In February, three years on from their latest and acclaimed album ‘Our Ill Wills’, Stockholm based indierock quintet Shout Out Louds released their third album titled ‘Work’. Replacing Peter Bjorn & John’s Björn Yttling with Phil Ek (Band Of Horses, Fleet Foxes, The Shins etc.) in the producer seat the Swedes have sought a more stripped down, tight sound while keeping in touch with their infatuation with 1980s British post-punk.

It kicks off with ‘1999’, an effective track driven forward by a simple drumbeat and a thumping bass-line spiced up with a little piano and noisy guitars. This is followed by the outstanding ‘Fall Hard’ (in the player below), which is the cardinal track of the album. Elsewhere Shout Out Louds hit it right with upbeat first single ‘Walls’ (get it for free here) and ‘Show Me Something New’ that really gives space to the guitar work of Adam Olenius and Carl Von Arbin.

‘Work’ is not brilliant from beginning to end. It is, however, for the better part solid craftsmanship, displaying that famous Swedish knack for pop.

Genre: Rock
Who: Shout Out Louds
Album: Work
Label: Merge Records/A:larm Music
Year: 2010
Country: Sweden
Language: English
DOWNLOAD VIA

Recommended tracks:
1999 – Fall Hard – Walls – Show Me Something New