Establishing the mood with an organ crescendo with cerebral ad-libs, expanding into a bold and fierce guitar soundscape, David Howls opens Hooked with a high-octane, timeless energy. David taps into a subversive energy with the lyrics, “I can’t stop the blood spilling out my mouth, I’m freshly cut, you’re going down, I see the red swelling in your eyes…”
In essence, the song is about a toxic, addictive relationship. It details how two people are deeply attached to each other despite knowing they are hurting one another. In a lot of ways, this feels super relatable and could feature in a TV show like First Kill, or a movie like the recent hit, Drawn Together or Obsession.
The imagery of blood, cutting, gasoline, and drugs all represents emotional pain and the destructive nature of this connection. David Howls admits how they are “far from innocent” which shows that the damage is mutual, whilst the idea of being hooked suggests neither person can break away.
It truly captures the feeling of loving someone who might be bad for you – something many of us have experienced, and the notions of wanting them to leave because the relationship hurts, but desperately wanting them to come back anyway. Instrumentally, David Howls is razor-sharp. Every layer feels intentional. The guitar work is fierce but controlled. The drums hit with precision and the transitions are seamless. It’s stadium-ready rock at its finest.
Fans of Nothing But Thieves, the theatricality of Muse, and the stripped-back heaviness associated with Royal Blood will be able to vibe with what David Howls has created, but there is no doubt that he is manifesting a sonic universe unto his own design.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Hooked to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of David Howls, including Salt, Panic and a Haze, and the entirety of his album, Colors.