Who loves Swedish pop? I know I do. From The Cardigans to ABBA to Komeda, there have been some great musical contributions from the country of Sweden. The Shout Out Louds are one of the newer bands out of the country, when they released their debut album, Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, last year. Their cutesy and carefree feel remind of their fellow countryman, The Concretes. One of the primary factors that differentiates them from the rest of the pack appears to be the twinkling vocals, sounding as if they were taken from some children’s fairy tale. The vocals of Adam Olenius fit their style perfectly, and his presence is very noticable.
The Shout Out Louds really know how to make a great chorus. Take ‘There’s Nothing’ for example, Olenius even sounds a bit like Michael Stipe at some points in the song. ‘Please Please Please’ has a bit of that jangle pop that The Smiths did so well twenty years ago, though this is not a cover of The Smiths song with the same name. This is definitely more upbeat than theirs. Actually, the only depressing song on the album is ‘Wish I Was Dead’, which is a bit obvious by looking at the name of the song. It’s fun though, as it shows their range. ‘Very Loud’ is a bit more anthemic than the other songs, which is probably why the vocals are a bit hestitant during the verses. It’s another good one though. They are currently in the studio recording their sophomore album.
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Shout Out Louds – There’s Nothing
[audio:https://obscuresound.com/mp3/sho-the.mp3]———————————
Shout Out Louds – Please Please Please
[audio:https://obscuresound.com/mp3/sho-ple.mp3]———————————
Shout Out Louds – Wish I Was Dead
[audio:https://obscuresound.com/mp3/sho-wis.mp3]———————————
[audio:https://obscuresound.com/mp3/sho-ver.mp3]
I’ve been addicted to Shout Out Louds since I saw them opening for Kings of Leon last summer. Their show is phenomenal, and they really deserve more publicity.
I love this band!!! What a lovely record! And they’re a good live band, too.