Swervedriver // I Wasn't Born To Lose You
90s shoegazers return with a decent album that can show more contemporary nu-gazers and dream poppers a thing or two.
Released 3rd March 2015
Swervedriver // I Wasn't Born To Lose You Cherry Red
Swervedriver emerged as part of the shoegaze scene in 1989 and released four albums before initially splitting in 1998. I Wasn't Born To Lose You is their first album since reforming in 2008.
I have to admit that Swervedriver passed me by first time round so I can’t say how this compares to them at the height of their powers.
The sound is woozy and wonky. Songs like Everso are built around chiming guitars and wistful vocal harmonies and manage to be being both dreamy and off-kilter. On Red Queens Arms Race, this bears a more than passing resemblance to nu-gazers Sennen, who were no doubt influenced by Swervedriver in the first place. Imagine Mogwai or Explosions In The Sky with vocals and an underpinning in classic rock and you wouldn't be that far away.
This is a decent, if not an instant classic, album that will no doubt hold up to repeated listening and has encouraged me to investigate Sweredriver further. So, now to get my ticket for their show at the Arts Centre on 26th May and to scour the second hand shops to see if I can find Mezcal Head or Ejector Seat Reservation.
Pavlis (7.5/10)
