Swansea Sound (band)

Last updated
Swansea Sound
Swansea Sound in Allegro.jpg
Background information
Origin Swansea, Kent
Genres
Years active2020–present
LabelsSkep Wax Records
Members Amelia Fletcher

Hue Williams
Rob Pursey
Ian Button

Bob Collins
Website http://swanseasound.bandcamp.com

Swansea Sound are an indie pop band from Kent and Swansea, formed in 2020. The group reunites Amelia Fletcher and Hue Williams, who previously sang together in 1990s indie band The Pooh Sticks. The songs are written by Rob Pursey, Fletchers's husband and long-term musical partner in Heavenly, Marine Research and Tender Trap. Ian Button, formerly of Death in Vegas and Thrashing Doves plays drums. Bob Collins, of The Dentists, plays guitar.

Contents

History

The band adopted the name of Welsh local radio station, Swansea Sound, in September 2020, when it was renamed Greatest Hits Radio South Wales. [1]

Formed in 2020, during the Covid pandemic, the band only intended to release a few singles. The first four were Corporate Indie Band, I Sold My Soul on eBay, Rock n Roll Void and Indies Of The World, the latter of which entered the UK Physical Singles Top 10. [2]

Their first album 'Live At The Rum Puncheon', released in November 2021. Reflecting on the indie pedigree of the band members, Shindig! referred to them as "indie-pop royalty," [3] while AllMusic considered that it "felt like an indie pop dream come to life." [4] The album was not live, nor was it recorded at the Rum Puncheon, a notorious Swansea pub which closed down in the 1980s. [5] Instead, due to the pandemic, it was recorded by the band members themselves in their respective homes, without ever meeting each other. The album was widely reviewed positively including in Uncut [6] and Record Collector, the latter referring to it as "packed full of hook-filled two-and-a-half-minute pop songs, offset by the underlying acerbic commentary on contemporary corporatisation and digital branding." [7]

Around the time of the debut album's release, the relaxation of Covid rules allowed the band to meet and play live, across the UK and in Paris. Second album 'Twentieth Century', released in September 2023, was more of a band effort. It again received widespread critical acclaim, including from Mojo, [8] Record Collector, [9] and Louder Than War. [10] The band recorded a live session for the Riley&Coe show on BBC Radio 6 Music. [11]

In December 2022, the band released a single, Music Lover, using a format they had invented: a CD single inside a Christmas card. They used same format the following December for Santa Bail Me Out.

Swansea Sound's sleeve artwork is by Welsh visual artist Catrin Saran James. [12]

Discography

Albums

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heavenly (British band)</span> British twee pop band

Heavenly are a twee pop band, originally forming in Oxford, England in 1989. Amelia Fletcher (vocals/guitar), Mathew Fletcher, Peter Momtchiloff (guitar) and Robert Pursey (bass) had all been members of Talulah Gosh, a key member of the C86 scene.

<i>Superfuzz Bigmuff</i> 1988 studio album by Mudhoney

Superfuzz Bigmuff is the debut album and first major release by the Seattle grunge band Mudhoney. It was released on October 20, 1988, through record label Sub Pop. The album was later re-released in 1990 in Europe in the form of Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence (musician)</span> English singer, songwriter and guitarist

Lawrence Hayward, known mononymously as Lawrence, is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is known as the frontman in the English indie pop bands Felt, Denim, and Mozart Estate.

<i>Dazzle Ships</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Dazzle Ships is the fourth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 4 March 1983 by Virgin Records. Its title and cover art allude to a painting by Vorticist artist Edward Wadsworth based on dazzle camouflage, titled Dazzle-ships in Drydock at Liverpool.

The Pooh Sticks were a Welsh indie pop band from Swansea, Wales, primarily recording between 1988 and 1995. They were notable for their jangly melodiousness and lyrics gently mocking the indie scene of the time, such as on "On Tape", "Indiepop Ain't Noise Pollution" and "I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well". The band changed direction on their 1991 U.S breakthrough The Great White Wonder, eschewing the 'twee' British indie pop sound for a more American-styled power pop sound, akin to bands such as Jellyfish and Redd Kross. Subsequent albums included Million Seller, released on 11 January 1993, considered by some power pop fans to be the band's best work, and Optimistic Fool, released on 24 April 1995, followed in this style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Scott (drummer)</span> Musical artist

Simon Scott is an English musician, mastering engineer and sound artist, best known as the drummer in Slowdive and formerly of Lowgold and The Charlottes. He also fronted Inner Sleeve/Televise, and has released ambient music as a solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amelia Fletcher</span> British singer, songwriter, guitarist, and economist

Amelia Fletcher is a British singer, songwriter, guitarist and economist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tullycraft</span> American indie pop band

Tullycraft is an American indie pop band from Seattle, Washington, that formed in 1995. They have been associated with the genre of twee pop; in fact, they are considered to be one of the true pioneers of the American twee pop movement. They are known for their DIY ethic, only releasing albums on independently owned and operated record labels.

