Wrapping up a reunion tour that lasted almost as long as their original run, Swervedriver have finally returned to the studio to record their first album since 1998's eclectic 99th Dream. Reassembling their Mezcal Head lineup (with Mikey Jones of Bolts of Melody replacing Jez Hindmarsh), the Swervies' fifth LP, I Wasn't Born to Lose You, shows a band eager to recapture their old magic.
Although tracks like the sonically tight "Last Rites" and stoner rocker "Red Queen Arms Race" find Swervedriver attempting to stretch out from their typical song structures — allowing their heavily affected guitar outros to build and collapse — much of the work on I Wasn't Born to Lose You finds the quartet sticking closely to the script. Coming off as loose and confident as they've ever sounded (vocalist Adam Franklin has truly allowed himself to croon on tracks like "For a Day Like Tomorrow" and "I Wonder?"), I Wasn't Born to Lose You is a solid return from a band eager to sound like themselves again.
(Cobraside)Although tracks like the sonically tight "Last Rites" and stoner rocker "Red Queen Arms Race" find Swervedriver attempting to stretch out from their typical song structures — allowing their heavily affected guitar outros to build and collapse — much of the work on I Wasn't Born to Lose You finds the quartet sticking closely to the script. Coming off as loose and confident as they've ever sounded (vocalist Adam Franklin has truly allowed himself to croon on tracks like "For a Day Like Tomorrow" and "I Wonder?"), I Wasn't Born to Lose You is a solid return from a band eager to sound like themselves again.
