Release Date: November 4, 2013
“Female-fronted” is a terrible term. Though informative, as an adjective it’s almost insultingly vague; it’s an injustice to bands that work hard to create a unique sound by which to be defined, and it creates gender divisions where, in a supposedly enlightened society, there need be none.
That being said, Swearin’ falls under that umbrella, along with a slew of other adolescent, DIY-minded, indie pop-punk acts flourishing up and down the East Coast, all of which likely abhor the term. Split between Brooklyn and Philly, Swearin’ does female-fronted very well. And that’s not all.
Compared to the band’s self-titled album, released last year, Surfing Strange reflects Swearin’s upward momentum.
It’s a collection of songs meant not for basement floors, but stages, and perhaps even entire theaters or ballrooms.
And that says a lot for the album’s presence—it may not be as energetic as Swearin’s past efforts (also including a demo tape and a few 7″ records), but certainly packs a punch where it counts. Surfing Strange is a complete package.
Opening track “Dust in the Gold Sack” harkens back to Swearin’s days of simple compositions that achieve classic riffage. But with a few added layers, the band shows what it’s got up its sleeve.
“Watered Down” showcases guitarist Kyle Gilbride’s ability, channeling Pavement-like melodies and vocals reminiscent of the Pixies’ Black Francis—a theme that remains present in his sporadic appearances as lead.
That same ’90s malaise appears on all of Swearin’s less straightforward songs, including the tidal wave of lo-fi fuzz found on “Melanoma” and the indelible catchiness of “Echo Locate.”
The album’s publishing duties fall under the domain of Detroit’s indie-punk bellwether Salinas Records in the U.S., which has also released material from P.S. Eliot, the now-defunct act that shared both musical style and personnel with Swearin’.
Internationally, the U.K.’s already well-established Wichita Recordings (which, like Salinas, is named after a town in central Kansas) will handle Surfing Strange. The label has done the same for contemporary big league names like Best Coast, Cloud Nothings, the Dodos, a litany of Conor Oberst projects, and up-and-coming solo act Waxahatchee—notable for being the project of Swearin’ lead Allison Crutchfield’s sister, Katie.
All things considered, Swearin’ fits right at home among these seemingly straightforward indie-rock bands that, upon closer inspection, prove their ability to work on higher levels with slower, more experimental songs.
The second half of Surfing Strange strays from the path that Swearin’ has historically stuck to, navigating foreign territory with less traditional melodies.
“Loretta’s Flowers” is the most wistful—Crutchfield gets slow and sentimental, accompanied solely by the gentle strums of an effect-free electric guitar.
“When you get older, you’ll realize this wasn’t love. It was lust,” she broods. “Or you won’t, and you’ll remain ignorant and in pain.”
“Glare of the Sun” is undeniably weird, with terse rolls on the rim of a snare drum and a Ween-like male voice whispering, “The sun is high, and so am I,” over a handful of piano chords.
Clocking in at just over half an hour, Surfing Strange is a solid example of well-thought out material by a new generation of ’90s-worshiping, vinyl-hungry indie punks. Swearin’ proves it’s got more than catchy riffs and sing-alongs, and will not lose sight of itself if it chooses to graduate from the DIY circuit and increase its velocity.
Swearin’ – Surfing Strange tracklist:
- “Dust in the Gold Sack”
- “Watered Down”
- “Mermaid”
- “Parts of Speech”
- “Melanoma”
- “Echo Locate”
- “Loretta’s Flowers”
- “Glare of the Sun”
- “Unwanted Place”
- “Young”
- “Curdled”
