Gary Klebe has spent decades as a foundational member of Shoes, one of power pop’s most influential and ahead-of-its-time bands, and ‘Out Loud’ is his first-ever solo album. It’s also a one-man operation, written alone and tracked almost entirely without outside help in his basement studio on nights and weekends, using a favorite collection of stompboxes and vintage gear.
Lead single “Not Tough Enough” sets the tone immediately, combining a euphoric, upbeat sonic landscape with self-deprecating lyrics about a once over-confident man finally meeting his match. Klebe explains the song’s premise with characteristic directness: “A once over-confident guy who thought he knew it all has finally met his match and is now facing a thorough ass-kicking. The feeling of helplessness is a new experience and not one he is enjoying.”
The album sounds like Shoes because it comes from the same instincts, but ‘Out Loud’ has its own distinct character shaped by the vulnerability of working alone. Drums were tracked in Nashville with John Richardson, whose credits include Gin Blossoms, Badfinger, and Tommy Keene, but everything else came together in Klebe’s own space. The vocal harmonies, built by multi-tracking his own voice into stacked layers, draw directly from techniques he learned working with iconic British producer Mike Stone, known for his work with Queen, Journey, and Foreigner.
One of the album’s most compelling backstory elements is the Butch Vig connection. Klebe served as something of a mentor to the Grammy-winning producer behind Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ and Smashing Pumpkins’ ‘Siamese Dream’, and when he sent Vig the solo project, Vig became one of the main voices pushing for its release.
Vig’s endorsement is unambiguous: “When I listen to Gary’s new record, I hear all that in the DNA. It’s in the production and the songwriting. It’s timeless, in a way. It’s so retro that it sounds fresh, because it’s not like anything on Top 40 radio. He’s made a timeless power-pop album.”
Shoes formed over 50 years ago and are still making music, with more to come. But ‘Out Loud’ stands entirely on its own as a solo statement from a songwriter who has nothing left to prove and everything still left to say.
‘Out Loud’ Tracklist:
- Room To Breathe
- Not Tough Enough
- Love Beyond
- Wrong All Along
- Eyes Open Wide
- Shake Me
- No Afterglow
- Bridges Are Burned
- Won’t Quit On You
- Invading My Space
- In A Heartbeat