Swervedriver – The World’s Fair (Outer Battery Records)
The punkier darlings of the 90’s shoegaze underground, Swervedriver, who were formed in 1989 by schoolmates Adam Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge, split in 1998, reformed in 2008, but haven’t released anything new since 2018’s Future Ruin, have gone back to their future.
Swervedriver’s musical point of difference was the addition of a harsher guitar sound to their version of dreampop, their artistic point of difference was debuting their music as a series of four EPs, before releasing their debut album Raise. 34 years on Swervedriver have released The World’s Fair, which feature an impressive array of helpers (Ride’s Mark Gardener, and Rick Beato, Will Foster, Calina de la Mare and Sarah Willson)
Pack Yr Vision, the first of the four leaps out immediately with its trademark Swervedriver guitar churn, but has a brighter, contemporary melody, while Adam Franklin vocals sound as fresh and finesse as ever. Across the three subsequent tracks, Volume Control has one reminiscing of the past EPs, with it’s brashness and angular guitar, The World’s Fair has flair in a vortex of instruments, in particular keyboard parts are a psychedelic flora. In finality, Time Attacks is pure dreampop extravaganza, and completes the four pack at a high, achieving a want, a want for more from Swervedriver, which hopefully will be sated soon.
Simon Coffey
Swervedriver’s The World’s Fair EP on 7th March via Outer Battery Records | Pre-Order
