood the importance of letting a band just play music instead of pressuring them to push their instrument or sound elsewhere. Stoermer researched autobiographies of record producers, including the book, Recording The Beatles, to use as technical reference points for recording the album.{{Cite news |last=Duncan |first=Alasdair |date= 12 December 2011 |url= http://www.thebrag.com/2011/12/12/music-interview-howling-bells/ |title= Howling Bells: On the Road |issue= 441 |page= 24 |magazine= The Brag |publisher= Adam Zammit, Rob Furst |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20111212052058/http://www.thebrag.com/2011/12/12/music-interview-howling-bells/ |archivedate= 12 December 2011 |url-status=dead |accessdate= 3 January 2012}}
{{Quote box |quoted= true |bgcolor= #FFFFF0 |quote= He’s a fantastic human being and I loved his style of working, it was very free and natural, lots of jams happened, it was a real pleasure. |salign= right |source= –Picchio speaking about Stoermer|align= left |width= 28%}}
While not recording, the band members at times ventured onto The Strip, but they also made an effort to experience Las Vegas as locals rather than merely a tourist destination. Howling Bells believed that their Las Vegas surroundings infused the spirit and the ambience of the desert and very much affected the outcome of the music. They spent time jamming on Doors and John Lennon songs, whereupon Stoermer joined them, sometimes filling in on drums. Stoermer also brought his collection of Hitchcock and cult films into the studio late at night and entertained the band with the old movies.
File:Techatticup Mine.jpg.Lai, Hasting (25 November 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20130929095451/http://www.theaureview.com/interviews/the-au-interview-juanita-stein-of-howling-bells-sydney "the AU interview: Juanita Stein of Howling Bells (Sydney)"]. the AU review. Heath Media. Archived from [http://www.theaureview.com/interviews/the-au-interview-juanita-stein-of-howling-bells-sydney the original] on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.]]
Photography for The Loudest Engine was by Heather Hyte, a friend of Stoermer's who spent a lot of time with Howling Bells in Las Vegas. At the end of the recording sessions, the band asked her to take pictures of them in the desert. She also did post-production work and embellished the photos with an array of psychedelic colors.Jolly, Nathan (21 September 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110921021343/http://www.themusicnetwork.com/music-features/artists/2011/09/21/howling-bells-into-the-sky/ "Howling Bells: Into the Sky"]. The Music Network. Peer Group Media. Archived from [http://www.themusicnetwork.com/music-features/artists/2011/09/21/howling-bells-into-the-sky/ the original] on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011. The album was mixed by Robert Root at Battle Born Studios, and was mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, in New York.{{#tag:ref |Credits according to album notes.{{cite AV media notes |title= The Loudest Engine |others= Howling Bells |year= 2011 |page= booklet |type= CD |publisher= Cooking Vinyl |id= COOKCD546 |location= United Kingdom}}|group= "nb"}} In 2011, Howling Bells were for the first time under contract to a single record label, after they signed with the UK-based Cooking Vinyl.
;Invisible EP
Prior to the release of The Loudest Engine, Howling Bells released a downloadable EP issued through PledgeMusic, dubbed Invisible. It contained four audio tracks plus a short behind the scenes video of the band's recording sessions in Las Vegas.Ng, Justin (11 March 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20111018070007/http://www.entertainment-focus.com/news/howling-bells-announce-new-ep-and-london-show "Howling Bells Announce New EP and London Show"]. Entertainment-Focus. Archived from [http://www.entertainment-focus.com/news/howling-bells-announce-new-ep-and-london-show the original] on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011. Two of the tracks, "Invisible" and "Arrows", were included on The Loudest Engine. The latter, a demo recorded in a house in Sydney, was included on the LP and Australian releases only.[https://web.archive.org/web/20111018070314/http://www.shock.com.au/release/568508/howling-bells-the-loudest-engine/ "Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine"]. Shock Entertainment. Regency Media Pty Ltd. Archived from [http://www.shock.com.au/release/568508/howling-bells-the-loudest-engine/ the original] on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011. The two other tracks were "Midnight Cowboy" and "Crossroads", a demo recorded at GFI Studios, in Ontario, New York during the Viva la Vida Tour. Invisible was released on 9 May 2011, on the last night of a short three-date stint of the UK to promote the EP.
