Fan The Fury
Lemon Merchant Records

Fan The Fury is the second full-length release from indie-rock quartet Aloud. Fan The Fury shows the band mixing a laid-back style with the occasional rocking out on some tracks. The band also brings to the table a guy/girl dual vocal attack in most of its songs. While this idea is not new, the band uses the different voices in enough ways that you don’t get a bunch of back and forth vocal lines for the entire album. Both vocalists carry their own weight in the dual vocal parts, but many of the shining moments come when only one of them is singing the song. As for the music itself, Aloud brings a strong formula of smart, powerful indie-rock that ranges from slow ballad “Hard Up In The 2000s” all the way to the pulsing garage-rock tune “When The Ants Attack The Queen.”

The vocals and lyrics are what make this album enjoyable. Whether it’s the tongue-in-cheek lyricism strewn about the tracks or just the wail of vocalists Jennifer de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain, Aloud makes sure the vocals are loud and clear for all to ingest. “Sometimes I Feel Like A Vampire” has Beguiristain taking the wheel for the most part on this mid-tempo toe-tapper. Tracks like “The Battle Of Love” and “Nero” are on the rocking side and have strong vocal performances courtesy of de la Osa. If one had to pick sides, de la Osa seems to take the reins a little more on her tracks and has a slight edge on this record by rounding out the song with her vocals more effectively. She also has more of the command when both vocalists are going at the same time, as with the end of “You Got Me Wrong.”

Musically, the band doesn’t stray too far from the realm of rock, but they know when to slow it down for the occasional ballad – as with “Justice & Forgiveness,” or when to rock-out such as “You Got Me Wrong.” The instruments play off of the vocals, with quirky guitar melodies moving behind most of the strumming. Most of this rock is pretty straightforward, meant more for the head-bobbing, booty shaking culture of small clubs and bars where this music would thrive.

If you like to rock, some of the tracks on Fan The Fury will appeal to you. If you like to sit back and enjoy music, a couple tracks might appeal to you. But the best way to enjoy a band like Aloud, especially with this new disc, is to throw a house party and crank it. - JASON GARDNER

Learn more about Aloud by visiting allthingsaloud.com.
Add Aloud on MySpace by clicking here.