Silver Current

Howlin Rain fans perplexed by The Russian Wilds’ dense layering may prefer this shot-for-shot remake, assembled from demo takes. These arrangements restore the band’s earlier sound – loose acoustic guitars, laidback vocals and room for Ethan Miller’s lead to breathe its distinct, sheet-lightning shatter. But you miss the album’s high-throttle twists and turns and its balls-out blaze. The Russian Wilds ran Howlin Rain’s elemental NorCal silver through the golden circuits of Rick Rubin’s LA record machine. The next mean trick will be to balance the band’s organic, cosmic space with the amped urban tightness that may prove to be Rubin’s lasting imprint. A hot-shit live set from October hints at the direction. On The Griffin, Howlin Rain is a solid guitar rock four-piece, foregrounding the interplay between kindred California psych heroes Miller and Isaiah Mitchell. Small runs of these discs, with live shows from Comets on Fire and Earthless, served to re-launch Miller’s Silver Current label online.