Posted on: July 7, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 2

What The Swamphouse do on “The Fade” is create a completely unique style of music that will have listeners’ turning their heads when the first notes of “The Fade” come on. “Break Down” ties together funk, soul, and rap into something that really stretches over the course of the last thirty years in music. The flow that is achieved during the track is tight as all get out, providing an extra bump to the harmony even as it gives listeners a narrative. Each element of The Swamphouse is a cog in a tightly-oiled machine, crafting a style of music that will keep listeners up and bouncing.

Whether it is the guitar, bass, or percussive elements of The Swamphouse, each track on “The Fade” provides further evidence that the person behind the respective element is pouring their heart and soul out.

“Good Girl” brings The Swamphouse into Prince territory, as listeners can hear the inclusion of electronic arrangements to the mix. The charismatic vocals here further the comparison to Prince, while at moments The Swamphouse ride a New Wave type of sound. Regardless of what style they may actively be pushing, The Swamphouse zero in on a funky, intense, and impressive sound. Impressive during “Good Girl” has to be the presence of rap alongside the aforementioned New Wave sound; despite coming from two very different traditions, the band is able to make the two pieces work together in a flawless manner.

“This Is My Life” givers listeners a good ten second view into exactly how impressive the instrumentation on “The Fade” can be, before going into a delivery style that bounces back and forth between funk and rap. Any of the songs on “The Fade” could be #1 on an R&B, college, or alternative station: there are just so many different waves that listeners could conceivably begin to appreciate this act.
“Twisted” tops off “The Fade”, and does it in a way that continues to further the band’s range while following some trends previously broached on earlier tracks. The rap flow of the act here moves back to a decidedly eighties sound, while the rest of the band provides this flow with a straight funk background.

Listeners will not know where exactly The Swamphouse will go with each subsequent track on “The Fade”, but they will understand that what follows is nothing less than amazing.

Top Tracks: Break Down, Good Girl

Rating: 8.7/10

The Swamphouse – The Fade / 2009 Self / http://www.theswamphouse.com

2 People reacted on this

  1. I like the music a lot, “amazing” is the right description. Why only 8.7/10 – should be 10/10.

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