Loser - Loser

Loser

Loser
self-released; 2017

​3.5 out of 5

By Dan Weston

Loser is the solo project for Aaron "Al" Loss. I was wondering why he called the project Loser. It seems so self-depreciating and a call for attention was the first thing that came to me. I wasn’t crazy about the name and I think he could be a little more creative in coming up with a moniker. 

​Names aside there is some creative music that combines elements of rock, shoegaze and post-rock. He opens with “New York Rat.” I was enjoying the Sonic Youth-esque guitar. That being said the vocals are covered in way too much reverb. I promise you this. The reverb at the very least needed to cleared up around the 200 hz and 700hz range to provide some clarity. The high point in the song comes towards the end with the experimental lead guitar.

The same issue surface on “Shallow” to a lesser extent with the vocals. That being said the music is even better. It has a clear shoegaze vibe. I was reminded of My Bloody Valentine but an emphasis on higher frequencies. 

The vocals sounded much better on “Nothing.” It’s less than two minutes but very well may be the highlight. The vocal melody is really catchy. He sings, “No respect for anything No meaning Oh nothing.” He closes with “You Should” which is atmospheric and doesn’t have a whole lot of energy. It’s a solid song with some creative noise and panning techniques. I would have liked a little more dynamics. 

There are some production issues that could be more consistent in a number of areas. The vocals were obvious but there was some other sonic issues that I can guarantee would have been tamed by a top notch mastering engineer.

Overall, this EP is far from perfect but I thought his style and general aesthetic were on point. I predict more and better things. This is for fans of noise bands ranging from My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth and many in between.

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