Pitch Perfect
  • Pitch Perfect
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

Executive swede - The Swells

4/17/2013

4 Comments

 
Picture
Executive Swede

The Swells
self-released; 2013

4.3 out of 5

By Sean Dennison
What came first, Executive Swede or the music? I can see this album, The Swells, being played in an executive suite while you're waiting for your young(er) boss to approve your new business proposal to expand coffee outlets, and I can see this being played in Sweden, or at the very least by Swedes. Did they shape their music after their name or create their music after naming themselves?And here’s a little bit of trivia, a swede is also, after some loose research, apparently a rutabaga in other parts of the world.

Cool, creative chaos going on here, with even measures of improvisation and predetermination. This Portland four-piece focus their talents, and they are men of many, into making instrumental jazz-rock. Sounds simple, right? But the music is anything but. No track sounds like another. Drums ebb in and out of rhythm, sometimes providing the foundation for an entire song, sometimes appearing to tease the listener with soft chopstick clacks and nothing more. Guitars achieve cohesion through discord, with one laying out a groovy riff, and the other seeking to overturn it. Sublime bass (whoever the bassist is is aces). The signatures are all over the place and in general great attention is given to experimentation, with the results leading listeners to a blissful but inspiring audio experience. There's even an accordion in one of the songs and it doesn't feel out of place at all.

The album isn't perfect, which is great, because then I'd listen to it all the time and never expand my taste. Though I'd have perfection in my ears so I'd be all right with that. Or would I? The music, and get me a tissue for my snobbery, will not appeal to casual musical listeners; each track is unique but the music does meld into one large sound. That wave analogy earlier? Think of the album as a tidal wave of jazzy, sometimes surfy music, and you can either embrace the inevitable or head for higher ground.

If you're one of those people who absolutely needs a musical reference to decide if you want to check out a band, these guys remind me a lot a lot of Tortoise, early Do Make Say Think (without all the moodiness and the thinly veiled thought of suicide) and I feel Nujabes, rest his soul, could pretty much pick samples from this album at will.
soundcloud
website
4 Comments
Schmitty
4/17/2013 12:42:10 am

I totally forgot about do make say think -

Reply
call=i
4/17/2013 01:18:17 am

awesome

Reply
J
4/17/2013 05:07:09 am

great stuff - rating seems a bit high

Reply
johan
4/17/2013 11:30:09 pm

excellent!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by pitchperfect158
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
© Pitch Perfect 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Pitch Perfect
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact