Monday, April 26, 2010

Swervedriver - Mezcal Head

MINE

There's something about these - fortunately rare - early morning shifts I'm doing at the morning that absolutely requires a bit of heart-starting, hard-driving music to get me to work.  So I was happy to launch Swervedriver despite having never really sampled their music before, and even happier to discover that they actually sing, not shout, their tunes.  As regular readers will know, I hate shouty music, be it from the metal, rock or rap genres.  I can make some exceptions for punk but only in short bursts.

I liked this, and I'll play it again.  What's more, I'll listen to more albums, if they're all this good.  While it's not what I'd pick for a lazy day at home, I'm sure it'd motivate me to perform my housework chores with more vim and vigour.  Plus the lyrics are good, even poetic, and  I found myself singing along. 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP


YOURZ

Part of the 'shoe-gazer' genre, Swervedriver were also-rans to bigger names such as My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Lush and Ride.  Like most categorisations, the label only fit when viewed a particular way.  The reality is this band were only labelled as such due to the fact they came from the same district and played in the same clubs (often on the same bill as a few of them - it was Ride who gave a Swervedriver demo to Creation and led to them being signed).

More influenced by The Stooges and Husker Du, Swervedriver's sound would probably better be described as an amalgam of past and present trends in rock music, a melding of punk, psychedelia and grunge.  (I've ranted before about why I hate labelling music and this is a perfect example of why).  The reality is this is fuckin' kick-arse music, despite whatever label you wanna apply. 

Mezcal Head is their follow up to their great debut, Raise, and sees them defining their sound and dramatic lyrics.  From the opener For Seeking Heat to the closing suite Never Lost That Feeling/Never Learn, it is a winner.  It is also the most accomplished and confident example of their work, although their third release, Ejector Seat Reservation, also has some very fine moments.  My copy of Raise walked out of a share house years ago and I never replaced it.  I'm going to have to add yet another name to that ever growing list.

The most unfortunate part of the Swervedriver story is the lack of faith the recording industry exhibited in this band, despite critical praise and a dedicated following.  This led to the band going on hiatus in 1998 and not returning for a decade, when they completed a  very successful world tour.  Without naming names, I'm sure there are some record companies who are still kicking themselves for their appalling lack of faith.  But then, this is nothing new.

This is Forgotten Gem number two for April.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP


For further information: http://www.swervedriver.com/

In our collection we also have Ejector Seat Reservation and 99th Dream

5 comments:

  1. As you probably know from my Blog, my all-time favourite band is Lush and I have a lot of time for the 'shoe-gazing' genre even though it was really just a label to describe the time. As you rightly point out here, labels just cover up what in reality is just good or bad music. In this case, as with all others, it is a new hybrid of past styles that prompts yet another label. I seem to remember liking Swervedriver at the time but they always fell off my 'to buy' list for one reason or another. Your comments have caused me to check them out again.

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  2. I really liked Lush back in the day too, although I never actually owned any (again, living in group houses at the time meant shared CD collections). If you do like that period of music, though, I think you will really like Swervedriver. Both their first album and this are particularly good.

    YourZ

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  3. Mmmm Lush... the pointy stick has yet to land on Ladykillers but when it does, stand back! I'll be rambling on about ir for DAYS.

    Mine

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  4. you can find a song from his new band here!!!:

    http://www.themodernmusic.com/2010/04/swervedrivers-adam-franklin-set-to.html

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  5. Heya Anon, thanks for pointing this out. There is no mistaking that voice, is there?

    YourZ

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