Lord Loud - Timid Beast

Lord Loud - Timid Beast
King Volume Records / Kozmik Artifactz - September 2020
Garage, hard rock, psych
Rated: ****

From Van Nuys, California burst forth garage rock bruisers Lord Loud with their third release, Timid Beast. The two piece dole out cut after cut of stripped down, explosive riffs and relentless, rocksteady drums, like a melodic White Stripes that time traveled to the 70s. Amp shredding distortion coats the bluesy licks while hazy, drifting vocals provide a contrast to the abrupt stomp of the guitar. A Zeppelin influence is put to good use on tracks such as opener "Dirty Seeds" and follow-up "Without You", adding a funky touch to the hard-hitting riffs. The warped, tripped out solo of the latter is of special note as well, and adds a layer of weird to the duo's minimalist style. "Lady Sunday" takes an especially upbeat approach with a driving Hives-style attack and backing claps, and some tasty Hammond even lurks in the mix.   The vibe of Timid Beast flows smoothly between such raucous punk energy and a laid-back, bluesy style. After moving back and forth in mood across the tracks, the Californians sneak in "Turbulence", a surprise instrumental ballad of delicate strings that brings the party to a classy end. Not settling for just feel good garage rock, Lord Loud bring an explosive, melodic style to bear in Timid Beast, reminiscent of the White Stripes' debut years ago in its sheer in-your-face energy and independent spirit.

(Written by Shasta Beast)

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