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Swervedriver – 35th Anniversary Expanded Debut

Swervedriver – 35th Anniversary Expanded Debut

RELEASE A NEWLY EXPANDED 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THEIR

INFLUENTIAL DEBUT ALBUM ‘RAISE’ ON OCTOBER 2ND – PRE-ORDER HERE

NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE TOUR IS UNDERWAY – UK SHOWS START IN OCTOBER

“Heart-racing, horizon-bound psych-punk… the connective tissue between UK shoegaze and American alt-rock after grunge.” – Pitchfork, The Best 50 Shoegaze Albums of All Time

Swervedriver made an instant impact with their 1991 debut album ‘Raise’, a cult classic which infused the UK’s shoegaze scene with the furious intensity of American alt-rock and grunge. As new audiences discover the thrills of the ‘90s alternative scene, Swervedriver now announce that they will release an expanded double-vinyl 35th anniversary edition of ‘Raise’ on October 2nd.

The original album has been remastered, giving the supercharged attack of favourites such as ‘Rave Down’, ‘Son of Mustang Ford’ and ‘Sandblasted’ a fresh sheen. Now expanded to two discs, it also features two tracks from a limited 7” single that was packaged with the original ‘Raise’ vinyl. It is completed with bonus tracks that featured on the 2008 reissue. The tracks ‘Surf Twang’ and ‘Deep Twang’ have been digitised and remixed by vocalist/guitarist Adam Franklin, while the sleevenotes were compiled by the original bassist Adi Vines.

The double-vinyl set will be pressed on Neon Swirl and Blue Skies and is now available to pre-order HERE.

Adam Franklin says, “When we walk out on stage to perform the songs from Raise it feels like the songs have our back. It’s like four men with nine henchmen, with Sci Flyer as the leader of the gang”.

After ‘Raise’, Swervedriver continued to earn critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic with the albums ‘Mezcal Head’, ‘Ejector Seat Reservation’ and ‘99th Dream’ as well as touring with the likes of Soundgarden and Smashing Pumpkins. After their original run ended in 1998, they returned at Coachella in 2008, setting the path for the release of the albums ‘I Wasn’t Born To Lose You’ (2015) and ‘Future Ruins’ (2019). 2025 saw them release a new EP, ‘The World’s Fair’, and play their first shows in six years with a North American tour.

Still fronted by founder members Adam Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge (guitar), Swervedriver now feature Mick Quinn (bass, also of Supergrass) and Mikey Jones (drums). They have just commenced a North American headline tour, with UK shows to follow in October, causing a buzz that has already seen shows in London and Leeds sell out, Their UK dates are listed below, please see HERE for remaining tickets and a list of all North American gigs.

OCTOBER

23rd – London, Village Underground (NEW DATE)

24th – London, Village Underground (SOLD OUT)

27th – Bristol, The Fleece

29th – Oxford, O2 Academy

30th – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club (SOLD OUT)

NOVEMBER

2nd – Glasgow, Oran Mor

4th – Belfast, Limelight

5th – Dublin, Whelans

Tracklist:

LP1: Original Album

Side One 

  1. ‘Sci-Flyer’
  2. ‘Pile-Up’
  3. ‘Son Of Mustang Ford’
  4. ‘Deep Seat’

Side Two

  1. ‘Rave Down’              
  2. ‘Sunset’               
  3. ‘Feel So Real’
  4. ‘Sandblasted’
  5. ‘Lead Me Where You Dare…’

     

LP2: Bonus Material             

Side Three        

  1. ‘Flawed’ 
  2. ‘Out’
  3. ‘Laze It Up’
  4. ‘Hands’

                        

Side Four                        

  1. ‘Andalucia’
  2. ‘Over’
  3. ‘Surf Twang’
  4. ‘Deep Twang’

Follow Swervedriver:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram

Swervedriver – Futures Ruin (Rock Action Records)

Swervedriver – Futures Ruin (Rock Action Records)

With shoegaze enjoying something of a revival in recent years, many long-standing champions of the genre have upped their activity. Swervedriver were often on the heavier end of the spectrum, and whilst they haven’t always been the most prolific in terms of number of album releases (an extended pause following their breakup in 1998 didn’t help), they did return successfully in 2015 with ‘I Wasn’t Born to Lose You’.

‘Future Ruins’ largely continues on from its predecessor, delivering a strong record with many of the elements sure to keep fans of the band happy. The album kicks off of with one of the finest tracks here, the brilliant ‘Mary Winter’.  The strong riff and atmospheric melodies are demonstrative of a band in great form, writing music that will tune in directly to their fan base. ‘The Lonely Crowd Fades in the Air’ offers more of that energy before the title track takes the album in a slower and equally enjoyable direction.

Things pick up with ‘Drone Lover’, which oozes pop-laden brilliance, whilst ‘Spiked Flower’ joyfully propels the album forwards before the record eventually lulls a bit with ‘Everybody’s Going Somewhere & No-One’s Going Anywhere’ and ‘Golden Remedy’. Whilst the former particularly may be a bit hard to get into for the casual listener, these two tracks do add some extra layers to the album. The recovery is quick, however, and in style with ‘Good Times Are Hard to Follow’ before the lengthy otherworldliness of ‘Radio-Silent’ takes us to a dreamy end.

‘Future Ruins’ is a strong album and fans of the band will surely be instantly drawn to its infectious hooks and harmonies. And after 4 years since their previous release, the freshness will certainly be welcomed.

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