Hard core NYC-scene party people should be familiar with Japanther, a duo whose performances have brought to life many Brooklyn living rooms and lofts during the DIY explosion of the last decade. The group’s drummer Ian Vanek just released his sophomore album for his solo project Howardian, entitled ‘A Smurf At Land’s End,’ a multifaceted record that sounds a lot more intimate than Ian’s work with his old band. The imaginative songwriting and DIY production are still there, but the garage and surf influences have subsided, in favor of slower tempos conducive to more thoughtful atmospheres. Unpretentiously blending folk, art rock, and bedroom pop, Howardian’s record sounds like a love letter to two of the DIY movement’s true pioneers: Syd Barrett and early Ween. Check out opening track ‘Over The Laptop’ (streaming below).
