Swervedriver
Ejector Seat Reservation

THE REVIEW

Third album by Swervedriver and we are already in 1995. The Jesus and Mary Chain closed shop five years ago, and their 1989 "Automatic" is just a memory. The "Catherine Wheel" have also reached their third album but show signs of fatigue. Swervedriver, on their part,  with this "Ejector Seat Reservation" abandon any hard influence from the previous "Mezcal Head" and decisively, without any hesitation, aim towards psychedelia. It is their third great album, leaving an indelible mark in the history of Rock.

The band voluntarily pays homage to the most classic psychedelia, that of "The Byrds", but they do it in broad daylight, as a natural evolution of the talent of the Franklin brothers, and they even title a track simply "The Byrds". 

The resulting mix, between shoegaze and psychedelia, is almost epic in its beauty. Some will try to approach the splendor of this album in the following years. Brian Jonestown Massacre, for example, but this will happen only in rare flashes and never with the clarity and continuity of Swervedriver. The album begins with "Singe Finger Salute", a brief instrumental piece with background brass, which immediately declares the change of course compared to previous albums. The second track is immediately that masterpiece "Bring Me The Head", it's still them but the electric guitars are now less prominent, while the acoustic guitar is much more noticeable in the spirit of sixties psychedelia. And even when the electric guitar must necessarily be present, it’s often distorted.

Third "The Other Jesus" and the course correction becomes evident. The guitar is increasingly distorted, missing the typical walls of guitar of shoegaze. We are therefore in full psychedelia. The piece will become a classic for them. Fourth "Son of Jaguar E" and Swervedriver pay homage to the hypnotic shoegaze of Slowdive. When the lead guitar solo comes in halfway, the piece rises in altitude. Swervedriver know how to do everything well. Fifth "I Am A Superman" and Swervedriver start to play around with the sound of the early The Who, those of "Sell Out", to be clear. A joke made in excellent taste. Sixth "Bubbling Up" and the band drops the mask. The track is acoustic and beautiful. We are on a beach and people are surfing.

Seventh and here comes "Ejector Seat Reservation", another absolute masterpiece of the band,  the rhythm is undoubtedly sixties, and now that I've reached halfway through the album I am ready to appreciate it as I should. I will listen to it a few hundred times. Eighth and the band doesn't let up, here comes "How Does It Feel To Look Like Candy?". Ironic piece, and another collector's item. The band picks up the wah-wah again (a sign of masterpiece in the air) and the deed is done. Damn! But there are also brass instruments! What's next?.  Ninth "Last Day On Earth" and we calm down. A beautiful ballad that would seem to be written by John Lennon. Do I need to say it's another masterpiece? Tenth and here comes "The Byrds", the due and obvious homage.

By now I'm at a loss for words. I just need to listen and keep silent. Here the official album ends. Then there will be editions with "bonus track" pieces like the 2008 edition. Which I highly recommend to anyone who wants to do themselves some good.

Alex