The Swellers
The Light Under Closed Doors
No Sleep Records – October 29th 2013
By Joshua Khan (@blaremag)
Find it at: iTunes | Insound | HMV Digital
8.4
They might be light years away from their skate punk days but The Swellers will always remain the underdog – cheesing over Bret Hart highlight reels, worshipping Pinkerton, and ultimately favouring a hook over everything else. In the most fully realizing way, it’s exactly what makes The Light Under Closed Doors a pure rock threat because while “the kids are alright”, the college grad working at the mall is losing reassurance on everything. That theme in particular dials home and it finds The Swellers beefing up their punk credibility and throwing Hail Marys that unravel into sincere melodies (“Big Hearts”, “Friends Again (We Can’t Be)”) that’ll knock your teeth out. It’s direct because it needs to be and while it doesn’t draw immediate attention to older recordings like “Bottles”, it’s perfectly clear that record numero quatro chips at Bleed American and Commit This To Memory. From the opening bit of “Got Social” to the serrated chords of “High/Low” to the Tell All Your Friends-era crunch of “Call It A Night”, The Light Under Closed Doors flourishes on everyday realism rather than fake plastic singles, and to be honest, it works. Even though they’re van-friendly, couch dwellers that are willing to play your basement, The Swellers are no longer an afterthought.
Listen: “Call It A Night”, “Favorite Tune”, “Friends Again (We Can’t Be)”, “Got Social” || Watch: “High/Low”