Aloud

“Who wrote all those love songs, baby?” Jen de la Osa asks on “Back Here With Me Again.” It’s a fitting question to introduce the Boston rock quartet’s fourth album, a sort of survey of rock history. That song filters de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain’s harmonizing through a country-style affect, while maintaining a punchy power-pop energy that carries throughout the record. “Don’t Let It Get You Down” and “The Wicked Kind” take on a darker-hued context, with organs and guitar heroics that find Aloud elbowing its way into the Deep Purple colored-rock of the ’70s. De la Osa’s powerhouse vocals on “A Little Bit Low” catapult things into muscular ’60s rock diva territory, while “Such a Long Time” is a simplified proto-rock ’50s-style radio hit, with its handclap beat and soulful delivery. There are stops along the way for touches of Mod-soul, Beatlesesque romance, and the happiest in a long line of “Lust for Life” rewrites in recent memory as well. “It’s got to be now,” they sing on the title track, but to Aloud, the idea of “now” covers a lot of territory. (Out now


ESSENTIAL “A Little Bit Low” - Boston Globe

Back in April, Aloud’s groovy music video for “It’s Got To Be Now” had a lot of things: cool art direction and illustration, record-playing homages to the beautiful ’70s, and fast-flying lyrics to which you could read along. One thing it didn’t have were the band members themselves, so the Boston rock and roll crew have amended that in a new video for “Back Here With Me Again.”

The track is the latest single from this past May’s It’s Got To Be Now LP.

In the new video, filmmakers Stephen LoVerme and Erin Genett aimed to capture Aloud doing what they do best, and that’s playing no-frills, bullshit-free rock and roll. The Middle East in Cambridge played friendly host, and to augment the live clippage, the band detailed all the prime moves needed for a cool video: drinking booze, sharing mics, sellin’ merch, and Boston music scene peeps. There are even some butts and a dramatic pause mid-song.

“What do all the best videos have in common?” Aloud asks us this morning. “An astonishing amount of tropes abound! No need to watch another music video again. We’ve collected all the classic rock cliches in one place complete with Wes Anderson style montage clips with captions.” - Vanyaland

The album It’s Got To Be Now from the four-piece band Aloud may clock in at a very Van Halen-like half hour or so with its 10 songs, but make no mistake here - this album is a great romp from start to finish and the use of male/female lead vocal trade-offs works like a charm. The music has boundless energy and at times a gritty attack that has a bit of Garage Band or Punk Rock in there.

Opening cut “Back Here With Me Again” is a wonderful song with hooks galore and a warm chorus that is instantly infectious. Here, the male/female vocals work wonders and the guitars jangle and bite when needed. The song jumps with energy from the opening and makes this writer think of The Pretenders and Concrete Blonde among others. Great stuff, and a wise choice for opening song.
Other highlights include the snarling “The Wicked Kind” (again I hear Concrete Blonde here, and that’s a good thing), the slamming “A Little Bit Low” which is meant to be cranked up and sounds like a cross between The Black Keys and the MC5, and the late 50’s/early 60’s vibe of “Such A Long Time”.

The final song “The Ballad Of Emily Jane” sounds like something that Dwight Twilley or maybe even Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers would’ve come up with for a classic 80’s movie soundtrack like Fast Times At Ridgemont High.

Elsewhere there also enjoyable cuts in “After The Plague”, “It’s Got To Be Now” and “Jeanne, It’s Just A Ride” where Aloud sport a sound not too far from the legendary band X who famously used a mix of Punk and Rockabilly and even Country Rock with male/female vocals to great effect. That feel is prevalent here and showcases the talents of this band.

The songwriting is very good with lyrics that say something and a live feel comes from the production. It’s Got To Be Now is an excellent listen and Aloud have much to be proud of. I’d imagine they are also a killer live act, but if you can’t catch them in a club, by all means enjoy this album. - Indie Music

I love my twang but sometimes, especially on those first warm days of spring, I want to crank up the guitars and some full-on power pop. Lucky for me, the latest release from Boston quartet Aloud arrived at just the right time to satisfy my craving.

