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Work is by no means a bad album; it's just a disappointing one. For all their early promise, the band have made a record that reflects its title and monochrome artwork all too literally.
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Shout Out Louds have long been a case for the positives of going singles-only, and they probably keep that reputation here. But by a minor degree, Work is Shout Out Louds' finest album-length statement.
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Work's sweetness is uneven and awkward, managing very little ecstasy despite all the heartfelt pining and soft atmospherics.
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After honing their Cure impression on 2007's breakout "Our Ill Wills," these heart-on-sleeve Swedes team up with indie crossover producer Phil Ek (the Shins, Modest Mouse, Fleet Foxes) for a third album of ably crafted sincerity.
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Work finds them owning their sound, and treating the nostalgic pangs they stir as a platform from which to express something sincere. The result is a record a little less giddy and more workmanlike than prior SOL albums.
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Work is a more subtle, subdued album than Shout Out Louds' previous LPs. It is also a far more consistent one, capturing the band maturing artistically.
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Work finds these former Next Big Things railing against maturity while tacitly embracing it.
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Sure, Phil Ek's production is as crisp and effective as ever, but while it emphasizes immediacy, it also draws attention to the repetitive, redundant elements of these songs.
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This is such a charming little band, such a charming little album that one wants to like it more than it deserves.
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Sure, Shout Out Louds have a gift for melody, and they use a light pop touch better than many. But after their masterwork, one expects more than 10 easygoing melodies.
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The sonic references keep on coming throughout Work, but great songs do too.
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By eschewing the instrumental grandiosity and working into a clean cut sound of their own, Work moves you to great feelings of warmth and a feeling of great joy.
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While Work doesn't feel emotionally engaging or really deviate from an amiable pace, it's still engaging enough to hold one's attention for most of the 41 minutes.
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Work sometimes lacks variety, but the mostly unrelenting, feel-good rhythms and sweet vocals are sure to get your head bobbing.
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While not all of Work is as infallible--album closer "Too Late, Too Slow" has a title that aptly sums itself up--it's still exciting to see Shout Out Louds breaking away from the Robert Smith adoration that was so present on previous efforts.?