Review: Shout Out Louds; May 22, 2010; House of Blues, San Diego
Photo credit: Christian Haag
For their fifth anniversary, the San Diego branch of Chicago-based music venue House of Blues celebrated with an afternoon, all-ages show featuring Freelance Whales, Earl Greyhound, Shout Out Louds, and Ok Go. The “all-ages” aspect was evident in the awkward teenage poses of kids in the top balcony — and by what looked like an entire middle-school class, complete with chaperones, taking up the whole right corner. Continue reading…
Social Studies to Teach San Diego a Lesson
The National show at Spreckels is over. The Frightened Rabbit has scurried away. Shout Out Louds are feeling hoarse and Freelance Whales — well, they’ll be back on Tuesday — but not until then.
Enter keyboard-driven San Franciscans Social Studies, who will play San Diego’s Soda Bar tonight. Their sound — something between St. Vincent and Fiery Furnaces — should be the perfect cure for your weekend concert comedown. Continue reading…
Interview: Shout Out Louds
Photo credit: Christian Coinbergh
Shout Out Louds could have been just another casualty of the sophomore slump. Their second album, 2007′s Our Ill Wills, was met with a tepid reception by fans and critics, who criticized it for being over-produced and lifting too heavily from bands like The Cure.
Those complaints have been silenced with Work, the Swedish band’s triumphant return to form. Shout Out Louds have never sounded this driven or vital, thanks to some captivating, no-nonsense arrangements, adhesive melodies, and Phil Ek’s gleaming production.
San Diegans will get to experience Work standouts “Walls” (MP3), “Fall Hard,” and “Show Me Something New” on May 22nd, when the rejuvenated band joins Freelance Whales and Ok Go for an afternoon show at House of Blues. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
We sat down with multi-instrumentalist Bebban Stenborg to discuss Shout Out Louds’ revamped approach. Continue reading…
Merge Releases Spring 2010 Sampler (MP3s)
Merge has put up a fresh sampler for free download at the Amazon MP3 store, and it has a great selection of tracks. According to Merge,
Spring has sprung and it is time for a new free Merge sampler! Visit Amazon.com now to download fourteen free songs from the latest albums by Radar Brothers, Spoon, Let’s Wrestle, She & Him and more. The sampler features special cover art by Let’s Wrestle’s Wesley Patrick Gonzalez.
Love is All You Need
Photo credit: MySpace
When people think of Sweden, they usually think of their massages, or maybe their fish. (more…)
Shout Out Louds Get To ‘Work’ (Video)
Shout Out Louds came storming out of the gate with their 2003 debut, Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, one of the finest records in a year rife with great music. Unfortunately, the Swedish band stumbled a bit with their follow-up, 2007’s overly-polished Our Ill Wills. With its high-production sheen and Cure-esque posturing, the sophomore effort was listenable but frustratingly sterile and derivative. Thankfully, the band seems poised to return to their former glory with the upcoming album Work.
Set for release February 23 on Merge Records, the album forgoes ornate strings and percussion in favor of a more stripped down sound. Work is produced by Phil Ek, who has done right by bands like The Shins, Fleet Foxes, and Band of Horses in the past. The first video from the album, entitled “Walls”, gives further cause to be excited; its driving guitar, inviting vocals, and perfectly placed piano leave no doubt that the band is in fighting form. If you like the song, you can download an MP3 of it here.
The band will be playing a special album-release show on March 1st at the Music Hall of Wlliamsburg in Brooklyn before embarking on a tour for most of 2010.
