LOADED from Mannheim have released their fifth album, “Bloodshot Forget-Me-Nots,” after four years without a new album. LOADED is a trio. Two men and one woman. She is responsible for the rhythm section, meaning she plays the drums and sets the tempo for the men so they can do a proper job up front.
In the four years that LOADED took to release their fifth album with a bang, many ideas developed into concrete songs. The band had a plethora of different ideas for the songs that were to be included on the fifth album. These ideas were implemented in their diversity, making the album difficult to assess.
The trio showcases a true bouquet of styles across the thirteen songs on the record. There’s punk rock, folk punk, pub rock, ska, reggae, California melody punk rock, and occasionally rockabilly and psychobilly influences emerge. The astonishing thing is that the band has composed something truly good from this wide range of styles. Each song is catchy, melodic, and a little gem when considered on its own. However, the musical red thread is not to be found on the CD. The songs are too diverse for that. The record sounds more like a kind of best-of.
It’s hard to recommend purchasing the album, as everyone will find songs on this CD that they like and others that they don’t. The album is indeed made for those who don’t have blinders on and listen to a variety of music. These people will truly enjoy “Bloodshot Forget-Me-Nots.”
However, anyone who automatically thinks of a band they want to hear when it comes to folk punk, or who associates punk rock with a very specific sound they want to hear, will likely only be partially satisfied here.
For the vinyl enthusiasts, here’s an important note: the LP has one more song!
Based on my subjective assessment, I give the record 7 out of 10 points.