The group gets right to the point with their music, with nary a track over 3 minutes in length. Even better, the songs on It’s Got to Be Now are high energy blasts filled with tight guitar hooks and vocal harmonies. Most of the songs, including this one, recall classic late 1960’s pop yet with brim with a crisp 2014 freshness that is perfect for sunny afternoon listening. - Twangville

Aloud’s first single from their forthcoming studio album, It’s Got to Be Now, starts with a bang and does not hold back. The Boston, Massachusetts four-piece let loose on “A Little Bit Low”, a high-energy track driven by a big drums and sweet riffs, courtesy of guitarists Henry Beguiristain and Jen de la Osa, with de la Osa’s powerful vocals taking centre stage. The song easily picks you up and takes you for ride. And in true rock ’n’ roll fashion, the band breaks it down in the middle, only to kick even harder at the end.
It’s Got to Be Now is the follow-up to 2010’s critically acclaimed Exile and will be available on April 1, 2014. Their album teaser video boasts, “This is what a rock’n’roll band sounds like”. Clearly, they’re not messing around. - Velvet Rope Magazine

Get your motor running because rock 'n roll has a new face! It gives me great satisfaction to be allowed to introduce "Aloud" and start your journey into their musical majesty with those they share place within their genre. The Kinks, Journey, Boston, Black Sabbath and you hadn't guessed from my introduction Steppenwolf. These are the names that would spring to mind with the playing style of the instrumentation, But the hidden gem within their talented treasury lies in the vocals with a post Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks. The piece I am focusing on in this review is their current track "A Little Bit Low", from their forthcoming album It's Got to Be Now which will be out on 4/1/14.

There's angst with a feel good motivating ambition within the sound of the guitar. Perfectly mixing chord structure with rock melodic licks. And, these powerful, but trashy licks repeat throughout the song, never over working the sound, but always letting you know right where you are keeping you enjoy where you are going. The heated and driving feel of the bass and the drums keep the pulse of the track bursting with life, and once you latch onto it you discover a track that will never die in the hearts of 70/80s rock fans.

But allow me to brag once more of the brilliance of the vocals. Female vocals in rock are rare, but blindingly brilliant! The force, range and emotional power in Aloud's ensemble holds the raw down on your knees, crying to the sky. It is just plain sexy! I was already foot tapping to the introduction, but the start of verse one had my jaw drop and my heart race. The male harmonies for the backing vocals are perfectly in place to add to both hooks and dynamics. From the verse's instrumentation, chorus' harmonies, dynamic middle eight drop and relative lyrics the whole song is catchier than a cold and equally contagious to those who listen. So turn up your speakers, get your ears on the tracks, pulse and listen to talent Aloud! - Revolution 360

Hailing from Boston, MA, pop-infused rock ‘n roll outfit Aloud blends throaty lead vocals with spine-tingling male/female harmonies accompanied by infectious grooves and hard-hitting riffs. Henry Beguiristain (lead vocals/guitar) and Jen de la Osa (lead vocals/guitar) have been writing songs together since they were teenagers, developing a sound reminiscent of Alabama Shakes, Dr. Dog, Fitz and the Tantrums, The Black Keys, and The Love Language. They moved from their hometown of Miami, FL to Boston, founded Aloud, and began touring extensively in early 2008 to support their album Fan The Fury. It was during this time their constant rhythm section departed due to conflicting priorities, but in 2009, Aloud welcomed aboard Charles Murphy (bass/backing vocals). In 2010, Aloud released the folkier-edged Exile and toured the U.S. coast-to-coast to promote it, rocking major venues like Paradise Rock Club (Boston), Mercury Lounge (NYC), The Double Door (Chicago), and Exit/In (Nashville). Frank Hegyi (drums/percussion) joined as Aloud’s drummer in early 2012, and the four feature their refined, songwriting sensibilities on their forthcoming album It’s Got To Be Now, out 4/1/14. - Skope Magazine

Can you please introduce yourself and tell us more about the band?

