If fate didn’t cast The Loud (Bandcamp/Facebook) together then I don’t know what did. After best friends Pennington Lee (vocals/guitar) and Matthew Freeman (bass) went to a Brian Jonestown Massacre Show in 2006, it was the heavens above that made them bump into Leroy Oxton (drums) or maybe it was just their love of garage and the fact that they were at a garage gig- a simpler and more likely explanation. So, the trio met at a Brian Jonestown Massacre gig – ten points for who they’re influenced by.

The Loud are exactly what they say on the tin…loud. Loud with a mixture of garage and glam rock plus an original yet obvious scouse sound. The Loud are clasping the current scene by the neck and squeezing every synthesiser and ridiculous fringe out of the equation and bringing back trudging guitars and lax vocals for a garage rock party. Their mini-album, Harris Shutter, is a colourful affair; both sleeve and music alike. After a quick Wikipedia search, the album name and cover design made sense. It’s a colourful photograph of Liverpool’s Lyceum, taken with a Harris Shutter which generates a colourful, rainbow effect- extremely striking, I must say. The Loud are not only eye-catching but ear-catching as well with six tracks that certainly pack a punch.

Album opener, Amy’s Gonna Get You’s guitars are pure, unadulterated sexiness grinding and trudging along like Russell Brand on heat. As for the vocals, they’re VERY shrill but the fact that Lee runs with his voice instead of trying to mask it actually acts as another layer to this soon-to-be festival anthem. The vocals wouldn’t sound out of place next to The Sonics or The Remains so in that aspect, The Loud are on their way to carving their names into rock history.

Next up is Horror Scope, another shouty number fulfilling the “post modern psychdelia” label that they’ve been given. Clean guitar slides plus a fair amount of distortion and a little anthemic bridge gives this Horror Scope enough scale to generate a full on power surge from the amount of sweat generated in a mosh pit. Another firm favourite is A Little Taste of Home, which begins with a siren-like lead guitar soon venturing into a slow, moody song with deep bass lines and somewhat cynical, if not pragmatic, lyrics. Avida Dollars is another powerful song full of Liverpudlian vocals and choppy guitars with Avida Dollars, an anagram for Salvidor Dali, showing their intellectual and artistic side. The album ends with Magic, another slow and dreamy song that sounds like it’s been recorded in a bathroom or a large warehouse; I wouldn’t put this past the trio either.

Their bluesy, garage sound means that The Loud boast a confidence that even the most experienced musicians have difficulty acquiring. It’s because they’ve got something new to give and they know it. They’re strong in their convictions because they know they’re good and they know they’ve got what it takes. Boys, I salute you!

[BUY] The Loud – Harris Shutter on CD @ Amazon | Play |
[BUY] The Loud – Harris Shutter on MP3 @ Bandcamp | Amazon | iTunes

The Loud – Amy’s Gonna Get You by thebluewalrus
The Loud – A Little Taste Of Home by thebluewalrus