WL//WH Review ELLIS SWAN
Here we have an exceptional new record by Mr. Ellis Swan from Chicago, that is so definite, dusty, and clear like listening to the music of the early Tom Waits or David Eugene Edwards (under whatever moniker he records), or even Angelo Badalamenti, and other similar musicians too…but Ellis Swan sounds like locking himself in a room to perform and to record his music alone like a lone creature in the middle of the night that only then lives. Owl? Feline? Bat? All of them and more, I guess.
His brand new album with the distinct and characteristic title “3 am” LP was released on October 7, 2022, through the Italian label Quindi Records. It contains 14 velvety and dusty songs all from the blows and the streams of the desert blues, from the swamp delta sounds, from the ambient folk music, and from the psych-folk fields too. Put in his keen on the “indie” technique occasionally and at times (but quite clear though) and you have one amazing work to hear and to let it tell you its tales. As you already understand, his music is quite cinematic with faint colors in the background and all that has nothing to relate with fancied sounds and expensive studio production. Mr. Ellis Swan plays alone in his chamber, and yes, his new album has a very good and targeted sound too all over.
Let me show you what you can read on his Bandcamp:
The impression cast is of one man and his guitar, but there are other textures tucked into the music, the muffled murmur of a drum machine or a low-frequency organ hum, some desolate piano, other treated percussive impulses which might well have been the work of incidental sprites while the four-track was rolling
Now Listen…
…and sometimes he is quite a hypnotist as well, very relaxed, very much in his own world…and damn, he never loses his aim, he doesn’t chatter, and he doesn’t make up “beautiful stories” for “good night”. Probably the best time for him is dusk…probably…
…but absolutely is one of the most intriguing albums in 2022 so far. You cannot listen to it in pieces except with desire and great attention, and damn it again, it’s an album that sounds very pleasant at mostly low volume at home, and its lyrics are for “diverted stories”. I wonder why they didn’t put them on Bandcamp but only in the press kit…
All tracks were written, recorded, and performed by Ellis Swan, except for ” 3 am” lyrics written by Katherine and Ellis Swan, and “It Could Be Worse” lyrics written by, and additional vocals by, Katherine Swan. You can have it in Digital format and on Black Vinyl 12″ LP. Now go check first the whole album and do your things after. Cheers!!!
Keep up with Ellis Swan:
Written by Loud Cities’ Mike