Jen: My name is Jen and I play guitar and sing for Aloud. Henry’s also here answering questions and he also plays guitar and sings. We’ve both known each other since our teens in Miami, FLA. We started writing songs then and decided to go up North to colder climates. We moved to Boston and a year later christened our little band Aloud. We had a steady lineup till about 2008 when we decided to make a bigger commitment to the band by touring more frequently and more extensively. For our album Exile we embarked on our first national tour. We went through a couple of years with ever changing rhythm sections, but got real lucky when we found Charles and Frank. It’s nice to feel like a close knit unit again, a condition which is directly responsible for the way “A Little Bit Low” and the rest of the record sound like. Now we’re up to date!

- See more at: http://ventsmagazine.com/aloud/#sthash.KeEKPyRs.dpuf - Vents Magazine

Boston’s indie rock band Aloud has just released their newest track called A Little Bit Low, which is available to stream right now via Soundcloud. Often compared to Alabama Shakes, Dr. Dog, Fitz and the Tantrums and The Black Keys, and known for their “tight male/female vocals, exceptionally strong songwriting, and energy-filled live performances,” (Boston Music Live) the four piece is gearing up to release the new album It’s Got To Be Now on April 1st, 2014.

I’m LOVING the new track, A Little Bit Low! - Indie Minded

Boston based rockers Aloud have released a single for “A Little Bit Low,” which will be featured on their upcoming album It’s Got To Be Now, out this April. - Blues Rock Review

Hailing from Boston, MA, pop-infused rock ‘n roll outfit Aloud blends throaty lead vocals with spine-tingling male/female harmonies accompanied by infectious grooves and hard-hitting riffs. Henry Beguiristain (lead vocals/guitar) and Jen de la Osa (lead vocals/guitar) have been writing songs together since they were teenagers, developing a sound reminiscent of Alabama Shakes, Dr. Dog, Fitz and the Tantrums, The Black Keys, and The Love Language. They moved from their hometown of Miami, FL to Boston, founded Aloud, and began touring extensively in early 2008 to support their album Fan The Fury. It was during this time their constant rhythm section departed due to conflicting priorities, but in 2009, Aloud welcomed aboard Charles Murphy (bass/backing vocals). In 2010, Aloud released the folkier-edged Exile and toured the U.S. coast-to-coast to promote it, rocking major venues like Paradise Rock Club (Boston), Mercury Lounge (NYC), The Double Door (Chicago), and Exit/In (Nashville). Frank Hegyi (drums/percussion) joined as Aloud’s drummer in early 2012, and the four feature their refined, songwriting sensibilities on their forthcoming album It’s Got To Be Now, out 4/1/14. Earning nominations by the Boston Phoenix for best vocalist and Best Indie Band Aloud is always a crowd favorite. Their audiences can speak volumes about the band’s energetic connection with their fans and passionate stage performance. - Vents Magazine

Boston-based rock group Aloud have a very classic feel to them, playing the sort of retro-rock made famous again by contemporaries like the Black Keys and Dr. Dog. However, Aloud come at the style with their own, unique twist with the singing/songwriting team of Henry Beguiristain and Jen de la Osa. Together, the two craft refined, well-crafted rock songs that still have that loose, shaggy excitement that made all of us fall in love with rock & roll to begin with.

