17 May 2021 - 0 Comments

It’s taken 9 years and a two-year hiatus, but Swampland are finally releasing their debut album Sinners, complete with a North Island tour, a brand spanking new video and a vinyl release in lurid green!

When the lead singer of a band describes their sound as "hard-hitting, ball-breaking pub rock shanties" and "down and dirty dad-rock" you know he’s either yanking your chain or has spent way too much time in Australia in the ‘80s listening to questionable music *

It’s a bit of both: a bit cheeky and a lot of swagger. Much like Swampland, really.

Tony Daunt is that lead singer and has been in Swampland since 2012 and seen it through many incarnations of band members, life events and musical styles.

Their story is one of long-lost friends reconnecting after 40 years (Daunt and Rik Fisk), lapsed-Catholic school boy rebellion (all of 'em) and outright damned tenacity.

They have a reputation as a rockabilly or psychobilly band, but they’re not. They’re a rock ‘n roll band: dark, tense, ‘80s punk-infused, bluesy, gritty, low-fi, rootsy, egocentric. They’re all of it.

Back in November, Swampland released the single Cheatin’ Girl and despite the serious sounding title, musically this is the lighter side of Swampland.

The second single is Intense and is a short, sharp, punk-rock sneer of a song:

Watch The Video Here

The recording of the album Sinners, took four drama-filled days and involved the newly serviced antique mixing deck breaking down on the first day.

The writing process is varied and done by both vocalist Daunt and bassist Fisk. Either Daunt fronts up with a melody and lyrics or Fisk shows up with a song and it's completed by the whole band collaboratively.

Daunt's signature sound is Fender and Gretsch guitars and Vox amps. Fisk says "Part of the magic of our sound is the two contrasting guitar sounds and styles. Tony with his uber clean Vox juke-joint sound and me with my Marshall rock sound. Lay on top Jamie's thundering punk bass and Sean joining it all together with drums."

The album has themes of cheating, rejection, abuse and going to hell. It‘s all a bit dark and sounds like they might need extensive therapy and/or a new puppy for Christmas.

But for all their bad-boy swagger, Swampland are a good-time band with “hella” catchy songs that put the fun back into all that dysfunction.

* Daunt admits to spending 22 years living in Australia listening to obscene amounts of Jimmy Barnes.

Swampland - Sinners
due for release 21 May 2021 / AAA Records
Available as a digital release and on 12” green vinyl!

Order It HERE

Listen to and follow Swampland:

SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / WEBSITE

SWAMPLAND LIVE!

Tickets from Under The Radar

The Butter Factory, Whangarei - 5 June

Nivara Lounge, Hamilton - 26 June

The Hop House, Tauranga - 3 July

Comments

Return to News Archive