“Hovvdy” Hovvdy
Indie folk rock, Americana and alt country from the Austin-based duo of Charlie Martin and Will Taylor. Band name is pronounced ‘Howdy.’ 5th album. Sprawling double LP. Known in the past for their lo-fi indie, the duo stretches their wings a bit — taking on more weighty subjects with a wider range of musical signatures. The instrumentation features guitar and upright piano, with synth and live room ambience or field recordings on many tracks. RIYL: Big Thief, Wilco, Bon Iver, Slow Pulp and Wild Pink.
— Francis

Highly recommended: 3, 16, 7, 2, 10, 19, 12, 18. No FCCs detected.

1. (0:25) Intro — Simple, stately piano intro.
2. (3:09) Bubba — Skipping, trippy Americana. Repeated piano phrases with skittering programmed drums. Nicely melodic. Reminiscent of Bon Iver. ****
3. (3:01) Jean — Catchy single. Strummy and energetic Americana, with a solid backbeat. ****
4. (3:20) Big Blue — Lo-fi, meandering strum. Wistful vocals.
5. (2:42) Shell — Deliberate and rustic, with alt-rock guitar edginess.
6. (0:21) Forever Piano — A very brief piano intro into Track 7.
7. (3:29) Forever — Catchy and fun, with a busy rhythm, calliope-like synths, scratching and wistful vocals. ****
8. (3:12) Heartstring — Quiet, introspective ballad. Twangy in places. Picked guitar and atmospheric soundscape.
9. (1:50) Clean — Slowcore with strummed guitar and slightly distorted vocals.
10. (3:31) Make Ya Proud — Uplifting, airy, piano-driven Americana anthem written as a tribute to Martin’s grandfather, who died in 2023. ***
11. (2:05) Til I Let You Know — Sweet and sentimental, with fingerpicked guitar and some effects.
12. (3:27) Meant — Soaring, power psych-pop. Anthemic drum line. Swirling synths. Almost spoken vocals in the verses. ***
13. (3:14) Song For Pete — Another tribute to Martin’s grandpa, Pete.
14. (3:57) Every Exchange — Quiet simple lullaby. Opens with field recordings, then transitions to simple DIY vocals backed by chime-y keys, pedal steel guitar and drum machine.
15. (3:52) Give It Up — Starts haltingly and sad. Builds into bigger ballad with lengthy, drum-based play-out.
16. (3:02) Portrait — Swingy and upbeat with a Southern spin. Swelling vocals and pedal steel guitar. ****
17. (2:47) Angel — Very laid-back, lo-fi and alt country-flavored. Simple guitar and an orchestral or synth soundscape, with creek running alongside.
18. (2:55) Bad News — Energetic and upbeat freak folk. Processed vocals. Slapping beat. Busy bass line. ***
19. (3:34) A Little — Counts in at start. Lovely, sentimental twangy closer. Piano and guitar, with heartfelt vocals and pedal steel guitar. ***