Singles
{{Listen|filename= HowlingBellsIntoTheSky.ogg |title= "Into the Sky" (2011) |description= The only single released from Howling Bells' third album, The Loudest Engine. |format= Ogg |pos= left}}
One single was issued from The Loudest Engine, "Into the Sky" (July 2011). Juanita wrote the lyrics herself while in Sydney, about someone close to her that she missed who was constantly travelling. The instrumentation for the single originated when Juanita created a guitar riff and played it to Picchio, at which point he composed the bass parts. Lindsay McDougall, guitarist for Frenzal Rhomb and Triple J radio presenter, noted to Juanita as he interviewed her for his radio show, that the song's bass line resembled that of "The Peter Gunn Theme". The accompanying music video was directed by Ollie Murray, and filmed at a studio in North London in July 2011.Murray, Ollie (19 July 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110726071305/http://motionographer.com/jobs/jobs/after-effects-op/ "After Effects Op"]. Motionographer Jobs. Poyo Studios, LLC. Archived from [http://motionographer.com/jobs/jobs/after-effects-op/ the original] on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
Release and reception
{{Music ratings
| MC = 59/100{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-loudest-engine/howling-bells|title = The Loudest Engine by Howling Bells|website = Metacritic}}
| rev1 = Allmusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}O'Brien, Jon (12 September 2011). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617024915/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-loudest-engine-r2246542/review |date=17 June 2022 }}. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from [https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-loudest-engine-r2246542 the original] on 1 November 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
| rev2 = Clash
| rev3 = Loud and Quiet
| rev4 = MusicOMH
| rev5 = New Zealand Herald
| rev6 = Sydney Morning Herald
| rev6Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite news |last= Zuel |first= Bernard |date= 24 September 2011 |url= https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/review-wild-flag-and-howling-bells-20110922-1kls3.html |title= Review: Wild Flag and Howling Bells |newspaper= Sydney Morning Herald |publisher= Fairfax Media |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20111017064635/http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/review-wild-flag-and-howling-bells-20110922-1kls3.html |archivedate= 17 October 2011 |url-status= live |accessdate= 24 September 2011}}
| rev8 = The Fly
| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite news |last=Moffat |first=Iain |date= 9 September 2011 |url= http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/reviews/album-reviews/10675/album-review:-howling-bells |title= Album Review: Howling Bells |magazine= The Fly |publisher= HMV) (MAMA Group |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20111017063155/http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/reviews/album-reviews/10675/album-review:-howling-bells |archivedate= 17 October 2011 |url-status=dead |accessdate= 15 September 2011}} Note: Included in September 2011 print edition, p. 42.
| rev9 = The Mercury
| rev7 = State
| rev10 = This Is Fake DIY
}}
The Loudest Engine was first released in Australia on 9 September 2011, and in additional countries in the weeks and months that followed.[https://archive.today/20120717235253/http://musicbrainz.org/release-group/5ae43e9a-0fcc-4e61-9d30-e127e2a8286d "Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine"]. MusicBrainz. MetaBrainz Foundation. (2011). Archived from [http://musicbrainz.org/release-group/5ae43e9a-0fcc-4e61-9d30-e127e2a8286d the original] on 1 November 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2011. Note: To verify b, click "Howling Bells" and then "Releases" tab. It was the group's first album released as an LP after the rights were licensed to the vinyl only record label, Music on Vinyl, out of the Netherlands, which issued it as a high quality 180 gram audiophile LP.[https://web.archive.org/web/20120106044711/http://www.musiconvinyl.com/releases/Howling_Bells/The_Loudest_Engine "Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine (MOVLP459)"]. Music on Vinyl. Mark van Rixel. (2012). Archived from [http://www.musiconvinyl.com/releases/Howling_Bells/The_Loudest_Engine the original] on 5 January 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2012. The second week of its release, the album appeared inside the Top 30 on the UK Indie Chart, and just outside the Top 150 on the regular UK Albums Chart.[https://web.archive.org/web/20121004031411/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/13/2011-09-24/ "2011 Top 40 Independent Albums Archive – 24th September 2011"]. OCC. The Official Charts Company. Archived from [https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/independent-albums-chart/20110918/131/ the original] on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.Zywietz, Tobias (24 September 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110926084726/http://zobbel.de/cluk/110924cluk.txt "Chart: CLUK Update 24.09.2011 (wk37)"]. Zobbel.de (originally from OCC ∞ The Official Charts Company). Tobias Zywietz. Archived from [http://zobbel.de/cluk/110924cluk.txt the original] on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011. It appeared on the Australian Albums Chart, in the physical release category just inside the Top 100.Wallace, Ian (27 September 2011). