If ever a band were to be formed simply to satisfy my own musical tastes, it could very well be Swandive. Many of you know that my listening habits are not confined to the melodic Pop Rock that makes up the majority of reviews here.
Away from all the riffs and choruses, I tend to go for noisier much heavier delights. Particularly, Prog and Noise Rock, the more diverse the better. Swandive are a Los Angeles five piece who can do it all and seem to have influences that are way beyond their young years.
The Lonestar is the band's second album and it takes them either further on than their debut. They do sound very UK at times and they could easily be another of the wave of new Guitar Bands who aspire to Stadium Rock. The fact that they provide much more variety is to their eternal credit.
Yes, they can be Pop Rock, Two Things Before You Go is the best example, with its killer riff and sing along chorus. But then listen to the title track where Riley Schmedeman sounds like Joe Strummer. Then there is the 90s College, slightly funky, Say Less with its latter day Alex Lifeson like riff.
Infectious is an incredibly noisy shouty affair, yet Son To Sun is end of the 90s Desert Rock but also incredibly Prog. Estuary has a real Jeff Rodenstock vocal feel, but instrumentally it is more Space Rock. Opposite Day has a real Rush 90s feel instrumentally with another killer riff.
The joy of the album is how connected the quintet are. Aldo the fact that songs start as one thing and end as another. You can be rocking away, then a melodic 80s keyboard run will confuse and delight you. Have no doubt that this is a Rock album, but that only tells you part of the story. Highly Recommended!
You can listen to and buy the album here.
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