COMET GAIN – Howl of the Lonely Crowd

Having never heard of Comet Gain, I was quite surprised to learn they’ve been around since the early 1990s. Receiving high accolades in the indie pop scene in the UK, it seems their attraction never really crossed the pond here to the United States, but here they are releasing their sixth studio album in the US.


Laced with keyboards with a stripped-down, indie-pop sound, the opening track “Clang of the Concrete Swans” starts the album in a catchy frenzy. It’s followed by “The Weekend Dreams,” a bass- and horn-driven track that has a retro British soul sound featuring Rachel Evans on vocals. There’s a real nice mix of material on this album that allows the listener to hear all aspects of Comet Gain’s sound. While Howl of the Lonely Crowd has its share of infectiously toe-tapping pop songs, there are also a few mellow tracks that really add some depth to the feel of this albums. “After Midnight, After Its All Gone Wrong” highlights that toned down sound with an emphasis on David Feck’s vocals. The album takes a poetic turn with the track “A Memorial For Nobody I know,” again with Feck on vocals. The shared vocal spot between Feck and Evans throughout the album is also quite enjoyable. The album is nicely balanced between catchy pop and singer-songwriter material.

(What’s Your Rapture? Records, no address provided)