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215152306/https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20111005231105/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20110930-0001/Issue1126.pdf |date=15 February 2020 }}. ARIA. Australian Recording Industry Association. (1126): 8. Archived from [http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20110930-0001/Issue1126.pdf the original] on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011. Note: A free, open-source original online document for this reference does not exist. In this case, the original is from Pandora Archive and was preserved there on 30 September 2011. Chart placement represents ARIA Top 100 Physical Albums. Corresponding with the release of the album, Howling Bells played a six-city tour of the UK. They opened shows for Elbow throughout Europe in November, and following this performed headline shows in Australia in December. After the Australian tour, Picchio left the band and was later replaced by English bass guitarist Gary Daines.[https://web.archive.org/web/20140407045555/http://www.dgrmusic.com/en/catalog/dgr/howling-bells-uk.html "DGR Music Press, RTV & Concert Promotion – Howling Bells (UK)"]. DGR Music. (7 April 2014). Archived from [http://www.dgrmusic.com/en/catalog/dgr/howling-bells-uk.html the original] on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014. The next two years Howling Bells held a sparse schedule of eight shows. They performed at the 2012 Hop Farm Festival and supported The Killers for a series of shows in February 2013.(2012). [https://web.archive.org/web/20130929165259/http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/78249004/Hop+Farm+Festival++Camp+Acoustic+hopfarmfestival2012lineup.jpg "Hop Farm Music Festival 2012"]. Last.fm. CBS Interactive. Archived from [http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/78249004/Hop+Farm+Festival++Camp+Acoustic+hopfarmfestival2012lineup.jpg the original] on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.(2013). [https://web.archive.org/web/20130929172444/https://www.bandsintown.com/HowlingBells/past_events?page=1 "Howling Bells"]. Bands in Town. CellFish Media LLC. Archived from [https://www.bandsintown.com/HowlingBells/past_events?page=1 the original] on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
File:Brendan Picchio, Manchester Academy, September 2011.jpg, September 2011.]]
The Loudest Engine received mostly favourable reviews from music critics, but there were a certain amount of music critics who felt otherwise and consequently panned it. Upon its release, Chris Phillips from the Live at the Vault show on BRfm 97.3 called it one of the best albums of the year. Luke McNaney of The Music Fix rated it 8/10 and praised the album, using terms like "swooning melodies", "beguilingly sexy rock", and "prowling guitars". He appreciated the final third of the album the most, and declared "the band have proved their belltower remains a den of intoxicating noise."McNaney, Luke (9 September 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20111017064129/http://www.themusicfix.co.uk/content/review/15312/howling-bells.html "Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine"]. The Music Fix. Poisonous Monkey Ltd. Archived from [http://www.themusicfix.co.uk/content/review/15312/howling-bells.html the original] on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2011. Scott Causer of Contactmusic rated it 7/10 and expected to hear Stoermer produce an album full of indie anthem pop songs, similar to those of The Killers, but was surprised to instead hear a darker creation. He ended his review by stating that "Howling Bells are one of the most interesting bands in the world right now and should be cherished as such."Causer, Scott (3 October 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20111020222023/http://www.contactmusic.com/album-review/howling-bells-the-loudest-engine "Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine Album Review"]. Contactmusic. Archived from [http://www.contactmusic.com/album-review/howling-bells-the-loudest-engine the original] on 20 October 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2011. Tom O'Donovan of V Music acknowledged that Juanita stood out from her female-fronted counterparts and praised her vocal capacity for its diverse range. He referred to The Loudest Engine as "a promising record displaying a real maturity."O'Donovan, Tom (12 September 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20120328022044/http://www.vmusic.com.au/pages/main-menu/news/reviews/howling-bells---the-loudest-engine "Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine]. V Music. XYZ Networks Pty Ltd. Archived from [http://www.vmusic.com.au/pages/main-menu/news/reviews/howling-bells---the-loudest-engine the original] on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011. Denis Semchenko of Rave Magazine rated the album 3.5/5 and noted that the opening track "Charlatan" and lead single "Into the Sky" were among the band's most distinguished guitar riffs yet, although he thought the album would have benefited from more stylistic diversity.{{Cite news |url= http://www.ravemagazine.com.au/content/view/28868/180/ |title= Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine |last= Semchenko |first= Denis |date= 5 September 2011 |magazine= Rave Magazine |publisher= Colin Rankin |issue= 1007 |page= 20 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110909195626/http://www.ravemagazine.com.au/content/view/28868/180/ |archivedate= 9 September 2011 |url-status= dead |accessdate= 5 September 2011}}
