http://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/the-lost-albums
Back in 1980, Steve Swindells appeared to be on the cusp of success. Following stints as keyboardist for Pilot and Hawklords, he was signed to Atco with his Fresh Blood album riding high in the US airplay charts, an appearance back at home on Whistle Test, and two further albums, The Invisible Man and Treachery, ready to exploit Fresh Blood’s inevitable success. What do you mean, what happened?
In fact, Fresh Blood vanished (Swindells contests that this was down to a marketing failure by his label, and it’s certainly true that Cherry Red’s 2009 reissue underlined its quality) and its intended successors are only now available. There’s a Springsteen-like feel to the songwriting and realisation of Swindells’ songs: powerful deliveries that he concedes have “emotionally-charged energy [that] could seem a bit intense”. Indeed, they possess an epic quality, even while Swindells writes about very personal things – not least the way that he feels immensely let down by the music industry.
That’s understandable, as Swindells is a top-drawer songwriter. Roger Daltrey subsequently recorded two of the songs here, while his earlier Shot Down In The Night was Hawkwind’s long-time set-opener. That he should have gone higher and further is confirmed by this release.
****
Flicknife | SHARPDCD 11052
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Flicknife Records / Blog
The First Review Of The Lost Albums by Steve Swindells
http://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/the-lost-albums
Back in 1980, Steve Swindells appeared to be on the cusp of success. Following stints as keyboardist for Pilot and Hawklords, he was signed to Atco with his Fresh Blood album riding high in the US airplay charts, an appearance back at home on Whistle Test, and two further albums, The Invisible Man and Treachery, ready to exploit Fresh Blood’s inevitable success. What do you mean, what happened? In fact, Fresh Blood vanished (Swindells contests that this was down to a marketing failure by his label, and it’s certainly true that Cherry Red’s 2009 reissue underlined its quality) and its intended successors are only now available. There’s a Springsteen-like feel to the songwriting and realisation of Swindells’ songs: powerful deliveries that he concedes have “emotionally-charged energy [that] could seem a bit intense”. Indeed, they possess an epic quality, even while Swindells writes about very personal things – not least the way that he feels immensely let down by the music industry. That’s understandable, as Swindells is a top-drawer songwriter. Roger Daltrey subsequently recorded two of the songs here, while his earlier Shot Down In The Night was Hawkwind’s long-time set-opener. That he should have gone higher and further is confirmed by this release.
**** Flicknife | SHARPDCD 11052
Reply