Review of "Dreams From The Factory Floor" by Louise Distras

Louise Distras from London, England is an up and coming musician displaying the diverse musical range of her brand of folk-punk rock and roll!  Recently seen on stage with Boston's own  Street Dogs  while in Europe, and at Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, England, Louise Distras packs a powerful but harmonious punch in her music. Her upcoming record, "Dreams From The Factory Floor" (Out Oct 30th!) has something for everybody and is worth listening to! Each song tells a story from her point of view and experiences. Like every good musician, she tells it how it is and isn't afraid to be 100% up front and honest with her fans.  From the upbeat and fist raising punk rock songs with her full band backing her, or some of her slower or solo songs, she does not disappoint!  If you are into the sounds and melodies of Frank Turner, Bob Dylan, Joan Jett and even Billy Bragg, go ahead and read on.

The opening track, "Stand Strong Together" is a cry for unity and an upbeat one at that.  The song talks about the importance of music bringing us together and standing strong in adversity  Louise on this first number has a full band plugged in backing her up and this is the perfect song to do it.  Not to mention, its an excellent way to open a record! Track one launches quickly into track two, "Bullets".  What I really enjoy about this song is that it is still upbeat but has a catchier and acoustic yet fast paced feel where as the first track had a more punk driven feel to it. Another stand out part of the song is the use of organs used in the beginning.  It gives its own sound without losing the integrity of the music.

Louise certainly isn't afraid to stray away from the typical three chord crash and burn technique as she displays her range of musical and vocal talent.  Slower ballads such as "Love Me The Way I Am", the acoustic sing along, "No Mercy", and the mid tempo yet introspective, "One Thousand Tears" shows that she can appeal to many different ears and crowds alike but can still hold a loyal following in the punk rock scene!  In my opinion, the catchiest of them all is "Shades Of Hate" because of the excellent guitar work from the intro and throughout the song!  The rhythm she keeps is constantly different from the typical up and down strum which is NEVER a bad thing because it keeps the song interesting and the listener interested.  And again, with the diverse types of instruments being used by her fellow musicians, how could you be not interested at all?!

What I respect about this musician is that she doesn't stray away from social issues in her country and is more than willing to speak out about the things that are important to her.  In today's music and entertainment world, the music that is being fed to us isn't entirely as important as many underground artists are.  Many underground artists tend to speak freely and openly about important topics that loom among us.  Louise speaks from the heart and shows she isn't afraid to go it alone either.  After all, shes doing her fans and listeners right by giving her all in everything she does because you can tell this is her number one passion in life- playing music!  I highly suggest this album for anyone of any musical interest in the folk, rock, punk range of things.  There is a little something for everyone in here and is an excellent person to look to as a DIY musician.

For fans of: Frank Turner, Billy Bragg, Woody Guthrie, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Bob Dylan and the Clash!

Artist information:
Louise Distras Offical Website
Louise Distras Offical Facebook
Pre-Order "Dreams Of The Factory Floor" out on October 30th!