Time to crank the volume up again. We like doing that. "Hiding Out Loud" from Baltimore's The Frauds did not disappoint us. You get the power chords. You get the stadium filling drumming. You get the requisite, rasping vocals. You also get something sadly lacking in so much music these days - raw energy.
This album might prove to be a cure for depression but you should be warned that it will have side effects such as the overwhelming urge to play air guitar. "Nothing to Say" comes out of the traps like a hare with the greyhounds on its tail racing for all its worth to the finishing line. The stomping chant that is "Strawberry Soul" will get you singing along whilst punching your fist into the air. Not that this band cannot handle subtlety. "Asphalt Jungle" and "Roundtown Rose" have something of a hippy, trippy feel to them. They crank things up again on "Days Go By" and we have to admit a particular fondness for this song. It goes so well with beer, for a start. Our favourite track? The wondrous lament that is "Her Way". The raw energy that we spoke of earlier might have you thinking along the lines of the Stooges or the Who but this band also have the experimental feel of sixties' Californian pop music. Loud and imaginative. Now that is a rare combination.
If you are looking for the meaning of life then you probably won't find it in the 14 tracks that make up this album. If, however, you are looking for a right good time then the train has just pulled into the station. Get on board and enjoy the ride!