Aloud are set to release a new album, It’s Got To Be Now, on April 1st. The band’s sound has deepened and progressed by leaps and bounds on this album, and that’s more than evident in the album’s first single “A Little Bit Low.” Give the song a listen below, and you’ll hear why this band has taken the Northeast by storm already. - Elmore Magazine

“…Ardent indie-rock quartet [Aloud's] high-energy female and male vocal leads are ear-catching, and their melodies sink in.” (Phil Ramone) - The Huffington Post

It’s pretty nice to know we’ve made it this far especially when a lot of the bands we grew up around have started to break up. … We’ve gone from this group of kids with no van and too many songs to a well oiled functioning touring band…. - Red Bull Soundstage

… [It’s] cliché to say it; but damn, time flies. Having seen them countless times over the years, we’re always struck by the level of energy and enthusiasm that they bring to their live performance. The songs are layered and carefully crafted to begin with, meticulously penned and practiced to perfection. When it’s time to play live, the quiet and unassuming duo of Henry Beguiristain and Jen de la Osa explode in a torrent of riffs and soaring vocals, playing off of each other in a way that only comes from being bandmates for such a long time. - Boston Band Crush

…Aloud are Boston DIY defined. … Three albums… and endless tours zigzagging the country later, the heartbeat of Aloud celebrates 10 years of tunes tonight at Great Scott on a bill with Spirit Kid, Oranjuly, and Brooklyn’s the Wicked Tomorrow. …Raw, honest, and, in the end, a damn fine rock and roll band doing it on their terms. - The Boston Phoenix

…Aloud are an ambitious lot, and not in the sense that you might apply the word to Jellyfish or Benjamin Britten. As rock stars of the Olde variety, their currency is in hooks, verve, and vitality. They tour constantly. In a way which is alien to our take-it-or-leave-it culture of post-Pavement indie rock, they want to be heard. … With an attitude drawn directly from U2's War, they're a band not just playing for their private Nibbana, but for the communion between the stage and the people, the song and the listener. - Allston Pudding

"Aloud are nothing if not an original sounding band: there’s nothing 'retro' about them, even if they use regular instruments for the most part and don’t create all the sounds with a computer program they still crank out some fresh, new material that stands up on its own." - Reviewer Magazine (San Francisco, CA)

“Aloud has been placed on numerous critics’ ‘it’ lists, but Beguiristain says the group’s focus is elsewhere. We try not to pay attention to a lot of the critics, he said. We’re just trying to make music the way we want to.” - Journal Santa Fe

“Beguiristain now gently strums on his guitars and mandolins, and de la Osa demonstrates that her voice is as beautiful as it is raucous. With Exile, Aloud have redefined themselves as a moody and melodic [group ].” - Atlanta Music Guide

“A year later, on a little jaunt down the east coast in anticipation of the November 1st release of their new single ‘The Cash and the Pearls,’ the band seems to have taken the middle road between the two extremes, pumping post-punk fury into the songs from Exile and adding sophistocated softer textures to their back catalog. Aloud’s live sound is simple and classic: lived-in harmonies from Henry Beguiristain and Jen de la Osa, crashing guitars, and a no-nonsense rhythm section.” - Driftwood Magazine (Baltimore, MD)

“And as if maintaining focus on one creative project for a decade isn’t impressive enough, they’ve also done several national tours (opening for bands such as The French Kicks, Mando Daio and Flatfoot 56), and have released three albums, ‘Exile’ being the latest. … I’ve listened to ‘Exile’ a few times now during this week’s unexpected heavy rains, and I think it is a great record — compelling, at once moody and decadent, richly arranged and well-produced, it contains many stories that feel half-viewed, perhaps through smoky glass, as of lives only partially understood.” - Wardenclyffe Gallery (Austin, TX)

“‘Mainly we’d like to continue making records and hoping they’re better than the previous as well as playing as many tours as possible. Recording and touring means we’re working and we like to be busy.’” - Pittsburgh Music Review

“[Aloud ] create a unique blend of folk and rock. Don’t let the folk fool you. It’s more in the voice than in the actual music. You can hear the likings of Carole King to Joan Jett when Jen de la Osa steps in front of the microphone. The same can be said when Henry takes the lead, his vocals cutting through and pulling you in with a clearness that is missing in most of the rock n roll you listen to today.” - Bangor Daily News

