Louden Swain (band)
| Louden Swain | |
|---|---|
 Louden Swain performing at MinnCon in 2015. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California |
| Genres | Indie, Rock, Alternative |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | 3 Car Wreckords |
| Website |
www |
| Members |
Rob Benedict Michael Borja Billy Moran Stephen Norton |
Louden Swain is an indie rock band based in Los Angeles. They produce their albums themselves under their own label, 3 Car Wreckords. The band was formed when lead singer Rob Benedict, bassist Michael Borja, and drummer Stephen Norton met at Northwestern University in Illinois in 1997. The band takes its name from Matthew Modine’s character Louden Swain in the 1985 film Vision Quest, of which the band members are fans.
Their debut album, Able-Legged Heroes, was released in 2001, followed by Overachiever in 2003 and Suit and Tie in 2006. In 2005, guitarist Billy Moran joined the band, and there was a noticeable shift in Louden Swain’s sound.[1] They released their fourth studio album, A Brand New Hurt, in 2009, and their fifth, Eskimo, in 2011. Indie Rock Cafe said of Eskimo, "With that kind of talent helping them out, it’s nearly impossible not to end up with some great tracks."[1]
In 2014 the band released their latest album, Sky Alive, which has been described as "a 12 song symphony of pain and triumph. It is an album about not only surviving but also re-connecting with life." [1]
In an interview with BuddyTV.com, lead singer Rob Benedict said that the plan is to begin recording their new album at the end of the year.[2]
Louden Swain has been the house band for Salute to Supernatural conventions held by Creation Entertainment since 2014, in addition to remaining popular in the Los Angeles indie music scene.
The band's music has also been used in several film and television productions. Their single "Help You" was included in the film A Little Help. Louden Swain has also had their music used in two episodes of Supernatural: their song "Worlds Collide" from the album Eskimo was used the season 7 episode "The Slice Girls", and their song "Big One" from the album Sky Alive was used in the season 11 episode "The Bad Seed". Lead singer Rob Benedict had previously acted in the show, playing character Chuck Shurley. Louden Swain was also a runner-up for a contest to find an unsigned band to contribute to the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack.[3] Their single, "Here Come the Snakes (Seeing is Believing)" was included on the enhanced CD.
Louden Swain’s sound has been described as indie rock. The Paisano said that Benedict’s "vocals also set him apart. His sweet tone is counteracted by a rough sound that creates a very interesting and intriguing combination."[4]
History
1997-2001: Early Years
Louden Swain was formed in 1997 at Northwestern University. Lead singer Rob Benedict met bassist Michael Borja through mutual friends, and they began writing and performing their own songs. While playing at a party, they met drummer Stephen Norton, who joined the band soon after.[5] Guitarist David Wendell also joined, and the foursome became a garage-style rock band, taking influence from Green Day, among others.[1]
2001: Able-Legged Heroes
In 2001, Louden Swain released their first album, Able-Legged Heroes. This was to be the only album David Wendell made with the band, as he parted ways with them after its release. The Green Day influence is clear on this album, with more of a punk sound to some of the tracks. The last track on the album, "Prom," with its catchy, upbeat sound, remains a perennial favorite with Louden Swain fans.
2003: Overachiever
With Wendell gone, Louden Swain continued as a three-piece band (Benedict, Borja, and Norton) for their next two albums. Overachiever was released in 2003. Originally an EP consisting of five songs, the album was reissued in 2015 with five previously unreleased demos: "Uncle Bob," "Blank Card," "No Hero," "Boy in Need," and "Cast Off".[6] Overachiever was heard on MTV's The Real World, and CMJ Magazine named Louden Swain one of its Top 50 Unsigned Artists of the Year for 2003.[7]
2006: Suit and Tie
Louden Swain released their third album, Suit and Tie, in 2006. In the middle of recording this album, Billy Moran joined the band, which was looking for a new guitarist. Moran was previously in a band in Los Angeles called Lost in Mayberry, and had often met Louden Swain in the L.A. indie music scene.[8]
2009: A Brand New Hurt
A Brand New Hurt was the band's first album with the addition of Billy Moran on guitar. The foursome of Benedict, Borja, Moran, and Norton has remained constant since its release. Lead singer Rob Benedict said of Moran joining the band: "At that point, everything changed for Louden Swain. We became who we were meant to be . . . It felt like a new band for us, a new sound." [5] A Brand New Hurt combines the best of Louden Swain, with more humorous tracks like "Medicated" and "Pop Tart Heart" juxtaposed against heartfelt songs like "All I Need".
