THE NEW
LOUD – can’t stop not knowing
(CDEP,
self released)
These boys have all the right stuff to go pretty far in
the world of alternative rock, rock festivals and indie dancefloors and most
rightly so. Most of all they seem to have the right attitude to mix a
musical vision with a professional approach to making music. They don’t
take chances, but try to direct the chances into their direction. And most
of all, amidst all the “business” they don’t lose the heart of the
songs and the style, so never to let the music become a “product”.
Nothing worse than that. No, despite the connections to people who worked
with a bunchload of famous alternative / punkrock bands and that they made
sure they can be found on all kinds of social media platforms (though with a
definite slate towards what is important in the US and Europe, forgetting
all about the different platforms the kids like in Asia, Africa and Russia)
the new loud offer an energizing blend of indie rock, eighties pop and
electro-punk that is worth listening to and enjoyable.
Me, somehow and fascinatingly to myself, they remind me
of Duran Duran in their heydays. Both use distorted guitars and add a lot of
keyboards and synthies. Both like choruses sung, or rather shouted, by a
bunch of people together (remember “Wild Boys”, compare that to
“don’t dance”) and both show interest in progressive and even
experimental trickery within their boundaries of electro-pop-punk. Finally,
the song “Heaven” reminds me heavily of some old song, but I can’t
remember which, so that means it is original enough to stand out on its own,
and also “Heaven” is a perfect hitsingle for the indie-discos of this
world. Maybe that is why it is included on this EP as an extended mix. Do
you remember those 12” Maxi-Singles with extended mixes? Sometimes I miss
the Eighties.
On “can’t stop not knowing” you’ll find four
originals by The New Loud showing the band in various stages of progress
from their beginning to now; so one of them is a demo – though nowadays
you don’t really hear the difference anymore. Then there is the
aforementioned extended mix of “Heaven” and a Radiohead-Cover, namely
“2+2=5”. At this point, I have to admit I have never been a fanatic fan
of Radiohead. Yes, they are a good, very unique band, but whenever music
journalists (and the people who believe them) fall on their knees in praise
of the genius of Radiohead and how they have expanded the musical universe;
I always fall into a position of instant reluctance and opposition, saying
something like “They are just a progressive rock band to me, you know,
like King Crimson” and then leave people to puzzled stares. The positive
side is, though, I like this cover. Probably more than the original.
This EP is the hors d’oeuvre to a full length album
planned for the first half of 2010. And I bet you can see them on a bunch of
rock festivals the coming summer as well.
