The Loungs

The Loungs want to fuck with your head.

Firstly they've got a name that only those in the know can pronounce properly (it's pronounced 'the lungs' so you know) and secondly they enjoy threatening to inflict Ocean Colour Scene covers on tonight's suitable rowdy crowd (luckily its only a threat).

But, most of all, they mess with your mind by making the kind of foot-tapping, heart stonking trippy folk that melds your brain in to a big mush of unbridled, beardy love.

Owing a not unsubstantial debt to local heroes The Earlies and Elbow they bring the sound of summer to a dull Northern day, sun visors and all, as harmonies bounce off chugging keyboards for the catchiest tunes this side of the Beach Boys.

Best of all is when 'I'm Gonna Take Your Girl' descends into a mass singalong leading a devoted few to attempt crowdsurfing and cracking various limbs on the ceiling for their trouble.

Not that they seem to mind: bruised bones are a small, small price to pay for a band as downright sublime as this. - NME

The musical landscape is a poorer place for the absence of The Beta Band, who disbanded back in 2004. For those still pining for unusual sounding indie music with a wry sense of humour and laced with killer melodies, meet The Loungs. Their debut, ‘We Are The Champ’, sounded like the Super Furries after too many E numbers, while this second outing is a cross between the aforementioned Beta Band and the unashamed retro of The Bees.

Oh, and as I suspect you’re still wondering, it’s pronounced ‘Lungs’. - CLASH MAGAZINE

With songs such as 'Sunbeat' which endorses the joys of open air drinking, it's clear that St Helens band The Loungs are'nt ashamed of making a summery sounding second LP. So let's be similarly uncomplicated; is it any good? Well, 'Big Wow' is often a joyous thing, especially since it's such a well rounded record.

Thanks to some fizzing psych pop which draws from Becah Boys harmonies and Super Furry Animals song craft, the record really exhibits some natural magic.

Beginning with some bubbling techno which sounds like the band are waking up, the album soon veers off into summer pop territory with the brass enhanced 'Annie Hall', followed by the psych knees-up 'Mind Your Head'. Then, before things get too pell mell, there's the lovely folksiness of 'Honesty Box', a standout track.

The music can be curiously affecting even when the music fidgets about; for example 'The Sophomore Jinx' may ride a wave of ska-ish rhythms, but it's Jethro Tull organ stabs suggest an affinity with nature rooted in evocative tradition and myth.

Ending with its highlight, 'Gretyl' offers a gentle whoosh of electronic backwash and warm guitar chords, making for a perfect campfire song.
This is the soundtrack of a perfect summer's day. Success. - ARTROCKER MAGAZINE

“Luscious four-part harmonies, intricately layered guitars and innovative percussion...Insanely catchy.” - MUSIC WEEK

“We Are The Champ oozes geniality throughout and, at times, becomes positively majestic...The best thing to come out of St.Helens since the East Lancs Road.” - THE WORD MAGAZINE

“Classy pop melodies...joyous, White Album-style pick’n’mix mayhem.” - UNCUT MAGAZINE

“Lissom psychedelic folk rock...sumptuous harmonies... gloriously rowdy.” - Q MAGAZINE

Well that's not very nice is it? Coming around here with your lady-stealing threats. How queer then that 'I'm Gonna...' is actually a rather lovely and tender thing, with an unexpected eruption of brass and the most withering use of the words "you fool..." in the pop pantheon.

Even better is the insane B-Side 'Seen My Baby Dancing', a lunatic 90-second Beach Boys pastiche bookended by bonkers piano bits that sound like 'House Of Fun' by Madness.

It's a shame that they did'nt let it loiter for a while - instead, it ends with the sound of a piano being banged shut and you're left blinking, wondering if you actually heard it correctly. And if that's not the right state for a pop record to leave you in, then what is? - NME

This debut album from St Helens collective The Loungs sounds alternately like Super Furry Animals, Blur, The Housemartins, The Specials, Madness, The Jam and many more. And that’s just the first five minutes.

It’s as if Soulwax have done one of their mix albums using all the best bits of your record collection, with styles constantly chopping and changing, sometimes in the space of one song – ‘I’m Gonna Take Your Girl’ starts off as a pretty Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci-style acoustic lament and ends like one of Dexys’ horn-driven soul stompers.

The end result is one of the most exhausting but enjoyable 34 minutes you’ll spend listening to music this year. Don’t hesitate to give it a chance. - NME