In 2006, Silversun Pickups blew up out of the Silver Lake region of Los Angeles (home to such other acts as Earlimart – QRO spotlight on – and Division Day – QRO spotlight on) thanks to Carnavas, and its two rather different singles, “Lazy Eye” and “Well Thought Out Twinkies”. While “Lazy Eye” employed a sweet, emotional indie-press, “Twinkies” veered towards the guitar-rock. The band has taken their time coming up with a follow-up, and Swoon more smoothly and evenly integrates the twin strains, for fewer highs, and fewer lows.
If you were only familiar with Silversun Pickups from the charting “Lazy Eye”, the guitar-rock strains from singer/guitarist Brian Aubert might be a surprise, but also present on Swoon is the alt-rock press & catch of “Lazy”, starting with opener (and most recent single) “There’s No Secrets This Year”. But other than that and the quiet processions “Growing Old Is Getting Old” and “Draining”, Aubert’s guitar-rock cuts through the album. Generally the band moves towards the epic, like with the dark & stormy “The Royal We” or single “Panic Switch”, but the most memorable of these are “It’s Nice To Know You Work Alone” and “Sort of”, thanks to the press and guitar-rock integration.
That integration is key: when it works, Swoon rises; when it doesn’t, Swoon falls. That is what puts “Nice” and “Sort” above “Royal” or “Panic”. Ill-fitting guitar-rock insertions also mar the high & catchy “Substitution” and the brighter finisher “Surrounded (Or Spiraling)”. It’s particularly disappointing with the latter, which looked to send of Swoon on its highest note, before excessive rawk is thrown in near its end.
Despite the three-year break between records, Swoon certainly feels like a follow-up to Carnavas, with Silversun Pickups taking the same elements as before, just working them better. It’s certain to please those who liked Carnavas (as long as they knew more about it than just “Lazy Eye”), if not bowl over new ears.
MP3 Stream: “Sort of”
