Customer Reviews

Whenever You're Ready

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Nice! A consistently creative, compelling set of multi-textured, twistily melodic indiepop... The band intuitively searches out unusual sounds, unsettling rhythms, novel melodic progressions... in essence, stuff that's just weird enough to keep your ears on the edge of their seats. It's pleasant -- poppy and accessible in its own way -- but full of inventive sonic novelties, and a relaxed forward momentum that gives it just enough of a "pop" feel to keep us happy. Anyway, I liked it.

While this does not displace 41 as my favorite Swell, it is a viable addition to the Swell library. It has the songs that are fun to listen to the first time through (Next to Nothing, War Comes Down), and then there are the songs that drag you in a bit more slowly. These are the ones that will become my "Swell staples" (Always Everything, California Arizona). There's only one song on the whole disc that I'm not crazy about, and that's "Say Goodbye."

It's absolutely terrific headphone music, and great for listening to while you work, drive, or just about anything. I highly recommend Swell to anyone. They deserve to be heard.

I was first introduced to Swell years ago in the office of a certain Dentist, who I think was phasing out nitrous oxide in favor of musical hypnosis..."Follow the drum line, my son, Just follow the drums..." Well, anyway, this album is different. By Swell standards, 'Whenever You're Ready' is up-tempo, relentlessly. Upbeat, full of insight and hope, this work is truly a pleasant, painless, departure. Hope the train stays on this track for a while. Thanks.

I picked this CD up the day it came out, having looked forward to a new one from these guys. This CD is great. If you are a Swell fan, the best way to describe it is to say it's a lot like '41' in the percussion department, and a lot like 'Everybody wants to know' in the guitar department. There are even a couple of tracks which hark back to the 1990 debut 'Swell', such as the song 'War comes down', which has a chord progression much like "Always one thing" and "Dan, son of god", but a different melody altogether.
Swell is much like the Jesus and Mary Chain in that respect (although they sound nothing like them)- they are able to take a single sound and sometimes a single chord progression and switch it around, rethread it and revamp it into a whole new beautiful song. In that way, they've created a body of work which stands as a single musical statement and at the same time is wicked fun to listen to.
There are 15 songs on the album, and the song lengths probably average about 4 minutes, with a range from 2:30 to 7:11 on track 14, so this album has enough variety to keep you interested with enough hooks to grab you in the first place.
It seems like it might not be quite as immediately likeable as '41', but I'm still letting the songs sink in...

if you are just jumping in swell waters, start w/ "41", which is not only their masterpiece, but one of the best "unheard" recordings of the 90's. really. this is nearly as good. swell play what most term "indie", but don't let the label scare you away. swell's music is uncatagorizable. the guitars swirl, slice and strum, the drumwork relentless (not loud, but strong), filled with strange sounds and instrumentation(not off-putting, just different) and the lyrics put most indie bands to shame. it works on 2 levels... the album flows as a seemless whole, like the best psychedelic music, but you can also enjoy the individual tracks (unlike most psych music). recommended for fans of death cab, pink floyd, song-based electronica, coldplay, singer-songwriter fare... get it? it's for everyone. love it, love it, love it. (by the way, 4 stars is high in my mind). if they had 1/2's, i'd give it one of those too....

once i heard "41" 11 years ago, their 3rd cd, i was hooked to all things swell..they just made so much sense musically and the mood they created was perfect for almost all settings..up, down and sidewise..
this cd brings them back to that concept of one long song connected by tracks and it all works too fine...just remember that there is no other band that sounds like them..i believe that is their true offering...david freel is probably the most underrated singer/songwriter there is....his lyrics are abstractly to the bone and his words make me shake my head in agreement...and the acoustic grooves and that psycho-specific guitar makes me swoony..if thats a word.
this cd has sean back on the drums...a vital piece of their music..he beats like no other...truely unique....
so buy this and you will start to think like all swell fans....why aren't these guys as well known as elvis....they are too good...one of my favorites in the last decade....really....aint no lie...
and freel likes jamesons...just like me...