Across the four-album arc of their first era – ‘Raise’ (1991); ‘Mezcal Head’ (1993); ‘Ejector Seat Reservation’ (1995); ’99th Dream’ (1997), Swervedriver made music that was all about the journey….simulating the thrill of propulsion, the euphoric arrival, the anticipation of going back again (or not)…of moving on. And move on they did. During 10 years in absentia, the band’s legend grew. In 2005, a two-disc anthology was compiled with the band’s involvement, and foretold a resurrection. Sure enough, the trip resumed in 2008, with Swervedriver encountering the acclaim they ought to have enjoyed a decade earlier.
A fifth album, ‘I Wasn’t Born To Lose You,’ emerged in 2015, a mere 17 years after its predecessor, and trumpeted some eternal Swervedriver virtues: the intricate, fissile guitar patterns of Adam Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge, baked hard, then dispatched in giant monolithic waves by the tactile rhythm section.
Their most recent full-length, ‘Future Ruins,’ released in January of this year to critical acclaim, exhibited the band’s fabled widescreen escapism, combined with very real fears of the modern condition…a band moving with real time/real life vitality, as well as showcasing new tricks along with classic hallmarks.
The band also released a limited edition clear vinyl EP featuring space rock takes on The Supremes and Gene Clark classics Reflections b/w I Think I’m Going to Feel Better for this past Record Store Day, which sold out immediately. They’ve now made it available digitally and shared the video for Reflections. Watch the video clip via YouTube below.
Fall tour dates
THU 10 OCT – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
FRI 11 OCT – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
SUN 13 OCT – Dallas, TX @ Club DADA
MON 14 OCT – Austin, TX @ Empire Control Room
WED 16 OCT – Atlanta, GA @ Hell (The Masquerade)
THU 17 OCT – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
FRI 18 OCT – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
SAT 19 OCT – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel
SUN 20 OCT – Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Hall
MON 21 OCT – Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy
TUE 22 OCT – New York, NY @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
WED 23 OCT – Asbury Park, NJ @ House of Independents
THU 24 OCT – Boston, MA @ Sonia
SUN 27 OCT – Detroit, MI @ El Club
MON 28 OCT – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
WED 30 OCT – Denver, CO @ Bluebird
FRI 01 NOV – Portland OR @ Bunk Bar
SAT 02 NOV – Portland OR @ Bunk Bar
SUN 03 NOV – Seattle, WA @ Columbia City Theater
TUE 05 NOV – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
WED 06 NOV – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram
