Album Review
The Swellers – Running Out Of Places To Go
Michigan based punk-rockers The Swellers have been comparably vocal regarding their intention to pull back on any theatrics in favour of a straightforward and instantly noticeable sound. With that in mind, ‘Running Out of Places to Go’ is a small step into uncharted territory for the band. The majority of the record preserves the fundamental rock sound which formed the basis for the band’s career, yet appoints a further layer of accessibility previously more inconspicuous.
From the opening moments of the first track – ‘Hands’ – the EP ramps up the cleaner notions within the sound. Rather than dominating the sound with heavier guitar riffs, the instrumentation now sits comfortably behind the melody. Perhaps somewhat contradictorily the resulting sound imparts a level of maturity lacking from previous releases. Even with the occasional gang vocal, ‘Hands’ comes across like a bouncier version of The Gaslight Anthem or similar.
The step from ‘Ups and Downsizing’ to ‘Good For Me’ saw a downward trend in terms of tempo and traditionalist punk characterisation, and ‘Running Out of Places to Go’ continues in the same direction. A number of bands proclaim that they are creating a more direct sound in order to compensate for the removal of interesting hooks from their compositions; in this case the simplification is entirely beneficial to the outcome.
As with any shift in direction the EP runs the risk of leaving punk lovers by the wayside; however The Swellers are clearly comfortable with the music generated on the record. The punk elements may be stripped back, yet the anthemic nature of each track is carefully positioned at the forefront. Those looking for a return to the traditionalist values underpinning earlier material will find little to alleviate concerns on ‘Running Out of Places to Go’, but by all accounts The Swellers are heading in their meticulously crafted direction.