Ska punk pop to brighten your day
With an opening riff showcasing rapid fretwork that would make you fear that an Iron Maiden track had snuck its way onto your CD player, Louie quickly gather themselves and their debut single offers up two slices of punky pop which is sure to create a riot amongst the kids down the front of their gigs.
Trying hard not to define a band by its first tracks, there are elements of the recent commercial ska edge and an amphetamine tinged rush powers the single 'Trees (Dirty)' as much as its catchy la la la la la refrain throughout the chorus. The vocals are rushed and garbled but there is a likeable manic-ness to the song that is likely to leave you smiling at the end, if not slightly perplexed. When the singer actually gets to sing, there is an almost Jagger lilt in his voice and the guitars never rest for a second.
The other track 'One Big Repeat' is very much in the mould of Johnny Thunders and the American take on punk and is less immediate but seems a better song than the lead track. Again, the backing vocals excel and if you are after a song with a classic guitar break and repetitive swearing, you need no look further.
As debut singles go, this isn't a bad hello to the world from Louie.