(Photo by Lippe)
In a land of bittersweet lyrics and harmonies where your heart will soar and your soul will swoon, a place where beauty comes in forms of catchy guitar hooks and demanding drum beats you will find Schwervon!. The new album from this fabulous duo (made up of Matt Roth and Nan Turner), Courage, will take you on an emotional ride through their world.
A strong opening guitar riff kicks off this album with "Truth Teller," a dark, slightly bitter ambient tune that is perfectly balanced by soft melodic harmonies. The next track, "American Idle," will keep you hoppin’ around the room to the infectious heavy-handed drum beats. The haunting sound of Turner’s sweet voice singing, "Wanna destroy everything that I love," is sure to echo through your head all day.
As "Daydream Ration" starts, it feels like that song every girl wishes would have been written for her and performed bedside. Roth’s vocals add an innocent quality, causing this listener to feel like a teen again. The vocal team’s playful collaboration is captured beautifully as this track dives into just the right touch of build to a climactic ending.
"Cyclone" will send you on a daydream walk. Floating from one verse to the next on a sea of lovely harmonies and guitar riffs, you’ll be mesmerized into a state of carefree bliss. Turner’s solid, undeniable beats keep pounding and pounding, building momentum until they come to one jarring end.
Roth’s driven, choppy guitar riffs along with the duo’s sugary harmonies lead you through the fifth track, "Cougar Pride." Those elements come face to face with Turner’s vocals and beats and find a nice melodic resting place. "Dog Got Your Cat Tongue…" still repeating, still repeating! Animalistic guitar riffs taunting your raunchy side, a rhythmic groove to grind to, and some seriously sexy vocal tracks. It’s rowdy! It’s contagious! It’s neat! We love it!
The album ends with two softer melodic tracks, "Big Pink Eraser" and "Lot’s Wife." They will make you fall in love with this powerful duo and leave your heart warmed, with Schwervon! sending us on a final emotional trek through melodic turns and smooth cadences.
Solid from start to end, Courage is a must-have addition to your record collection. Heartfelt and honest, this album will forever remain timeless. Courage will remind us: even if things start out a bit dark, there can always be a sweet ending.
Courage was recorded with Doug Easley in Memphis and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music in New York. It will be released by Olive Juice Music this Friday.
Never fear! You only have to wait 2 more days to pick up your own copy of the album. Schwervon! is hosting a record release party at The Riot Room this Friday, September 28 with special guests The Conquerors, The Lucky, and Folkicide. Be sure to catch Nan and Matt in action before they embark on their tour to Europe in October and early November!
–-Terra Peal
| Terra is a musician who has been around the Kansas City music scene for over 22 years. She is the singer and bassist for The Quivers and holds down the low end for Drew Black and Dirty Electric. She is also the official calendar girl for The Deli Kansas City. She’s a lil pep, a lil spice, and a lil Ginger. |