Chris Jones of The Line Of Best Fit said that "at times The Loudest Engine falls flat", but labelled it "periodically enjoyable nevertheless". He too cited "Charlatan" and "Into the Sky" amongst their strongest efforts to date, and credited "Don't Run" and "The Faith" as the most tuneful songs from the album. He designated it to be a strong EP's worth of material but felt that the album as a whole fell short. Jones concluded his review by stating "Howling Bells have more than earned our patience and show enough here to encourage its retention – the worry is whether they’re starting to run out of chances."Jones, Chris (16 September 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110916073914/http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2011/09/howling-bells-the-loudest-engine/ "Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine"]. The Line Of Best Fit. Richard Thane. Archived from [http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2011/09/howling-bells-the-loudest-engine/ the original] on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011. Chris Lo of BBC Music expressed positive feelings towards "The Wilderness" and "Invisible", but referred to "Gold Suns, White Guns" as a "Kate Bush-aping misstep", and claimed that overall the album felt "laboured and, at worst, contrived." He finished his review by asserting "Instead of capturing the essence of the dusty trail, on this album they are struggling just to avoid the middle of the road."Lo, Chris (8 September 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110921060308/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/n56m "Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine Review: The Australians have compromised their strengths to force themselves into a new style"]. BBC Music. The Crown. Archived from [https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/n56m the original] on 21 September 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011. Sophie Williams of Stereoboard liked the vibe of "The Loudest Engine" (the title track), but was another critic who mentioned that the album seemed flat, and adding that it felt "almost distant". In the end, she accused the band of "trying to be a genre they are not."Williams, Sophie (19 October 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20131002171453/http://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/168387/9 "Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine (Album Review)"]. Stereoboard. Eyedigit Ltd. Archived from [http://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/168387/9 the original] on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline =
| all_lyrics = Juanita Stein except where shown
| title1 = Charlatan
| length1 = 2:53
| title2 = Into the Sky
| length2 = 3:05
| title3 = The Wilderness
| length3 = 4:01
| title4 = Secrets
| length4 = 3:18
| title5 = Don't Run
| length5 = 3:32
| title6 = The Faith
| length6 = 2:56
| title7 = Live On
| length7 = 3:26
| title8 = The Loudest Engine
| length8 = 4:34
| title9 = Gold Suns, White Guns
| writer9 = Juanita Stein, Joel Stein{{#tag:ref |Songwriting credits for Joel Stein adapted from ASCAP.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110413201042/http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=2173417&search_in=c&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v&results_pp=25&start=1 "ACE Title Search: Joel Stein"]. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. ASCAP. Archived from [https://www.ascap.com/Home/ace-title-search/index.aspx the original] on 13 April 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2015.|group= "nb"}}
| length9 = 3:32
| title10 = Sioux
| length10 = 3:27
| title11 = Baby Blue
| length11 = 3:07
| title12 = Invisible
| length12 = 3:28
| total_length = 41:19
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Bonus track (LP and Australian CD release)
| title1 = Arrows
| length1 = 3:30
}}
Personnel
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
- Juanita Stein – vocals, rhythm guitar
- Joel Stein – lead guitar
- Brendan Picchio – bass guitar
- Glenn Moule – drums, percussion
{{col-2}}
Production
- Mark Stoermer – producer
- Robert Root – mixing engineer
- Greg Calbi – mastering engineer
- Luke Insect – design/illustration
- Heather Hyte – photography
{{col-end}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (2011) !Peak |
| Australian Albums Chart
|align="center"|96 |
| UK Indie Chart
|align="center"|27 |
| UK Albums Chart
|align="center"|151 |
Release history
Notes
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.discogs.com/Howling-Bells-The-Loudest-Engine/release/3194518 The Loudest Engine] at Discogs
- {{URL|xanthein.co.uk/hb/singles.htm|The Loudest Engine singles}} at Xanthein
{{Howling Bells}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loudest Engine}}