***Last spring, SHOUT OUT LOUDS lead singer ADAM OLENIUS wrote many songs while living in Melbourne, Australia, in a tiny room with a little synthesizer, an acoustic guitar, and GarageBand on his laptop. He passed them on to the rest of the band who listened closely from their corners of the world, questioning and challenging him—like a good band should—until the songs that make up Work had all passed the test, made the cut, and lived to tell the story. They got Seattleite PHIL ELK to produce the album, describing him as a much-needed force. They wanted someone who was used to working with bands and used to doing things the old-fashioned way—with hard work and 1-2-3-4 live recordings. Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, and The Shins are fine testaments to Phil Ek’s producer work ethic, so he seemed a natural choice. Realizing that there really is no need to multilayer and fill all the spaces in their songs, Shout Out Louds are keeping it simple now, trusting in the power of bare skin over panache. At the end of the day, it’s work, and they are happy to do it. (STREET DATE - 2/23/2010)