Howler is the brainchild of the band’s 19-year-old frontman Jordan Gatesmith. Last winter, Gatesmith had been playing guitar for the Minneapolis band, Total Babe. But the overwhelming desire to create his own songs, in his own band, prompted him to hole up with his laptop and a guitar and within weeks he had written the tracks that became the genesis for the band’s debut EP This One’s Different. Almost just as quickly he found the people to play them with. Joining Jordan in Howler are Ian Nygaard (guitar), France Camp (bass), Max Petrek (keyboards) and Brent Mayes (drums).

The band began playing out in Minneapolis and it wasn’t long before Rough Trade Records owner Geoff Travis heard about Howler, saw them play, and signed them to the label.

With America Give Up completed and the EP actually in hand, October saw the band tour the US for the first time. On stage Howler are incredibly tight and play with the swagger of a band that has been around for much longer than their 11-month history (let alone Jordan’s 19 years). From the dark love song “Back to the Grave” to the Manchester punk sounding “This One’s Different”, to the hook-filled “Back Of Your Neck” and anthemic “I Told You Once" the songs have won over all who have seen them play.