Silversun Pickups • Swoon

Now released into a larger public, Silversun Pickups come back with the same basic 90's-alternative-influenced sound in their latest released titled "Swoon". Although I was expecting drastic changes from them (I'm not sure why), they sound basically the same as they did in "Carnavas". Not that this is a bad thing, mind you, but for the older fans of their work it might be just slightly disappointing. Hey, at least they don't sound worse! The album of course is powerful, still, with the same energetic drums and crying guitar riffs, Mr. Brian Aubert does not let us down with his sexy almost feminine vocals. (Yes, there I said it!)



"The Royal We" is a seductive track, with lines like 'how many times do you wanna die' and strings that sound like they belong in a classical orchestra. "Growing Old Is Getting Old" also has a pulsating rhythm at the beginning that is hypnotizing, then it bursts into their usual guitar-drum-vocal scratching. "It's Nice To Know You Work Alone" is much slower but still resentful and catchy. "Panic Switch" might be the re-player in this album, "Draining" lets our ears rest for 4:55 minutes, just so that "Sort Of" breaks us in all over again. Towards the last track, if you listen to this album on its entirety non-stop, you honestly do become aware you've been listening to them for 51 minutes. Honestly, when I got to the end of this album I was quite glad, because the sounds on "Swoon", unlike in "Carnavas", become quite monotone and repetitive and they end right before you want to blow up a speaker. Yet, this is not an excuse to hear the tracks separately with a cup of tea in between. Track-listing:

1. There's No Secrets This Year
2. The Royal We
3. Growing Old Is Getting Old
4. It's Nice to Know You Work Alone
5. Panic Switch
6. Draining
7. Sort Of
8. Substitution
9. Catch and Release
10. Surrounded (or Spiraling)

If you liked Silversun Pickups, You might also like:

+ Autolux
+ Cold War Kids
+ The Smashing Pumpkins