New Music: Liam Finn – The Howl

The Howl has an unusual background, appearing on Gravity Stairs – the 2024 album from Crowded House – while also being tied to Liam Finn’s solo Hyperverse album.

The Crowded House connection continues in the song itself, as Liam Finn, who also performs with the band, has a similar voice to his father Neil – friendly, sunbleached, and pastel-hued.

You might think, then, that you know what you’re getting with The Howl, but Liam Finn has a few surprises up his sleeve, as well as his own musical vision.

That means the initial indie rock stylings of the intro soon open into wider vistas, with dream pop and shoegaze playing an increasing role. Ultimately, it bears less of a resemblance to the family concern and more to two other iconic Antipodean bands – The Triffids and The Go-Betweens. And if you find yourself in the company of these three bands, well, you know you’re on to something good.

“The Howl is like speeding down the road through a perpetual blue dusk,” says Finn. “It’s about the Groundhog Day-like cycles we repeat in relationships, hoping for a different outcome. Isn’t that the definition of madness?”

Hyperverse is released on the 13th of June and can be pre-ordered on Bandcamp in limited-edition vinyl. For album updates, follow Liam Finn on Facebook or Instagram.