Archive for the ‘The Swear’ Category
The Swear – Hotel Rooms and Heart Attacks
For the most part I really hate female singers. I’m not sure why and I’m sure I should be more supportive of my gender but usually I find it really annoying. Nevertheless, I decided to give “Hotel Rooms and Heart Attacks”, the first full length album by The Swear a try and was glad I did.
Singer/writer/guitarist Elizabeth Elkins has a deep, gutsy voice with a ton of power reminiscent of old school rockers like Chrissie Hynde and Patti Smith. Being a female lead singer who wears lots of eyeliner and fronts an all male band, she is drawing many comparisons to Amy Lee from Evanesence, but from what I have heard she will quickly go beyond that comparison and come into her own. Rounded out by Jeremy Zamora (guitar), Kevin Williams (bass) and Jerod Snider (drums), The Swear are beginning to gain a lot of critical acclaim in their Native Atlanta and have already had many of their songs featured in an independent film and a number of television shows. In 2006 they also released a 6 song EP intitled “Ever Trick’s a Good One”.
Although considered somewhat of an Emo band, The Swear have a punky hard rock feel that I think goes beyond the label of Emo. Throughout the album you can recognize the influence of a wide range of bands from Garbage and Smashing Pumpkins to more hardcore rockers like Rage Against the Machine and Fugazi. To spread the word of The Swear the band has been touring extensively over the past couple of years, with a spot on the Vans Warped Tour and well as opening slots with higher profile acts like the Foo Fighters, Courtney Love and Concrete Blonde.
The album is very diverse from one song to the next in style, song structure and vocal style, which is good in the fact that it appeals to a wide audience but it may also be its greatest flaw. It almost gives the impression that they are still struggling to define a clearcut style that’s their own. Once they are able to get over this early identity crisis and come into their own as artists The Swear should definitely be on their way. With this in mind, their next album could very well be the one that breaks for them.