<i>For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder?</i> 1980 studio album by The Pop Group

For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? is the second studio album by English post-punk band The Pop Group. It was released on 21 March 1980 through the record labels Rough Trade and Y.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Story (British band)</span> English psychedelic folk duo

The Story is an English psychedelic folk duo comprising the former Forest member Martin Welham and his son Tom Welham. They write and record melodic songs that range from psychedelic pop to stream-of-consciousness folk and play an array of predominantly acoustic instruments as a backdrop to their blend of vocal harmonies.

<i>Frigid Stars LP</i> 1991 studio album by Codeine

Frigid Stars LP is the debut album by American indie rock band Codeine. It was released in February 1991 on Glitterhouse in Europe and in May 1991 on Sub Pop in the United States. The album was released to generally positive reviews and is regarded as being one of the pioneering albums in the slowcore genre.

Steve Stanley is an American music historian, reissue producer, graphic artist, musician, and the founder of Now Sounds, a reissue record label established in 2007 and distributed by Cherry Red Records.

<i>We Come from the Same Place</i> 2014 studio album by Allo Darlin

We Come from the Same Place is the third and final studio album by indie band Allo Darlin'. It was released by Fortuna Pop! Records on 6 October 2014 in the UK and by Slumberland Records on 7 October 2014 in the US. It received mostly positive reviews, with critics noting the songwriting of Elizabeth Morris and the vocals and guitar work of Paul Rains.

Michael Ross Perkins is a songwriter and recording artist from Dayton, Ohio.

<i>Final Wild Songs</i> 2016 box set by The Long Ryders

Final Wild Songs is a four-CD compilation box set by American band the Long Ryders, released in 2016 by Cherry Red Records. It collects the debut EP 10-5-60, the three studio albums Native Sons, State of Our Union and Two-Fisted Tales, as well as a number of rare and unreleased tracks, including a full 1985 live set recorded for radio broadcast in the Netherlands.

<i>Autofiction</i> (album) 2022 studio album by Suede

Autofiction is the ninth studio album by English alternative rock band Suede. The album was released on 16 September 2022 via BMG to critical acclaim. It was their first release in four years, following 2018's The Blue Hour and their first since Night Thoughts in 2016 to feature longtime producer Ed Buller. The album was created as a stylistic distinction from their previous reunion work, which had taken on a more orchestral and cinematic scope.

<i>September November</i> 2023 studio album by the Long Ryders

September November is the fifth studio album by American band the Long Ryders, released on March 10, 2023, by Cherry Red Records. It is their first full-length album without bassist Tom Stevens, who passed away in 2021. The album is produced by Ed Stasium, who also produced the Long Ryders' two previous albums, Two-Fisted Tales (1987) and Psychedelic Country Soul (2019).

<i>Pearlies</i> (album) 2023 studio album by Emma Anderson

Pearlies is the debut solo album by British rock musician Emma Anderson. It has received positive reviews from critics and has been promoted with three music videos and live performances.

<i>Madra</i> (album) 2024 studio album by NewDad

Madra is the debut studio album by Irish rock band NewDad, released on 26 January 2024 through Fair Youth and Atlantic Records. It was produced by Chris W Ryan and received positive reviews from critics. It was recorded over two weeks in March of 2023 in Rockfield Studios in Wales. It features additional production from music producer Happa, as well as the bands guitarist, Sean O'Dowd. The album was mixed by Alan Moulder and Caesar Edmunds and was mastered at Metropolis Studios by Matt Colton.

Panic Pocket are an indie pop duo from London, England, consisting of Natalie Healey and Sophie Peacock. They have released one album and one EP on independent record labels.

References

  1. ↑ Little, Michael H. (9 Oct 2023). "Graded on a Curve: Swansea Sound, Twentieth Century". The Vinyl District. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  2. ↑ "UK Official Physical Singles Chart". Official Charts. 25 Mar 2021. Retrieved 30 Jan 2024.
  3. ↑ Patterson, Thomas (8 Jan 2022). "A Rum Affair". Shindig!: 30.
  4. ↑ Sendra, Tim. "Twentieth Century Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 30 Jan 2024.
  5. ↑ Williams, Nino (27 Aug 2018). "Ten of the most notorious Swansea pubs that ever existed". WalesOnline. Retrieved 30 Jan 2024.
  6. ↑ Wallace, Wyndham (11 Nov 2021). "Live at the Rum Puncheon review". Uncut: 31.
  7. ↑ Johnstone, Johnnie (4 Nov 2021). "Live at the Rum Puncheon review". Record Collector: 115.
  8. ↑ Wirth, Jim (19 Sep 2023). "Twentieth Century review". Mojo: 86.
  9. ↑ Johnstone, Johnnie (5 Oct 2023). "Twentieth Century review". Record Collector: 99.
  10. ↑ Babey, Ged (8 Sep 2023). "Swansea Sound: Twentieth Century Review". Louder Than War. Retrieved 30 Jan 2024.
  11. ↑ "Riley & Coe". BBC Media Centre. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  12. ↑ "Twentieth Century by Swansea Sound". Catrin Saran James. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.