A Jackknife to a Swan

A Jackknife to a Swan
Studio album by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Released	July 9, 2002
Genre	Ska punk
Length	40:30
Label	SideOneDummy
Producer	The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, John Seymour
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones chronology
Pay Attention (2000) A Jackknife to a Swan (2002) Medium Rare (2007)

A Jackknife to a Swan is the seventh album by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It was released on July 9, 2002 by SideOneDummy Records. This album marked the band's return to an indie label, and was the last album released by the group before their four-year hiatus between 2003 and 2007. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones would not release their next studio album until Pin Points and Gin Joints in 2009.

The album title is a reference to both the elegant Olympic high dive and the death of something beautiful. Dicky Barrett has said in interviews that the title of the album upset his mother greatly, as her maiden name was Swan, as well as her mother's.

An earlier version of "The Old School Off The Bright" was originally featured on a promotional EP titled Fabled Barney and The Population given out at the band's Hometown Throwdown in 2002. The promotional version of the album features an alternate version of the song "Seven Ways to Sunday". "Sugar Free" was later featured in the 2006 movie Beerfest.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	favorable[2]

The album reached #131 on the Billboard 200, and #9 on the Top Independent Albums.

Track listing

1. "A Jackknife to a Swan" (Barrett, Burton, Gittleman) – 2:48
2. "Mr. Moran" (Barrett, Gittleman, Katz) – 3:04
3. "You Gotta Go!" (Barrett, Rhodes) – 2:42
4. "Everybody's Better" (Barrett, Gittleman, Rhodes) – 3:41
5. "Sugar Free" (Barrett, Gittleman) – 2:44
6. "I Want My City Back" (Barrett, Katz) – 3:16
7. "Chasing the Sun Away" (Barrett, Burton) – 3:28
8. "You Can't Win" (Barrett, Katz) – 3:19
9. "The Old School Off the Bright" (Barrett, Gittleman) – 2:26
10. "The Punch Line" (Barrett, Katz) – 3:15
11. "Go Big" (Barrett, Gittleman) – 2:52
12. "Shit Outta Luck" (Gittleman) – 2:57
13. "Seven Ways to Sunday" (Barrett, Gittleman, Katz) – 3:58

Personnel

• Dicky Barrett – lead vocals, artwork
• Lawrence Katz – guitar
• Joe Gittleman – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Joe Sirois – drums
• Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton – saxophone, backing vocals
• Roman Fleysher – saxophone
• Chris Rhodes – trombone, vocals
• Ben Carr – Bosstone
• Mike Denneen – piano
• Rolf Langsjoen – trumpet
• Jim Fitting – harmonica, backing vocals
• Tanya Michelle – backing vocals
• John Seymour – backing vocals, producer, mixing, engineer
• Matt Tahaney – assistant engineer
• Jon Pebsworth – production coordination
• Carl Plaster – drum technician
• Andrew Lenoski – graphic design
• Christian Clayton – cover art
• Josh Dalsimer – photography

References

1. Morris, Kurt. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones: A Jackknife to a Swan at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
2. "The Mighty Mighty Bosstones: A Jackknife to a Swan". Rolling Stone. 9 July 2002. Archived from the original on 30 August 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2012.