Cover story: "Aloud's cycle has been buoyed from the beginning by their superb songwriting and performing skills. Jen de la Osa is a dynamo on stage and on record. She's a petite woman with a larger-than-life voice and her guitar playing seemingly has its own personality with all its side notes and pick-slides. Her vocals are one of the hallmarks of Aloud's sound; powerful enough to blow the doors down, yet accurate enough to blow just the right doors down. Partner Beguiristain's work has its own personality, one that counterpoints de la Osa's bombast and raw power. Whereas de la Osa rides a chariot of blood and thunder,
Beguiristain simply sidles up to your ear with an almost conversational style of lyric and melody." - Performer Magazine

“Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain have made a name for themselves with the searing vocals and straight-forward rock efforts of 2008's Fan The Fury. With Exile… Aloud has delivered a stunning, multifaceted opus, proving that Beguiristain can do more than bust guitar strings and de la Osa is hardly just another girl screaming into a microphone.” - DigBoston

“…a studied, measured grace is fully explored on tracks that hinge on exposed vocals and carefully crafted lyrics. …The plunge into slightly new depths is a mostly successful one and proves that this northeastern duo deserved to be followed.” - Stereo Subversion

"Down to members Jennifer de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain, both who share vocal and guitar duties (and occasionally pick up the bass or play piano or glockenspiel), the band turns in their strongest effort yet with Exile, their third release." - NeuFutur Magazine

“[Aloud has ] the kind of dynamic that is impossible for a music critic, indeed any music lover, not to respect. …All that became even more clear over the last twelve months, a time period which saw lead vocalists/guitarists and newlywed songwriters Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain craft the album, Exile, their best material to date, tour the country on a shoestring budget and push creative boundaries.” - Ryan's Smashing Life

"Favoring introspection over rock, lyricism over bombast, the new (and better) production retreats from the space Aloud used to occupy. It is lush but reserved. The album patiently navigates moody and desperate waters, cresting opportunistically on songs like ‘Counterfeit Star’…. The Aloud of Exile is no less engaging than before; the evacuated space doesn’t create distance from the band, but instead invites you to join in the dialogue. Expect Aloud to be as up-close as ever, but even more intimate." - Eleven Magazine (St. Louis)

"Exile covers an impressive breadth of indie rock styles… a little gloom, a little sunlight, and a lot of heart. It’s an album that breathes, builds, and surprises. …It may require some close listening, but the reward is outstanding depth and complexity." - Driftwood Magazine (Baltimore)

"I cannot stress enough how talented these people are, often trading instruments off throughout the set. Their melodies and vocal harmonies have the capacity to give you butterflies while their percussion and bass get your hips swinging." - Creative Loafing (North Carolina)

"Aloud has the mysterious ability to send its listeners through an atmospheric adventure by creating intelligently structured songs, bound together by a strong lyrical presence." - Performer Magazine

"Henry Beguiristan and Jen de la Osa are the male-female frontline of the group, and their interwoven vocal harmonies atop a variety show’s worth of interesting sounds and musical textures are so effortlessly rendered it’s tempting to label Aloud retro if only for the timeless tunefulness of its songs." - Free Times (Columbia, SC)

Exile is "...an album of expansive, orchestral pop, and as finely tuned as the production might be, it still relies on the distinct boy/girl harmonies of de la Osa and Beguiristain to succeed. And it does." - Salt Lake City Weekly

"We usually include a lot of loud rock 'n' roll," said band member Henry Beguiristain. "But this time, we started with the basic elements, an acoustic guitar and vocals, then added only what we thought was absolutely necessary to the sound of the song." - Amarillo Globe-News

