It was like any other night at the 29th Ballroom. The same somber, generally unimpressed, middle aged gingers wandered around as Horti from Whiskey Shivers and his companion made lewd gestures at the high school students. But, when they realized the high schoolers were just Bobby Jealousy in marching band costumes, Horti and his comrade became despondent. However, the commonplace feel of the night changed as the opening act began. Growl, a youthful five piece, ripped through an amazing set.
Stylistically, Growl sounded like early Kinks, but structured with the mind of an older Ray Davies. While the chords are popy, the tone and manner in which they were played gives way to a more intelligent agent at work. Speaking with guitarist Sam Houdek after the show he said that the band is immensely democratic, with each member bringing his or her ideas to the table. The comparison to The Kinks took him by surprise, as none of the members “really listens to them.” Each member comes from a completely different way of music, stated Houdek.
With such a diverse mixture of ideas, it may come as no surprise that Growl is one of the more wholly enjoyable indie groups in Austin today. -Taylor Browne