'Victory Lap' remains an anthemic addition to their catalogue and 'The Acid Test' explores rock's vulnerability / EARMILK on 'Young Thugs Studio'
Opening with fuzzy sonics and an abrasive bass line, 'Victory Lap' fuses the band's rock trajectory with post-punk undertones. Its crashing allure captures the band's addictive energy and pulls you into their world of infectious rock. 'The Acid Test' sees a more sultry offering from the quartet, it effortlessly captures a calmer side to the band. Drawing on their northern twang, the single's driving rhythms and raw ambience showcases the quartets expansive versatility.
The new EP manages to fuse vexed, fuzzy guitar tones, urgent vocal delivery and tight, punching drums culminating in a sound encompassing punk, rock and indie / GIGsoup on 'Vol. 3'.
'Vol. 3' is a welcome addition to close out Let Man Loose's trilogy of EPs, which expands upon their previously established style with a greater sense of playfulness and experimentation, while sticking true to the core musicality they've become synonymous with over the last few years.
'Victory Lap' establishes the EP with a pleasantly forceful, grungy guitar riff, followed by the deft, metaphorical storytelling that typifies Let Man Loose's lyrical style. The second track, 'Sweet Spot' has the most playful delivery, using cleaner instrumentation throughout, highlighted by a vivacious, addictive spaghetti guitar riff. 'Bulldog' shines through as the most raucous track, using sharp lyrical quips paired with strident, thrashy instrumentation - a sound reminiscent of early IDLES. 'The Acid Test' brings the EP to a close with a slower, yet no less punchy track, shaped by an authoritative rhythmic execution and driven by potent lyricism which allows itself space to marinate.
Gripping from start to finish, it's an enthralling listen / EARMILK on 'Victory Lap'
Hull-based quartet Let Man Loose return with their sharp, vigorous single. The track quite literally puts the pedal to the metal and speeds through an array of turbulent noise.
Slapped in the face with heavy, abrasive guitar lines and thundering bass, 'Victory Lap' is an exhibition of well executed rock. Underscored with fuzzy rhythms and layered with Marc Ainley's drawls, the single details the moments of pure happiness when you're euphorically in love.
It's banging and loud and completely relentless in the best possible way / WaveByte on 'Bulldog'
'He howls and he howls / Try and reason with him and it falls on deaf ears' sums up the infuriating reality of trying to argue with someone who refuses to see any other point but their own. It's never the wrong time for a bit of playful political commentary, and it's been wrapped up so neatly in 'Bulldog'. Let Man Loose poke fun at people resistant to change and fuelled by hatred, and who doesn’t need that at the moment?
The concoction of propulsive guitar work, snarling riffs, infectious melodies and vocalist Marc Ainley's colloquial drawl makes for a vitriolic attack on a generation hell-bent on unattainable standards of perfection / Soundsphere on 'Two Way Glass'
Bang bang! Storming panache from the get-go, never looking back. QOTSA stoner rock electricity and riffage turbulence that will pump up the adrenaline all through your body / Turn Up The Volume on 'Two Way Glass'
The opening riff is big, bold and loud; you feel the power of the electric guitars pressing in on you from all sides. 'You look like you were born to adorn the lock screen' is either a new age compliment or a dubious comment on society's adoration for creating that Insta-perfect life. Either way, it's effective / WaveByte on 'Two Way Glass'
The track has energy from the very first note, filled with the fierce guitars, insistent drumming and burly vocals of any self-respecting, swaggering indie punk band. A hypnotic fuzzy guitar riff draws you in and before you know it you are humming along like an over enthusiastic backing singer / Down The Front on 'Two Way Glass'
Look no further than 'Queen Bee' to see the way Let Man Loose take command over dissonance. Riffs leap from attacking drum beats, culminating in a scream of feedback / Backseat Mafia on 'Vol. 2'
Hull’s four-piece Let Man Loose return with their second EP release, aptly titled 'Vol. 2'. With lashings of sleaze and glamour, the four tracks have reverberations of Arctic Monkeys' 'Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino' if it were brought right down to Earth.
The instrumentals bite - look no further than 'Queen Bee' to see the way Let Man Loose take command over dissonance. Riffs leap from attacking drum beats, culminating in a scream of feedback. 'Fun House Mirror' teeters on the brink of punk, with its taunting refrains and nightmarish guitar sections.
The vocals, particularly on 'At Close Quarters' and 'This Man's Ruin', are like silk and almost Turner-esque in the way he manages to let every syllable linger for a little longer. Let Man Loose's lyrics have stepped up - Marc Ainley croons 'You're the ghost on the settee / You're the devil in the details', a perfect example of the seedy sumptuousness they evoke, where words like 'settee' seem to fit without question woven between strands of what is no less than poetry.
There is something about 'Shotgun Good Fun' that's as dangerous and as exhilarating as letting go of the steering wheel / Backseat Mafia on 'Vol. 1'
The rough, unpolished edge to the instrumental, accentuated with smooth vocals saturated in irresistible northern character make Let Man Loose a band to be reckoned with. There is something about 'Shotgun Good Fun' that’s as dangerous and as exhilarating as letting go of the steering wheel. Queens of the Stone Age, Wolfmother, Arctic Monkeys - they're all there but twisted into a beast of its own kind. The intensity and immediacy of its pace, paired with the hedonistic, thrill-seeking lyrics give an incredible flavour of their first EP.
'Shotgun Good Fun' is furious. The blend of heavy rock and psychedelic hooks are perfectly weighted / Reyt Good Music on 'Shotgun Good Fun'