Harry Houlton drops ‘Four Freaky Songs’ EP
The Birmingham native returns with a new EP.
Photo: Harry Houlton
Birmingham-based songwriter Harry Houlton’s new EP is titled Four Freaky Songs, and it certainly lives up to its title. This collection of songs is weird, wacky and wonderful. It is full of strange, quirky and creative ideas that are as endearing as they are infectious. Houlton is a 23-year-old songwriter who has been writing and recording songs in his bedroom over the past six years. He describes his music as ‘freak folk’ — it’s hard to argue with that diagnosis. However, there are plenty of bombastic choruses on this EP that I would personally be inclined to upgrade his labelling to ‘freaky folk pop’.
EP opener Skin comes bursting out of the gates with its This Is Lorelei-inspired lightly processed vocals, swirling synthesisers and wailing guitars. Towards the end of the song, Houlton really lets loose vocally as he exclaims that “the stars are all out tonight”. As with all of the songs on this EP, it is barely over two minutes long. Houlton is intent on packing his songs full of as many ideas and hooks as he can and then dipping out just as you are reeled in and leaving you wanting more.
“Walk around like Winnie The Pooh, I don’t have to put on my trousers for you” is the line that opens up second song, Radio, and it’s probably one of the most bizarre and unique opening lyrics I’ve heard all year. It’s an incredible lyric that shouldn’t really work, but Houlton makes sure that it does. It brings to mind a lot of the funny yet sincerely earnest lyrics on the latest Frog album Frog For Sale.
Musically, Radio builds and builds and builds without ever really climaxing. It just kind of falls apart at the end. It keeps you on the edge of your seat before the next track, Moustache comes flying in. Here, the autotune is ramped up and it’s packed full of more astoundingly bizarre yet always sincerely delivered lyrics. There are strange sounds buzzing around everywhere all over this song. The verses and choruses are absolutely overflowing with irresistible melodies. It’s not easy to write a song that does as many interesting things musically and melodically as this and still keep it considerably under two minutes long.
EP closer New Years has The Cure sounding sparkly synthesisers and Houlton’s vocal delivery really recalls Robert Smith. The song is full of disjointed and janky electronic drums.
Each song on Four Freaky Songs are so wildly different and yet always engaging and infectious. Listening to it just makes you want to hear more of what Houlton’s songwriting has to offer. Thankfully, Houlton is planning on this EP being a mere taster for a potential thirty-track album to come later in the year. After being hooked on Four Freaky Songs, I can’t wait to see what Harry Houlton can do with thirty of them.
Four Freaky Songs is out now via Room 2 Recordings.
