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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
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 The Other Jesus (03:09)
You rise and fall before me I close my eyes
When all these schemes devour me I'll apologize
You send the truth straight by me I fall right in
These sins you've laid before me are seeping in
I saw the other Jesus walk down my street
Sit tight they try to teach us
The twain shall never meet
But I saw the other Jesus
Walk down my street
In dreams I've tried to twist it
But I never bleed
And something way more sinister
Is plain to see
I saw the other Jesus walk down my street
You rise and fall before me I close my eyes
When all these schemes devour me I'll apologize
You send the truth straight by me I fall right in
These sins you've laid before me are seeping in
I saw the other Jesus walk down my street
05 I Am Superman (03:34)
See me fly over your rooftops
Throwing change to your outstretched palms
On my way back from Israel, Nobel Peace Prize underarm
I've heard they want me in India
I've got cures for any plague anytime
And if you catch up with the ice cream man
Make mine a ninety-nine
'Cause I am Superman La la la la la la la la la la
'Cause I am Superman La la la la la la la la la la
You'll see me down at the bookies
I got a crystal ball inside of my head
You'll find more wealth than you could ever dream
If you just follow what I said
I'm very good for the business
I got the connection, the right man the right time
And if you wanna be number one
Then make mine the long line
'Cause I am Superman La la la la la la la la la la
All the girls cry, who's their honey in hotpants?
To the boys I'm just good with the ball
For the grandparents and little children
I sacrifice myself for them all
You'll see me walk on the tightrope and never fall
And that's 'Cause I am Superman La la la la la la la la
I am Superman
06 Bubbling Up (04:12)
Bubbling up and not buckling under
I walked for miles tonight
In the rain, all the way home from Camden Town
But when I got home to Tottenham
I could spin carousels in the park, in the dark
And I can hear you say
What's the point in romanticizing everything?
So what's the point in romanticizing everything?
Bubbling up and not buckling under
I walked for miles and it still feels real 1972
Rocketman on the moon
And all I can hear you say
Is what's the point in romanticizing everything?
But when I get home here
I can feel London, North Europe here
You say What's the point in romanticizing everything?
So I'm gonna do whatever I do
Don't show me the way home yet
I don't wanna go I'm happy here
Don't show me the way home yet
I'm bubbling up and not buckling under
Bubbling up and not buckling under
Bubbling up and not buckling under
Bubbling up and not buckling under
07 Ejector Seat Reservation (05:56)
Not going down in a ball of fire
Just 'cause the wings won't reach any higher
And I'm the psychotic tripping in the aisles
Sheet rain on the window pain
Now at the bar, gnashing and gurning
And never quite turning
As the hostess turns to me and jokes:
At least you've always got a good tale to tell
When you die well
I keep crashing out and dreaming about
Black African goddesses in white western underwear
So there
And when you say everybody is a star in the end
Then the greatest starfucker's your boyfriend who says
I've always loved the smell of your blood
Don't ask me why, I don't try
We're so earthbound in every town
And everybody's got a right to a will to want to live
And a right to want to die
Please help us back on to our feet
Escort us to the ejector seats
And I'm alive! I can't seem to hide it
Got people calling out my name and everything
Death by chandelier
She says Death by chandelier!
It falls on my head and I'm dead
And that's how I want to die
Don't ask me why, I don't try
But if my lights are gonna blow
Then that's the end of the show
The fuzzy end of the lollipop's yours to suck
I don't wanna here anymore
And just don't tell me the Fulham score
Please help me back on to my feet
Reserve me the ejector seat
Go away Go away
Take me to Nirvana or Shangri-la
And somewhere on my journey I saw everything
Not going down in a ball of fire
A little man sitting on my shoulder
Top hat and tails and he carries a folder
And written within is a list of the men
Who went down before me
Am I not going down?
It's like Carry On Through The Clouds
It's like flying with Satan sharing the navigation
And he keeps grabbin' hold of the controls
Please help me back on to my feet
Reserve me the ejector seat
Go away Go away
Fly me to Nirvana or Shangri-la
Somewhere on my journey I saw everything
Where the songs do grow
And the flowers can sing
10 Last Day on Earth (05:45)
As I collapsed to watch the movie
A hand reached out and pulled me through the screen
Angels descending from the rooftops
They wanna take me to all these places I've never seen
But I'm gonna live forever
I'm gonna cause a diversion
And head 'em off at the pass
And this is my last day on earth
This is my last day
Listening to when Ann cries and swears
And kisses all her lover's ex-lover's lips
She's only known the flights of ecstasy (and agony)
And she's never felt lost throughout all of this
But she's really had it this time
She's had it so much it's starting to make her sick
She says lets exit quick
And this is her last day on earth
This is her last day
This is our last day
The is my last day on earth
Now I'm burning for somewhere
I'm gonna tape on these paper wings and fly high
And maybe close and maybe burn but high
This is my last day on earth
Last day on earth
11 The Birds (03:42)
In a moment of weakness I embodied the sickness
And when everyone winds me up I just can't wind down
And the April rain soaks my jokes to a pulp
The sun makes my eyes burn
And it must be my turn
To fly with the birds this time
Saturday's nation is rife with anticipation
Of the ticket that buys you out of the real world
But I don't mind the rain
'Cause I was born on an aeroplane
Balloon ride over landslides
It's April, I'm 18
And flying with the birds in a dream
Make an electric connection as lightning strikes
Angels' wings not once but twice
Point blank refusal, the earth moves I turn her head
Plant life gone wild over British monuments
Something is burning
Somebody's learning
To fly with the birds tonight
Solomon flies tonight
Cape to coast, wings in full flight
He's flying home with the birds tonight
In a moment of weakness I embodied the sickness
And I just can't wind down
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