"CMJ marked the kickoff of Aloud’s big US tour in support of their new record, Exile. The Boston rock veterans (and PGB Favorites) put together a solid set featuring an excellent blend of older hits mixed in with tracks from the new album." - Playground Boston

"Aloud has delivered a stunning, multifaceted opus... Exile exudes confidence, and great things are still to come." - The Weekly Dig

"Exile is the most sophisticated, experimental album Aloud has recorded... Lovers of layered, lovely old-style pop will enjoy this one." - The Sun Herald (Southern Mississippi)

"Aloud are nothing if not an original sounding band: there’s nothing 'retro' about them, even if they use regular instruments for the most part and don’t create all the sounds with a computer program they still crank out some fresh, new material that stands up on its own." - Reviewer Magazine

"Imagine getting married, selling off all your random material crap, and heading out on tour? Aloud are living the dream. 'Instead of buying a house, we're touring cross-country,' says de la Osa, laughing." - The Boston Phoenix

"Keeping with the times, Boston riff-raging quartet Aloud enlisted the help of Kickstarter to fund their third studio album, Exile. With the charitable help of 98 backers, Aloud ringleaders Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain achieved their $5000 donation goal in early August, giving birth to Exile and providing us with the kind of sharp, literary-minded rock passion we’ve come to expect from scene veterans who have little time for trends." - The Boston Phoenix

"The Boston rock outfit Aloud is proof positive that, sometimes, less really can be more. And despite their moniker, not to mention a reputation around these parts as a band of big hooks and even bigger harmonies, they’ve gotten quieter to prove that point." - The Boston Globe

"Aloud's musical energy does recall the White Stripes, if only there were two Jacks, no Meg."

(show preview excerpt) - Offbeat (New Orleans alt-weekly)

"Pure pop for now people. Powered by the twin vocal/guitar attack of Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain, the Boston-based combo Aloud somehow succeeds in uniting chamber pop with rock anthems."

(show preview excerpt) - The Philadelphia Inqurier

"It might not seem that much has changed between Aloud's debut full-length, Leave Your Light On, and their sophomore album Fan The Fury. The band still traffic in bluesy power pop, which still centers on the guy-girl lead vocals of childhood chums/collaborators Henry Beguiristain and Jen de la Osa. But now the hooks are bigger, the lyrics smarter, and the arrangements tighter."

(MP3 review excerpt) - Boston Phoenix

"Aloud: Everything I've read about this band's live show suggests a "fiery" "chaotic" and "high-energy" performance. The tunes seem to be all of the above, with a driving rhythm section and bluesy, distorted guitars. Singer Jen de la Osa has some really exceptional pipes, at times forlorn and dreamy like Fiona Apple and at other times roaring like Grace Slick or maybe even a slightly more lilting Janis Joplin. She trades off vocal duties with longtime collaborator Henry Beguirstain who has a more modern rock sound."

(show preview excerpt) - Flagpole (Athens, GA alt-weekly)

"Like Jefferson Airplane frontwoman Grace Slick, Aloud singer Jen de la Osa chisels every lyric into stone with her powerful, smoky voice. The emotion and strength she exudes with every word made me want to meet her and her band."

(feature excerpt)
- Boston Herald

"Aloud is a Boston band with boy-girl vocals and big hooks, but they're more unpredictable than the paint-by-numbers pop band that comes to mind. Jen de la Osa sings like Heartless Bastards' Erika Wennerstrom and is nearly as sassy. Henry Beguiristain isn't as endearing, but he sounds great when the pair interlocks in harmonic bliss. The overall feel comes off much like a slightly bluesy take on the New Pornographers' sugar rush pop..."

(show preview excerpt) - Alive! (Columbus, OH alt-weekly)

"Henry Beguiristain could make elegantly sad young music - so could Jen de la Osa - but when he contemplates being "fatalistic," she rhymes it with "sadistic." Aloud's "Fan The Fury" updates X's Exene Cervenka and John Doe's dynamically domestic civil war, now spilling into the streets and vice versa, as hyper-aware, media-bombarded harmonies and discord fall into place and fly by, between the sheets and screens. The personal and the political trust and bust, while Aloud's co-leaders' voices and guitars insist, "The end will be our beginning," once again."

