At this point I'm not really sure whether I should be "excited" for another Howie Day record or if I should just run and hide from it right now. Before I get much further I should point out some facts here:
- About 5 years ago Howie Day would have been one of my top 5 favorite artists if you asked me, no hesitation.
- I still count Australia, Howie's first release, as one of my favorite albums.
- Howie put on one of the best shows I've ever seen in only 15 minutes time. Yes, he is was that good.
I was a bit disappointed with Howie's second record, Stop All The World Now. It sounded a little overdone and a bit to "ready" to be whored around on top 40 radio. Looking back at my premature evaluation, I can't say I'm pleased with being right in this case.
Despite the ho-hum second outing, I still gave Howie the benefit of the doubt. His live performances were absolutely breath-taking. His vocal presence was captivating and the use of his looping pedals brought the live show to a completely different level than any solo performer I've ever seen besides Joseph Arthur.
Of course, the rest is pretty much history at this point:
- Collide is released and gets featured in a number of TV shows making Howie Day a one-hit wonder. Teenage girls swoon.
- Howie starts touring with a band rather than solo. Teenage girls swoon.
- Two female fans accuse Howie Day of sexually assaulting them in his trailer where he breaks their cell phone when they refuse his advances.
- Howie gets drunk on an airplane and harrases a flight attendant and others on the plane.
- Howie is sentenced to rehab, where he meets Britney Spears and starts a relationship.
After this things get a little murky. I remember reading something about Howie and Britney going on binges together, which I'm sure was partially responsible for her losing custody of her children. The good news is, Howie is out of rehab and no longer with Britney. The bad news is, the new music sounds like he's trying a bit too hard to reach for another big hit.
Howie is on tour now with Jay Clifford. Jay helped co-write a number of songs from Stop All the World Now so I can't say I'm thrilled about more collaberation between the two, but it's no full band so it may be worth checking out. Rumor has it that Howie is back to using his pedals. If that's the case, I may be ready to give him a second chance. Everyone deserves a second chance, right?
With no further ado, here's the newest Howie Day song. It's called Everyone Loves to Love a Lie and no, it's not about Britney Spears. Sorry for the low bitrate, it came to me via Myspace so it's nothing I could really control.
No real details on his next full release. I'm still not sure how excited I should be about the new track - it's fair, though a bit overdone at times. It could easily co-exist with the rest of the tracks from Stop All the World Now. I much prefer his live shows or Australia. I've included a few of my favorite tracks for those of you not familiar with Howie outside of Collide.
[mp3] Sorry, So Sorry (live)
This was recorded 4/28/02. It should give a good idea of how fantastic Howie can be live. The use of the delay and looping pedals to go along with his vocal strength was always what made Howie so special. This song is basically Howie at his best.
[mp3] Secret
This may be my favorite track from Australia. It's a nice little pop song with a bit of an edge to it. Australia is full of these little gems, I highly recommend picking it up if you haven't already.
[mp3] Standing in the Sun
Not surprisingly, the only song I'm really attached to from Howie's second album was a track that didn't even make the cut. This was later included as a b-side, then on a deluxe addition. It doesn't feel as overdone as the rest of the album and I love the keys in this one.
Howie Day allows the taping and distribution of his live shows. If you're interested in hearing more live music from Howie Day then I recommend visiting The Live Music Archive. It also contains a LOT of other bands who allow taping & distribution.
