Swervedriver – The World’s Fair EP
Swervedriver – The World’s Fair EP
Outer Battery Records
Release Date: 07/03/2025
Review by Beth Morait
8/10
UK Indie/ Alt Rockers Swervedriver have been kicking it since 1989, so they’re no strangers to the scene. Sadly, they’re no strangers to the way the 90s chewed up and spat out bands for fun either. It was a dark era that, despite producing many musical masterpieces, mentally and physically broke so many musicians. And it was a combination of the brutality of the scene, and burnout that led to their long-term hiatus in 1999. But, following a reunion tour in 2008, and a couple of albums in the last decade, they’re back again, older and wiser, and ready to drop some more new music.
So, what does “The World’s Fair” EP bring? Well, first and foremost, the eponymous sound of 90s Indie. Whether you loved it or loathed it back then, it’s certainly great for Nostalgia’s sake. I’ve got out my rose-tinted glasses, and planted them firmly on my (way more wrinkled than it was in the 90s) face! This neatly packaged 4-track EP had me instantly back in my college days, sitting in the canteen with my gang of geeks and weirdos, lovingly known as “The Phreax”, wearing trench coats, playing Magic:The Gathering, and swapping mix tapes… Damn I miss those days. Life was simple then.
Opening track ‘Pack Yr Vision’ has all the elements you’d expect from a Psychedelic Indie banger – clean guitars running through arpeggios, Grungy distorted guitars in the background propping up the harmonies, a ton of reverb, and enough phaser pedal to bring down an empire. Vocally, it’s trippy and dream-like, and just makes you happy.
‘Volume Control’ is dominated by a strong rhythmic bassline, but again with the traditional Indie sounds sitting on top. It’s got some interesting experimentation with cross-rhythms, key changes, and breaks, making it wander somewhat into Prog territory.
Title track ‘The World’s Fair’ leads off with piano, in a similar style to the later Indie greats (I’m feeling a lot of Keane in it). But the dominant force of the slightly undecipherable, but still pleasingly mellow and tripped-out vocals is ever present.
The EP comes to a close with ‘Time Attacks’ (yeah don’t I know it when I look in the mirror pal! It only seems like yesterday when I was partying all weekend, and still looking fresh as a daisy on a Monday morning. Now I can literally feel dead if I’m not in bed by 10pm, and I need traction if I step out of the shower wrong). It’s much of the same as we’ve heard already. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s a warm familiarity that makes you smile, as does this whole EP. And at a little under 15 minutes, it certainly doesn’t have time to outstay its welcome. It’s nothing groundbreaking, or new. But if you need a succinct little nostalgia trip to brighten your lunch break, this is it.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Pack Yr Vision
02. Volume Control
03. The World’s Fair
04. Time Attacks
LINKS:
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