TAKING a rather different approach to the full-on grunge/punk efforts of their first album, BRMC have produced a fine album with Howl.

Yes, it's slightly derivative, with influences mainly stemming from the 70s, but that does not detract - it's still good.

Opener, Shuffle Your Feet, is a fine song - strong bluesy acoustic guitar, a great melody from singer Peter Hayes and a superb jeered chorus from the whole band.

It sets the scene nicely for what is to come.

In essence they have tapped into the a sort of loose atmospheric feel the Stones discovered on their masterpiece Exile on Main Street.

Devil's Waitin' is a slow sensitive acoustic number which sounds entirely natural - short, sweet and to the point.

Ain't No Easy Way reverts to blues mode - wicked slide guitar and a pumping beat, reminiscent of what Led Zeppelin did when Jimmy Page whipped out his slide and Plant his harmonica. It's a cracker.

The rest of the album doesn't disappoint either.

It's a bold move by BRMC to take such a detour from their original sound early in their career, but it works.

JS