Even at its most melancholy, Shout Out Louds’ decidedly Scandinavian take on the New Wave movement has largely been as defined by its bright instrumentation as it is its inescapable hooks. But beneath all of the synth swells and xylophone remained the backbone of some incredibly smart songwriting, and now with two full-lengths under their belt, these Swedes are clearly looking to focus less on the lush arrangements and more on the basics of their indie-pop craft. What that means to you and me is that Work is easily the most challenging release they’ve thrown at us, the product of a band who seem a hell of a lot less hurried to make a point.
Truthfully, I was as surprised as anyone to discover that these guys (and gal) had chosen to respond to the international success of their sophomore album Our Ill Wills by stripping away the concentrated layers of melody and youthful abandon that won them so many hearts in the first place, but it’s a gamble that pays off with a sound overflowing with more warmth and maturity than an evening with Wilford Brimley. Make no mistake, the waves of 80′s nostalgia do remain, and there’s more than a few soaring choruses to fall head over heels for, but this is an album where getting the listener lost in every delicately placed detail takes priority well over sending us all drunkenly scrambling for the dance floor. Standout tracks like the fragile yet plucky Moon, or the effortlessly slow-burning Candle Burned Out are not only some of the best this band have ever dreamed up, they’re also some of the most career defining. So I say cowbell be damned, Shout Out Louds went and created the most consistently rewarding album of their young career without it.