(show preview excerpt) - UWeekly (Columbus, OH college paper)

"Duo Aloud, with their their melodic songwriting and twin lead vocal-guitar attack, is quickly becoming one of New England's most buzzed-about bands."

(show preview excerpt) - 24/Seven (Brooklyn blog)

"No frills rock music without a single off-putting pretense.... pushing the indie-rock envelope."

(live show preview excerpt)
- The Deli Magazine (NYC blog)

“The New Aloud – One of New England’s best contemporary bands has somehow managed to get much better over the last year. Songwriting, honest emotional surrender and compelling strong structure are keys to the new songs on Exile” - Ryans Smashing Life

The sound of It’s Got to be Now is raw rock’n’roll, music that believes the love in the words but is ready to rumble as needed. Aloud are a Boston-based Indie Roots band that carve their name on the walls of the It’s Got to be Now’s ten tracks. The band’s music recalls the Boston heyday clubs like The Channel, The Rat and Cantone’s. The songs that defy branding with a self-induced death march nodding on a 60’s pop bounce rush with “After the Plague” as “The Wicked Kind” snarls with Jen de la Osa behind the microphone over a leftover Lyres keyboard riff and “Don’t Let It Get You Down” finds a beat in a heart-thumb drum.

Aloud were born in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood and the music still rattles like it was bouncing off their one-bedroom walls. There is a slight 60’s rock’n’roll tone to the songs of Aloud. The male/female harmonies, jangly guitars and round organ notes walk the same path as fellow Massachusetts residents, Lake Street Dive. If The Dive is the run down club in front, think of the gritty back alley that runs behind and you can get an idea of how the sound Aloud differs. There is bite in the guitar chords that border the beat and bass line on the title track, spite in the words and as “A Little Bit Low” aims the end of its tale for the bottom suddenly the notion of turning up the radio to raise up sonic spirits turns the day around. The music of Aloud does not discriminate, so no segregation of styles is ever needed, or allowed. It’s Got to Be Now is the fourth album for Aloud, and moods touch on mortality and the band’s personal goals of trying to capture joy in a bottle. - The Alternate Root

The dynamic rock and roll quartet known as Aloud recently revisited a somewhat mellower gem called “Darkest Days” from their back catalogue (yes, it’s fancy enough for a “ue”). The song has been remixed by producer Charles Newman (Magnetic Fields) and re-released by the band in celebration not only of the anniversary of their 2010 album Exile, but also of this year’s landmark Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality. “Darkest Days” was originally composed by Aloud’s Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain as a message to the LGBTQ community whose rights were at the time under attack, most prominently in the battle over California’s Proposition 8.

“‘Darkest Days’ was written right around the time Prop 8 was upheld in California,” says Beguiristain, reflecting on the song’s genesis. “Jen and I were planning our wedding at the time, and thought it was madness that we could do this and our friends couldn’t, just because they happened to be gay.” - OurStage

Boston based indie rockers Aloud have just unveiled a remix of their 2010 track "Darkest Days" that was originally included on their album Exile in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality. The track seeks to unify people across all social backgrounds and genders that have to deal with the constant scrutiny of being under a microscope of whom they love and having to deal with the stress and anxiety sometimes being associated with the LGBT community today. I found this track to be particularly moving as it really nailed the emotional intensity that started off almost immediately after the track began, and lasted well throughout the duration of the track and gave the song some poignant grace and emotional thunder. I really loved the way Aloud remixed the track, and gave it a voice and made it relevant with events in today's society that gives those in the LGBT community a chance to be heard, and express their true colors of who they are without having to say why they love whom they love. - MusicBoxPete