Of Swine and Swill
(Live Bait Recording Foundation)
Alternately noisy and melodic, Of Swine and Swill at times
sounds like the soundtrack to an underground horror movie. With its odd
chants and gurgling vocals, opener “Heaven and Earth Versus Time” sets
the tone for a bizarre musical ride. Though “Blurred Mosaic” ventures
into new-age territory, instrumentals like “Sunrise and Sedation” and
“To Watch a Life Drain” have a distinctly ominous feel, with
heavy-hitting percussion and bass creating a menacing groove. Friends
since childhood, Of Swine and Swill’s Stephen Petrus and John Potter
have an affinity for oddly evocative music, and their Painesville band
might just be the closest thing Northeast Ohio has to the singular
psychedelic rock of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The disc also features
an eight-page booklet of lyrics and original artwork. — Jeff
Niesel
Dan McCoy & the Standing 8’s
(RVG Noise)
Opening with the maudlin a cappella “In My Time of Dying,” this solo
effort from Rambler 454’s Dan McCoy starts on a dour note but quickly
picks up speed as McCoy offers a good quotient of barroom laments about
overdue taxes and unfaithful girlfriends. McCoy channels Drive-by
Truckers’ rootsy rock on “Moving Day” and evokes Tom Petty on the
rambunctious “Knockout.” His own songs are plenty distinctive, so the
cover of Bad Religion’s “American Jesus” feels out of place. But that’s
the only real misstep. Recorded by Hayshaker Jones’ Clint Holley at his
Audio Spectrum Studio, the album features a solid balance of ballads
and rockers with lyrics that suggest McCoy has a great sense of
narrative. — Jeff Niesel
Hear new music from Lick the Blade, Of Swine and Swill and
Dan McCoy at clevescene.com/kickingandstreaming
This article appears in Nov 4-10, 2009.
