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Product Description
Review
Silversun Pickups present homage and individualism on their second album, Swoon, a delicious and surprisingly commercial mix.
Here, the Pickups have gone for a 10-strong set of five minute plus tracks that never once descend into the doldrums of filler or repetition. No mean feat for a band who revel in shoegazing, a genre which has been known to drag on a bit in its time.
While Swoon is distinctly an amalgam of its creators' imaginations and that of their own musical favourites (Smashing Pumpkins, My Bloody Valentine), there is no laziness here. Where some are happy to base a song on a single hook, this four-piece throw three or four great ideas at each pristine track and come up with something rich and captivating.
At almost six minutes, single Panic Switch is proof that long doesn't have to mean tedious; its mix of paces, frantic drums and howling guitar is rounded by a compelling chorus. Others, including Sort Of and Catch and Release end completely differently to how they began - the latter bringing the strings of the album's 16-piece orchestra to the fore. Growing Old Is Getting Old builds from Chris Guanlao's gentle drums to a climatic and distorted wall of sound, and while mournful, never seems indulgent.
While Brian Aubert often sounds like a typical Californian singer, there are enough traces of his Silver Lake origins running through his vocals to stop them sounding clichéd. It's a credit to Silversun Pickups for proving that forays into lengthier material can be well done. Swoon is both traditional and testing, and laden with rewards for listener time invested. --Keira Burgess
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Product Description
CD
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
While this album is not as immediate as Carnavas, it's a real grower. Little melodies and chord movements will slowly being to leap out at you and eventually you realise this is a really beautiful album. The addition of an orchestra adds a huge amount of texture to some tracks, although at times it feels overused and may have benefited from being more subtle.
The Smashing Pumpkins comparisons will still be made, but I felt that the sound created here moves the band more towards their own sound than Carnavas did. I can hear bits of Muse in there, but honestly, there's not really any mistaking SSPU for any other band when their songs play. While it may sound derived from others they've very much put their own seal on it.
As with Carnavas, the track order isn't the best it could be as the strongest tracks are definitely in the first half of the album. Notably, 'The Royal We' and 'It's Nice to Know you Work Alone' are pop-rock classics. 'Growing Old is Getting Old' starts off deceptively calm but grows into something incredible with wonderful use of vocal harmonies and swirly aggressive guitars.
I'm glad this band are living up to their potential and emerging as one of my favourites. I'd give it 4.5 stars.
The Smashing Pumpkins comparisons will still be made, but I felt that the sound created here moves the band more towards their own sound than Carnavas did. I can hear bits of Muse in there, but honestly, there's not really any mistaking SSPU for any other band when their songs play. While it may sound derived from others they've very much put their own seal on it.
As with Carnavas, the track order isn't the best it could be as the strongest tracks are definitely in the first half of the album. Notably, 'The Royal We' and 'It's Nice to Know you Work Alone' are pop-rock classics. 'Growing Old is Getting Old' starts off deceptively calm but grows into something incredible with wonderful use of vocal harmonies and swirly aggressive guitars.
I'm glad this band are living up to their potential and emerging as one of my favourites. I'd give it 4.5 stars.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By B. Clayton
Format:Audio CD
I have to confess to fearing the worst when I ordered this album, largely for the reasons a previous reviewer alluded to - that the second album doesn't always live up to it's promise and any band that is so clearly a collection of iconic influences is going to attract a great deal more criticism than one that appears more original.
However, I was pretty much blown away from the first track. While no one track stands out in the same way as Lazy Eye or Little Lover's So Polite the album is a much more rounded listen. The opening track in particular seamlessly carries the introspection that builds throughout Carnavas and instantly scored with me.
While I don't think the SSPU's will go down as all time greats I do think they stand out amongst their contemporaries and as such this album is well worth purchasing if you enjoyed their first or are looking to fill the void left by the likes of Placebo, the Smashing Pumpkins and to a point My Bloody Valentine.
However, I was pretty much blown away from the first track. While no one track stands out in the same way as Lazy Eye or Little Lover's So Polite the album is a much more rounded listen. The opening track in particular seamlessly carries the introspection that builds throughout Carnavas and instantly scored with me.
While I don't think the SSPU's will go down as all time greats I do think they stand out amongst their contemporaries and as such this album is well worth purchasing if you enjoyed their first or are looking to fill the void left by the likes of Placebo, the Smashing Pumpkins and to a point My Bloody Valentine.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By kiwi
Format:Audio CD
A good example of how a band can find for themselves what made them successful in the first place, and then improve on it a second time around. The first few run throughs of this album and it is plain to see, their is virtually no filler hear. From the slightly fuzzy (but powerful) opener 'there's no secrets...' to pacey rock of 'surrounded', there are songs all the way through here that hit the spot. Lead single panic switch, for instance, is beautifully orchestrated even without the sublimely catchy chorus. They manage to fill their songs with so many ideas that you don't notice the one or too that miss. My album of the year so far.
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
This has been a fairly recent find but ever since I bought this its not been far off the playlist. Swoon is the second album from SSP and it really is a statement of intent. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Syriat
5.0 out of 5 stars
I just love this band
Their first album was excellent and this is even better. It took me a while to get into it and now i am hooked. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2010 by Mark Rosamond
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best music which has ever reached my ears!
I heard Silversun Pickups CD for the first time in a plane. I was swept away by the uniqueness of the music. Absolutely every track on this CD is gold! Read more
Published on 15 Jan 2010 by J. C. J. Mols
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent second Album.
I heard of a band called the silversun pickups who were supposedly reviving the genre of music called shoe gazing. I was a big Lush fan and a lesser fan of My bloody valentine. Read more
Published on 31 July 2009 by Mr. A. Fisher
4.0 out of 5 stars
Swoon-some (8/10)
Swoon is very much a case of if-it-ain't-broke for Silversun Pickups' sophomore outing. Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins comparisons are many and fair. Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2009 by Gannon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Swagger and Swoon
Love this album. Energetic, lyrically appealing and great to run to! I don't usually go for the thrashy guitar riff type of tune (sorry, wouldn't want to pigeon hole this album... Read more
Published on 10 Jun 2009 by G. Woods
4.0 out of 5 stars
Silversun Pickups
Swoon
This is a great album, if you like The Smashing Pumpkins and other bands of the early to mid 90's you will like this.
This is a great album, if you like The Smashing Pumpkins and other bands of the early to mid 90's you will like this.
Published on 31 May 2009 by R. Watson
3.0 out of 5 stars
Is SSPU afraid of success?
I followed SSPU religiously at the gigs, got signed tshirts and even had drinks with the band. So it really pains me to write this: Swoon fell very short of my expectations. Read more
Published on 26 April 2009 by S. Tual
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Pickups finest hour
I rarely feel compelled to write reviews, however, having listened to this album 4 or 5 times now, I just could not bear to see it stand with a paltry average of 3 stars from the... Read more
Published on 24 April 2009 by David P
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