As many music critics have pointed out with the release of this album, Swervedriver were lumped in with the shoegaze scene of the late 80’s and early 90’s, but may not necessarily belong there. Sure, the band then and to this day don’t lean towards the more wispy, angelic and melancholic sounds of bands like Slowdive, Lush and Pale Saints, but to me as heavy (comparatively) as their songs could get, the music always had this transportive feeling to it like those others did. The road there may have been different, but the ultimate sensation I had from them was the same. And for those moments where fans of the genre wanted something at times with a bit more of a bite to it – Swervedriver is where you turned. It has been 18 years since their last album – the gorgeous 99th Dream released in 1998 – and with this new one they continue down that LP’s path of a more melodic, slightly scaled back Swervedriver. They still have their heavy moments, like on track ‘Red Queen Arms Race’, but overall this is the sound of a loud – very loud – rock band with a keen sense of melody and hook, and a penchant for loads and loads of effects pedals that help elevate them to the self-proclaimed sound of “space travel rock & roll”. Their love for all things Americana – from fellow 90’s outfits like Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth – to the cinematic big screen feeling of driving across the country in a classic American car (as seen in this album’s cover art) – shine through in every note of this album. It’s hypnotic (‘Autodidact’, ‘English Subtitles’) from beginning to end like a brutally hot summer’s day, and with lead singer Adam Franklin’s beautiful, soothing voice reigning in all the guitar pyrotechnics, along with his knack for a ripping tune, Swervedriver have simply improved with age. This isn’t a reunion or comeback album. They’ve been off and on for nearly a quarter of a century now. But frankly, as much as I’ve loved everything they’ve put out over the years, they’ve now put out their best work. This is what rock & roll music is supposed to be, then, and now. A criminally underrated band putting out a fantastic album that will ultimately go unnoticed. Ah, the state of the music industry. Swervies forever!

Label

Cobraside Records