Swervedriver were formed in 1989 and lumped into the Shoegaze genre, alongside Lush, Chapterhouse, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and fellow Oxfordians Ride. The band’s catalogue is extensive and consists of six full-length albums and eight EP’s of which The World’s Fair is the latest; the latter following up from last year’s outtakes/ demos collection Doremi Faso Latido (aka CD3 of the band’s reissued-classic-99th-Dream). The band’s somewhat sizeable catalogue is impressive even taking into account the fact that they had disbanded for a period of eight years, 1999 – 2007 with frontman Adam Franklin going on to forge an equally productive solo career under his own name as well as part of the bands Toshack Highway, Magnetic Morning and the Sophia collective. 

This latest release is the band’s first set of original material since 2018’s Future Ruins while the band’s line-up features original members Adam Franklin – Guitar & Vocals and Jimmy Hartridge – Guitar, being joined by relative newbies Mikey Jones – Drums & Percussion (Heaven) and Mick Quinn – Bass (Supergrass). Incidentally, speaking of Ride, Mark Gardener assists in the recording of two tracks. Excited? You should be. 

Being an EP makes this is a short release at only four tracks and fifteen minutes long. “Pack Yr Vision” is a mellow laid-back number packed full of gorgeous harmonies and dreamy atmospherics. In some ways it recalls not only Elliot Smith but also his short-lived band Heatmiser and could indeed feature on the soundtrack to any number of Gus Van Sant post Good Will Hunting movies, or to put in layman’s terms there’s an undeniable Indie sensibility not just in vibe but also sonically, an excellent opener. “Volume Control” seems somewhat aptly named seeing as that’s been increased on this track and which in parts give it a Garage Rock flavour in some ways not too dissimilar to The 13th Floor Elevators. There are strings added too courtesy of Calina de la Mare – Violin & Viola and Sarah Willson – Cello as well as Piano from Will Foster that gives the track a sense of drama, highlighting the fact that Swervedriver possess an ambition, scope and sophistication which you don’t always find with your average Shoegaze band. Stunning. 

Will Foster returns on piano for “The World’s Fair” a track that taps into Shoegaze more readily as well as exuding from it swirls of rich Psych with a glorious slacker feel in the tradition of bands such as The Lemonheads and the much underappreciated and overlooked Grunge trio Truly (featuring former members of Soundgarden and The Screaming Trees). Indeed the Vocals are somewhat subdued while the music has a wooziness that makes the whole thing such an intriguing and richly rewarding listen. “Time Attacks” is the album’s shortest number and can be described as an ‘earworm’ in the Power-Pop tradition. Whereas the majority of Shoegaze bands in the mid-1990s were desperately selling out in order to get onboard the laddish Britpop bandwagon, there is considerably more sincerity with what Swervedriver produce here. Remember when Husker Du toned down the fuzz in favour of a much more melodic approach, that is what Franklin and co are going for here. It is much more demonstrative of a band flexing its creative muscles resulting in this absolute peach of a concluding track. 

As with their Shoegaze contemporaries, Swervedriver have reunited and produced records like this which surpass those that came before. With age comes experience and a finely honed songwriting ability of which The World’s Fair is a perfect example. 

Buy the album here:
https://swervedriver.bandcamp.com/album/the-worlds-fair-ep

8 / 10
REZA MILLS
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