Released:
Rating: ★★★★
The problem with indie pop, for most bands, is they forget the second, more infectious part of the formula. It’s all very well being Red Stripes aloft in sticky-floored basement dives, but without those hooks, it’s a temporary endeavour at best. That’s not an issue that troubles Bloxx: debut album ‘Lie Out Loud’ fizzes with immediacy.
From the sugar-rush of ‘5000 Miles’ to the instant ear-worm of ‘Hey Jenny’, there’s a confident ease throughout. ‘It Won’t Work Out’ shows both a maturity and deftness of touch that eludes so many peers, while the more acoustic-led ‘What You Needed’ strips back to base principles and still grabs the attention.
Though ‘Coming Up Short’ – one of a cache of frontloaded massive singles – might be a standout, it’s by no means descriptive. When the chips are down, Bloxx more than deliver.
Stephen Ackroyd
