November 30th, 2009
Meet Philly’s Future, The Swimmers
Drexel’s Mad Dragon may not be a Sub-Pop or a Matador. Their roster isn’t super deep or cohesive. But it’ll do for the Swimmers for now. They’ve done everything themselves, anyway, all they count on Mad Dragon for is distribution and promotion. But in an age where viable indie musicians should be able to arrange, record, edit and mix everything on their own, the Swimmers have done just that with their second LP People Are Soft. In fact, they holed up in their home studio for a few months this spring and when it came time to let it out into the world they weren’t sure what to expect.
“I didn’t really trust myself to actually do an entire record and mix a record before this project,” lead guitarist/vocalist and primary songwriter Steve Yutzy-Burkey says. His wife Krista, who contributes vocals, keys, harp and some synths sits next to him on their living room couch in Northern Liberties: “We knew because of the stylistic changes that a lot of people would hate it, but we were also hoping that we’d gain some new fans,” she said. Between their debut and the November 3 release of People, Steve built a studio behind their house (pictured, above) and the band decided to throw all kinds of changes into their sound.
Namely, synths. And ooh are they pretty. This ends up defining the sound of most songs, and that’s not a bad thing: eerie, dreamy, groovy and mesmerizing. But rock bands have been incorporating synths for decades. So people have have been saying this record’s a bit of an homage (to whom? not sure) or that it’s derivative. Does it sound a little like Depeche Mode? Or does every synthy record sound a little like Depeche Mode?
“I think there’s something just so distinctive about certain synth sounds that really just go immediately somewhere for some people,” Steve says. “But we really weren’t making an homage and a lot of the bands we’re being compared to we weren’t listening to those bands.” Namely Interpol, Joy Division, New Order, and, humorously, the Killers. “We don’t even own, none of us own, a Killers record,” Krista clarifies. Yeah, didn’t think so.
But the thing about this record is that song to song their sound changes drastically. “We really didn’t even try to make any kind of continuity between songs even with drums or with anything,” Steve explaines. Opener “Shelter” has a shiny and soaring guitar lick that drifts over high-pitched bouncy synths before Steve’s light vocal brings you to a place reminiscent of the Strokes. The single with a video, “What This World Is Coming To,” has a couple blissed out breakdowns with a visceral synth drone accompanied by hand claps that shout out to favorite Mates of State moments. “Give Me The Sun” has a slow and steady beat with playful vocals: when Krista sings her part she sounds a little Siouxie Sioux, then Steve sings and they go a little Arcade Fiery.
Categorization is impossible to avoid. If you’re going to go on a shelf, you’re going to be rock, rap or classical, right? If you want people to buy your record you have to tell them ‘If you like Yes you’ll like Rush.’ But to listen to a record from beginning to end and hear influences from over a dozen bands is an impressive feat. At least it’s not just one. At least it’s not the Killers. “It seems like some bands will pick one band and then that’s the band that they sound like,” Steve adds. Not the case here.
The Swimmers are getting some press. Some good, some bad, but certainly a higher volume than with their debut. “We’re going with All Press is Good Press,” Krista offers. Paste has knocked on the Yutsey-Burkeys’ door. Magnet called the Swimmers out as Philly Future in January of ‘09 alongside Tickley Feather and labelmates Hoots & Hellmouth. (Bill Chenevert)
2 Responses to “Meet Philly’s Future, The Swimmers”
By GG on Nov 30, 2009
This band reminds people of the Killers, really? Depache Mode, New Order and Joy Division too? I have to check them out. Those are all really good bands and it would be nice to hear some new local talent that might be shaking it up here.