'Knuckleball Express': Howling Hex bring noise rock record with social commentary that is difficult to label
Rock band Howling Hex return with their latest album 'Knuckleball Express' on April 17.
Howling Hex was founded by Neil Hagerty, more popularly known for being one half of the '80s alt-rock duo 'Royal Trux'. His unique and eccentric brand of rock has kept him in the industry for a long time, and his willingness to experiment with his sound while still staying true to himself has ensured he stayed relevant no matter how the times changed.
'Knuckleball Express' was recorded over a mere eight days in Hagerty's home in Denver, and features vocals and guitar from Nicole Lawrence, who was most recently seen performing with Mary Timony and King Tuff. Veteran producer Clay Jones also worked on the record.
Opening track 'Lies' is described by Hagerty as being his "motto". He states, "A lie is a lie is a lie. You know, even if you have 100 million people believe it, the energy that you need to sustain that, you know, isn’t worth it. So, I try not to internalize lies. So, this is kind of a fun romp. If you want to die, believe in lies."
The album's ten songs draw on Hagerty's own style of noise rock and blues, even experimenting with the soft smooth rock associated with acts like Atlanta Rhythm Section and psychedelic rock and repetition associated with the 13th Floor Elevators. The quartet recorded the set live, usually jamming long beyond where we hear the music fade out, thereby creating an organic record that really basks in the inconsistencies that underscore real rock and roll.
They also, however, worked various genres including country, blues, and gospel into their sound thanks to inspiration drawn from the sounds often heard at their new label Fat Possum. And you really get a sense of that on some of the extended jams heard on the album, such as the instrumental at the end of 'Words', as well as on the songs 'Cowboy Motors' and 'North Aquarian'.
But in addition to the experimental sounds, the band successfully manage to put out a commentary on the absurdity of the world without ever becoming what it is critiquing in the first place. They keep things from veering into a dreary territory and instead stay quite self-aware all the way through.
Howling Hex do not deal in ideologies and instead opt for a more surrealist approach in how they tell their story.
The choice to keep it light and abstract doesn't, however, mean Hagerty is afraid to tell it like it is. Speaking about his musical style, he states "Rock and roll is what’s missing in bands these days that take a generic approach to playing that’s almost machine-like." He continues, "We don’t need that anymore because machines can actually do it. I don’t see what the difference is between a precise human drummer playing to a click track and EDM. There’s some weak dad-rock stuff being distributed now by people my age, so I’m just trying to up the ante. I get on stage and say all the words I believe in my daily life. Not every dad can do that."
The album also seems to hint at Hagerty's turbulent time with Royal Trux. He claimed he was officially leaving the duo in 2019, claiming he did not approve of the last album they put out and hurling criticism at the band and label. Hagerty left Washington, DC and moved to the remote deserts of New Mexico, later settling into the tranquility of Colorado.
It appears this experience has been documented in 'City In The Country' with lyrics like "It’s just another addiction now, uh huh, and that’s why I won’t be seeing you around me" and a description of his new home that goes "the gentle way the blades are turning out sweet Rocky Mountain waves, cascading down the blue ice to the city far away."
At the end of it all, it isn't easy to classify 'Knuckleball Express'. If one were to refer to it as alternative noise rock or autobiographical with a bit of social commentary, it misses out on various other layers that sit just beneath the surface.
"It really comes down to making something people want to listen to without throwing it out the window," states Hagerty. "I didn’t want this to be an album everybody feels like they need to hear because it’s so cool. I’m old enough now that I don’t have to carry the burden of appealing to snobs anymore. No one’s going to know who I am or what this is, and that’s the great thing about it. It’s the least I could do after all the f*cked up shit."
And it's safe to say he accomplished just that.