Shout Out Louds @ Annandale,Sydney (2/1/2011)

Mon 10th Jan, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Treating us with a sideshow to a run of festival dates, Shout Out Louds gave us our first live taste of newish album Work. Lead singer of Seabellies, Trent Grenell gave big props to the Swedish indie outfit, telling us “you’re the only sane people in Sydney tonight” and my psychiatrist tends to agree with him. However, the Shout Out Louds that live in my headphones are remarkably different from the ones at the Annandale. Different doesn’t necessarily mean bad, in this case just unexpected.

Novocastrian quintet Seabellies shared some really enjoyable sounds on Sunday night. That’s not all they shared; there was a constant game of instrument-pass-the-parcel, even mid-song. Kudos to Sean Kelleher for weaving out from behind the drums, just in time for the trumpet solo in Trans Ending. Highlight of the set would have to be this killer catchy track, Orange X, it’s all yelping harmonies, reverb bleeps and punchy guitars. Seabellies create music that is as agreeable as blood in my veins and give a performance to match.

Shout Out Louds enter as a different band then what I’ve been exposed to; unironed shirts, shaggy beards and worn boots replacing the usual clean cut attire – good thing it wasn’t a job interview. Just like the well-kept look had been abandoned, so had the delicacy and crispness of their songs. The polished sound had been traded for a rockier, knotted buzz-mess. It was dirty, it was tangled and it was pretty darn cool.

Opening with 1999, lead Singer Adam Olenius asked if we were nursing any hangovers from New Years Eve, ironically before tripping over a mic-stand himself. They followed with The Cure-esq Tonight I Have To Leave It, the song’s iconic cowbell intro prompting cheers. Adam entered the crowd, quietened things down and asked “why won’t you give love?” Afterwards, Adam would muse that last time they were over here, someone tried to steal their revered cowbell during that song. Convicts huh, am I right?

Next was upbeat pop n’ roll single Fall Hard. The catchy up-and-down guitar riff with haphazard drum crashes really worked the crowd into a singalong. You Are Dreaming followed but without the smoky, echoed vocal effect and orchestral synth soundscape. Two minutes in and Adam puts his hand back, arches over the microphone and slowly the song disintegrates into an intentional mumble, only to explode back in time with impressive precision and tightness. Drummer Eric Edman never veered out of cool and collected, every beat rattled off with mathematic precision. The song closed with a grandness that was sorely desired.

Slowing things down with Candle Burned Out, it gave us a chance to observe the band dynamic and the endearing family vibe they radiated. Apparently they’ve all known each other since childhood- which would explain why when Babban pulls a face at Ted and Adam rests his head on Carl’s shoulder, you can’t help but think they’re secretly all related.

Apologising for the three year Australian absence, Adam shared that last time they were here he began writing this song, and by the time he was in Stockholm it was finished. To that he played Throwing Stones, a simple but catchy number that really cements Shout Out Louds own, personal sound. This was then contrasted with earlier single, and a highlight of the night, Very Loud. I’m not sure how it happened but somewhere in the song the band slipped in a cover of LCD Soundsystem’s All My Friends and it was awesome.

An unspoken favourite amongst fans, Hard Rain began with a grateful sigh from the audience. Unfortunately, it fell short of the recording, lacking the same build and momentum and fell out of sync at times. Bebban was awfully quiet as well during her part. It just failed to stir the same emotions as the recording. This was immediately rectified with the ridiculously fun, Please Please Please.

Returning for an encore, the cowbell made another appearance for the stunning Impossible. Probably the best performed song of the set, the melody, the lyrics- it was simply flawless; like crawling into a freshly made bed at the point of exhaustion. Also, a Swedish contingent of the audience expressed some national pride with signs and flags for the band.

We were all waiting for it, the song that was born to close shows – Walls. From a soft drumbeat murmur, it begins its climb, not faulting once. And gradually as the piano gets louder and the tempo quickens, when we can’t anticipate it anymore – “Whatever they say, we’re the ones building walls…” we dont have to. All we have to do is enjoy.

Shout Out Louds Set List:

1999
Tonight I Have To Leave It
South America
Paper Moon
Fall Hard
You Are Dreaming
Candle Burned Out
Throwing Stones
Very Loud
The Comeback
Hard Rain
Please Please Please
Impossible
Walls