The Swaps have metamorphosed: once a five-piece electric outfit, they are now an acoustic trio, recording their first album in this new form. The album is soulful and intimate, built around the gorgeous voice of Beth Brooks, with James Knight and Adam Phillips gently interweaving guitars to create the soundscape. It’s a refreshing break from the bombardment of heavy, rock-infused blues that dominates today’s scene.
Opening with Spain, a stripped-back acoustic number that carries the beautiful, rich tonal quality which is the essence of Beth’s voice, the track gradually builds. A little piano is added; a touch of studio wizardry twins the vocals before the song ebbs away. There are some seemingly oddball titles—Fish being one—but stay with it: it’s superb. The lyrics lie deep, hidden in the murky depths of the river. One of the delights here is that every nuance of guitar fingering is faithfully captured, like small whirls on the water’s surface. Fish has me hooked.
Sweetheart has the pulse racing, its effervescent flow irresistible. I hesitate to call it pop, but it certainly draws you in with effortless charm. Come on, Cerys—this is made to measure for your eclectic blues slot.
Suitably darker, Shadows is intriguing: “It’s not me, it’s them”—a thought not unfamiliar to many of us, though often one we keep masked. The title track, Fast Train, finds Beth upping sticks, heading somewhere where the grass is greener. The guitars paint a lovely picture of lush meadows and empty beaches, far from the worries that plague our lives.
The wounds—some self-inflicted—are carried into Scars, gathered in the “must-have-it-now” world of today. It’s hard to credit that such human frailties can be conveyed so beautifully in song. The unmissable All I Do reflects a life lived between bathroom and bedroom—time to put another face on and dance to the music.
Fast Train closes with Wolf, featuring, I believe, Adam’s vocals, with soft, atmospheric backing from Beth and James. This wolf is bent on hunting you down—a love song, no less.
A beautifully crafted selection, every sweet taste a pleasure. Beth’s vocals are sublime, the guitars a perfect canvas for the intriguing lyrics. For me, an absolute must-have.