Working with
U2 on their 1997
Pop album gave
Howie B. a better sense of what will keep listeners awake, and the improvement is obvious on his second solo album.
Turn the Dark Off fits in with the crop of late-'90s big beat maestros, like
the Chemical Brothers,
the Prodigy,
Bentley Rhythm Ace, and
David Holmes; though it doesn't quite outdistance the pack (blame the lack of energy on some leftover atmospherics from
Music for Babies), the album still contains enough of
Howie B.'s studio tweaks to make it worthwhile, especially on the unfortunately titled "Buttmeat" and the single "Angels Go Bald Too." ~ John Bush