Richard Swift: Dressed Up for the Letdown
Richard Swift has come a long way since playing keyboards with shoegazer band Starflyer 59
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Monday, 05, Mar 2007 03:07
Universal, out March 5th.
In a nutshell.
Uplifting. Catchy. Moving. Endearing. Poppy
What's it all about?
Singer-songwriter Richard Swift is no stranger to the twists and turns of a career in the music industry. His new album finds him singing about his rocky path to winning a contract with a major record label, while having to look after his wife and children.
Swift produces the album and plays most of the instruments on the record, which gives it a distinctly personal sound.
The ten tracks (split into two sides) have a retro feel, with a rubbery bass echoing McCartney, jangly pianos reminiscent of Elton John and quirky chord structures that Randy Newman would be proud of. However, Swift has a voice and style that's distinctly his own, both of which are ably showcased over the course of the album.
Who's it by?
Richard Swift has come a long way since playing keyboards with shoegazer band Starflyer 59. Dressed Up for the Letdown is his third solo album and the first to be put out with Universal.
His previous records Walking Without Effort and the Novelist were reissued by Secretly Canadian as a double album, collecting the output of his earlier solo work.
While his retro style might invite favourable comparisons to other classic pop icons - such as the Beatles and Randy Newman - Swift manages to carve out a style that is wholly his own.
As an example.
"My God what have I done?"
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Despite being signed to Universal, Swift is still an unknown to many. This might hamper the album's recognition, but critics elsewhere will probably pick up on Swfit's songwriting skill and craftsmanship displayed in the tracks.
What the others say
"You'd hardly guess this was a solo album: it sounds like a scrap between at least three personalities. Least appealing of these is the bitter musician who has spent years struggling for attention." - Maddy Costa, the Guardian
"Dressed Up for the Letdown feels like the wee hours of morning, and that may keep some listeners from breaking it out as often as they should, but like all good slices of melancholy pie, it's best enjoyed in your basement while the rest of the world is asleep." - James Christopher Monger, Allmusic
So is it any good?
Richard Swift's music is laden with pop hooks more addictive than illegal substances, guaranteeing that you'll keep returning to it for more. However, the lyrics cut a darker tone, revealing the inner thoughts of a struggling musician battling with the music industry while trying to feed a young family (Swift worked at KFC at one point in order to pay the bills).
Thankfully, Richard Swift's love of pop and tricksy chord changes chime through the record never allowing it to wallow in miserabilism. So when he croons "My God what have I done" on Ballad of You Know How and the music swells to a whisky-drenched understated climax, you're willing to give your heart, your soul and the fiver in your back pocket to the man. The song is definite pick off the album and one of the musical highlights of the year.
As a chronicle of one man's turbulent journey to doing what he loves, the album is a success. But as a ten-track album filled to the brim with classic songwriting, the album excels.
8/10
Pranam Mavahalli