Better than you would think a TMNT concept album would ever be.

Howth photo by Bryan Bruchman from the band's Facebook page

I'm not sure how I got on Howth's Bandcamp mailing list—I must've' downloaded something of their at some point—but when a free download code showed up in my mail directing me to download the band's latest album I was intrigued. The album's title wasTrashy Milky Nothing Town (check out the initials) and it was a concept album of sorts. bandleader Carl Creighton had this to say in the announcement:

I started writing about Leonardo living in the sewers when I was living in a basement in Brooklyn, waiting to graduate college so I could return to Minnesota. My dad was suffering from dementia and deteriorating fast. So these songs are partially about that. But I also fell in love with a straight guy when we were finalizing the album. So that's in there too now.

I don't know why it took me this long to actually listen to the durn thing, that intro alone should have had me sprinting for the play button, but now that I finally have I feel the need to share it with everyone.

I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't such a strong collection of music. Download or stream it below and tell me if you don't (or do) agree. If you need to sample a single track in order to decide whether or not you want to listen to the rest, might I suggest giving "Tourist Town" a spin?