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LOSER
‘ALL THE RAGE’
Album Review

(September 12th 2021)

Review by Loki Fowler

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Photo: Ian Laidlaw

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Praise for ‘ALL THE RAGE’:

“Big gains from LOSER in 2021…this is muscular rock n roll for those that need a full on mosh to let off some steam.” – Triple J

“Channelling the hard and fast, deliciously addictive hits of bands like Green Day and Blink-182, All The Rage is a powerful rock album with a distinct LOSER twist.” – Beat Magazine

“Bursting with the punk tenacity of Violent Soho alongside driving riffs built for moshing and mid-song melodic breakdowns ideal to hug your moshing mates.” – Scenestr

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Over the course of the pandemic, Melbourne based band; Loser have done it all. From the launch of their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Mindless Joy’ in 2020, to line-up changes and the launch of their own Restless Noise Studio – all culminating in the release of their new album ‘All The Rage’.

The album which was recorded in house at Restless Noise Studio and mixed by Anton Hagop feels like a refined and honest reflection of the time, getting slightly heavier and slightly darker than the bands previous work. Lead by front man and shredder Tim Maxwell, ‘All The Rage’ attempts to pay homage to the bands which inform Loser’s collective taste.

The sophomore album from Loser, ‘All The Rage’ delivers an energized, nostalgia fuelled alternative rock experience which proudly wears its influences on its sleeve. The album beckons back to the rock anthems of the 90’s and early 2000’s with a uniquely Loser twist. ‘All The Rage’ continues the recent popularity of old school rock revival albums and masterfully blends the line between the many sub-genres of rock. “I basically wanted to give the kids of 2021 an opportunity to feel what I felt back in the day,” Tim explains. The 10 track album bounces between familiar nods to rock icons such as The Smashing Pumpkins or local favourites like Silverchair but remains distinctly true Loser’s sound. Featuring booming, rhythmic guitar riffs, catchy anthemic chorus’ and expressive, understated solos, ‘All The Rage’ is brought together nicely by honest, soul baring song writing.

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The album opens with ‘Head First’ – the second single from the lead up to the full album release. The track begins with a short, sharp, muffled chord progression and welcomes listeners with a catchy vocal hook. There isn’t much time wasted before the song explodes into a frenzied, rhythmic guitar riff backed by emphatic vocals and closes with a flurry of drums and a killer, distorted solo. The track sets the tone for the rest of the record.

Loser use ‘Upside Down’ to ponder the state of the pandemic world in 2021. Despite the darker topic, the track takes a sonic shift into more upbeat tone and focuses more on lyricism. At the heart of the song is a stripped back, power pop like chord progression which makes it feel like a perfect summer soundtrack. Powerful drums and ringing guitar melodies only strengthen the first major change of pace on the album.

One of the highlights of the album, ‘Skyward’ opens with a shrill, heavily distorted guitar and as the drums roll into the mix, the song only gets heavier before eventually settling on a swirling, muted riff for the verse. While the track is driven by a rolling bass line and aggressive drums, the highlight remains the anthemic, earworm chorus as Maxwell ponders the existence of aliens, singing; “I’ve been up all night, staring at the sky, something’s looking down on me”. ‘Skyward’ feels like the most honest representation of what Loser value musically – Simple, riff heavy fun that is bound to make listeners move.

The record closes on ‘Meant To Be’, which provides some much needed reprieve from the unrelenting energy of ‘All The Rage’. In contrast to the majority of the album, ‘Meant To Be’ allows listeners to slow down and reflect on the album and reflect on life before providing the perfect closure to the album. Easily being the most gentle and delicate song on the album, front man Tim Maxwell demonstrates nuanced and controlled vocal melodies amidst an intricate instrumental arrangement. The track seamlessly blends acoustic chord progressions and subtle electric guitar licks, culminating in an undeniably soulful guitar solo which may highlight the entire album.

Loser continue to evolve while providing a powerful listening experience to fans in the middle of trying times. ‘All The Rage’ does well to share the attitude and nostalgia of older punk rock with listeners in a familiar, guitar driven package, all while remaining fresh and true to Loser.

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Out NOW – HERE

‘All The Rage’
Track listing:

1. Head First
2. On The Edge
3. Don’t Leave Me
4. Upside Down
5. All I Need
6. Time Won’t Wait
7. Skyward
8. Stall
9. So
10. Meant To Be

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About ‘All The Rage’

‘All The Rage’ offers a powerfully honest and emotive distillation of who LOSER are at their collective core. Especially so for singer-shredder Tim Maxwell; while in the past he would hide behind metaphor to expound on his inner turmoils, this album (which follows their 2020 Australian Music Prize-nominated effort Mindless Joy), marks a daring leap forward into a new world of soul-baring songwriting.

It all came to a head when Tim was tracking vocals for the album’s lead single, ‘On The Edge’ and suffered a breakdown in the studio. The resulting record is one that doubles as a lifeline for Tim, the band and those struggling to find their own mental stability mid-pandemic. ‘All The Rage’ encourages its listener to stay strong and keep pushing forward; to know that no matter what, they’re not alone, and it’s without a doubt they’ve got what it takes to stand victorious in the fight against their demons.

LOSER’s broader pandemic experience involved the launch of their own Restless Noise Studios, after band-and-real-life-brothers Tim and Will took to their parents’ garage to build the space from scratch during lockdown. LOSER self-recorded ‘All The Rage’ at Restless Noise over the last year, burying their heads into some of their favourite classic artists’ catalogues to draw out every bit of nostalgic influence possible.

“I basically wanted to give the kids of 2021 an opportunity to feel what I felt back in the day,” Tim rhapsodises, “When I would hear bands like Green Day for the first time and just lose my mind.”

LOSER is Tim Maxwell (vocals/guitar), Will ‘Dragon’ Maxwell (guitar), Craig Selak (bass) and Jake Farrugia (drums).

‘All The Rage’ came out September 10. The record was produced by Tim Maxwell & Craig Selak, mixed by Anton Hagop (Silverchair, Powderfinger), mastered by Matt Gray & drum recording by Sam Johnson.

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Photo – Ian Laidlaw

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AMNPLIFY – DB