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New Music Critique: Swallows

Production9
Lyrics7
Music7
Vocals8
Musicianship8
7.8

Contact: [email protected]

Web: swallowthemusic.com

Seeking: Film/TV, Booking, Distribution
Style: Rock, Gothic Americana

The Swallows’ extremely well-produced concept album about a murder is propelled by Jeff Crandall’s gravelly vocal style, which reminds us of Rob Zombie and Tom Waits. “Wrecking Ball” alternates a spooky, breathy vocal passage with one that rocks heavily in the chorus: “One more whack wth a wrecking ball!” The much more accessible “Ultraviolet” eases up a bit with a whispered vocal and a catchy groove. The band’s straightforward rocker “Dead and Gone” features some very good blues-infused guitar playing and Crandall’s commanding voice expressing soul-searing regret (“Should have sheltered you, now you’re dead and gone”). The song could be tighter and shorter, but...