Swoon – Kindred

SWOON – KINDRED DEBUT ALBUM Swoon are a Contemporary Rockin’ Folk duo from North Qld comprised of Anglea Smith & Josh Notting who have recently released their debut album ‘Kindred’. The album was recorded in Melbourne at Dog & Bear Studios by Steve Vella (Jigzag, Dev’lish Mary, Celtaclysmic, Liz Frencham) very much how they sound live with some subtle overdubs and guest musicians Liz Frencham & Peter Vadiveloo on a few tracks. It is packaged In a 4 panel cardboard digipack beautifully designed with a booklet full of artwork and lyrics. Featuring – Angela Smith on Lead Vocals and Percussion – Josh Notting on Acoustic Guitar, Backup Vocals, Stomp Box and Foot Tamborine – Liz Frencham (Jigzag, Frencham Smith, Dev’lish Mary) on Double Bass tracks 6 and 12. – Peter Vadiveloo (Jugularity, Kavisha Mazzella Trio) on drums and percussion tracks 3, 6 and 7. TRACK LISTING 1. Kindred – the melodic title track, a song of the simple pleasures in life 2. Baby’s Comin’ Home – a humorous ditty of the anticipation of a lovers return 3. Watch Out – a warning on the dangers of Vampires (they’re real you know) with a Spanish flavour and an epic crescendo 4. Talk All You Want – a fast groovy blues with an affirmation of strength against nasty gossip 5. Alec & Edna – a tender ballad of unrequited love 6. Beautiful Man – a rollicking love song with a splash of bluegrass 7. Paradise – a rockin’ number of finding a home in place or person 8. The Credit Or The Blame – a moody ballad of the questions of conscience 9. River To The Sea – a calming song that takes you floating down a cool river “Immerse yourself in me let your hair flow free, all around your face your body’s weightless and your mind is still” 10. Free Tonight – high energy danceable Rockin’ Folk – “Twirl your body tightly close your eyes your soul is free tonight, exhale all your cares and be one with it all tonight” 11. I Can’t Fall – an epic Led Zeppelinesque ballad of forbidden love 12. There Is Only Love – a joyous folk rock song “Feel your heart in your chest beating, what does it beat for, feel the strength in your hands what are you working towards, see the colours in your vision, what are you looking for, It’s Love… There is only Love” 13. Give In To Me – a breakneck paced Rockin’ Folk track with blistering wha guitar action
Swoon – Kindred by Ian Dearden
I drive forty minutes to work each day, almost (but not quite) enough time to listen to the whole of this exquisite album from Swoon, a duo (Josh Nutting and Angela Smith) who hail from Mackay. They ventured a long way from home – to Melbourne, in fact, where they recorded their debut album at Steve Vella’s Dog and Bear studio. Let me tell you, it was a trip well worth making! For anyone interested in making a similar trip, Steve is reconstructing the Dog and Bear studio in Trentham in rural Victoria. Angela’s angelic vocals married with Josh’s virtuosic guitar playing, occasional backing vocals and driving stompbox/foot tambourine rhythms create a sound that caresses, entices, delights and (dare I say it) seduces the ears! The songs (all jointly penned by Angela and Josh) substantially focus on love (and lust), requited and unrequited. Steve Vella’s engineering has provided an intimate and acoustic sound to the album, with minimal but tasty overdubs. It’s a CD that leaves you feeling that Angela and Josh are sitting there in your living room, performing just for you. In fact, although most of the songs, I assume, focus on Josh as the love interest, you could be forgiven for feeling that Angela was singing directly to you! The lovely Liz Frencham adds her double bass magic to a couple of tracks, Peter Vadivelso supplies cajon and djembe drumming to three tracks, but the rest is all down to Angela and Josh, and they play, and sing, with passion, taste, and skill. You can fi nd out