2011: Eskimo
With Eskimo's release in 2011, a new era was beginning for the band. Thanks in part to lead singer Rob Benedict's appearance in Supernatural and at fan conventions, more and more people were discovering Louden Swain. Before its release, the band had the opportunity to go on tour in Europe, an experience they were very excited about. Eskimo was recorded at Firehouse Studios in Pasadena, CA. During the writing process for the album, Louden Swain's creativity hit new heights. Guitarist Billy Moran said, "During the writing process for Eskimo, we hit this stride where we just kept writing and writing and writing. We had two albums worth of songs we had to whittle down to 13 or 14."
But with the fan enthusiasm for A Brand New Hurt, the band felt the pressure to create another great album, both personally and for the fans. Singer Rob Benedict explained, "When we sat down to write it, it was like, ‘How are we ever going to write that last album we did?’ but you just have to let go of that and start from scratch . . . We have a lot of hard work and experience behind us so it’s like, ‘This is where we’re at.’ It feels good." [5]
The title track, "Eskimo", has become one of Louden Swain's signature tracks, the video garnering over 40,000 views on YouTube to date.[9]
2013-present: Salute to Supernatural conventions, TorCon, and Sky Alive
Louden Swain made appearances at Creation Entertainment’s Salute to Supernatural conventions beginning in 2010, and became the official house band for all their conventions in 2014. With this addition, the band's "Saturday Night Special" concerts have become something truly special and unique in the world of fan conventions.
Unfortunately, it has not been all smooth sailing for the band. In October 2013, lead singer Rob Benedict suffered an ischemic stroke while at a Supernatural convention in Toronto (TorCon 2013).[10] Benedict spent ten days in intensive care, during which it was unclear if he would recover at all and, if he did, to what extent. But Benedict fought through and survived, though he could not speak when he left the hospital. The future of Louden Swain was in question. Still, Benedict continued to write and spend time with the band and, by January 2014, his voice had fully returned, to the amazement of his doctors. The band began to record Sky Alive, their sixth album. Benedict said the band was therapeutic for him, adding, "It was the one thing I could do that felt good, and was good for me." [1]
Sky Alive is Louden Swain's most eclectic album yet, drawing influence from many different sources. Bassist Michael Borja said, "If there’s one word to describe this album, it’s ‘evolution.’" Guitarist Billy Moran agreed, adding, "This album is different from ‘Eskimo’ in that I think we’ve added more edge in some of the tracks, a little more of the harder rock." But one of Louden Swain's strengths has always been their willingness to change things up and incorporate new sounds and styles while still remaining true to themselves. Lead singer Rob Benedict said, "There’s such variance between songs. A song like ‘Hot Times’ is not like anything we’ve ever played before. It’s got a reggae feel, I sing falsetto, it’s a whole different thing. And then you’ve got ‘Cool if I Come Over,’ which is like alt country. It’s a type of ballad that we haven’t done before. And then ‘Lucky,’ which is straight-up punk. So to me, that’s what Louden Swain is right now—being comfortable enough with ourselves to branch out and go outside of the box." [11]
The band released a special limited edition vinyl LP of Sky Alive on October 17, 2015.
There is a lot on the horizon for Louden Swain. They have been through good times and bad together, and continue to produce amazing records for their fans. Through their experiences, they have come to realize that they are, "born anew, and anything is possible. The Sky is Alive for Louden Swain." [1]
Musical style and influences
Louden Swain's musical style is difficult to pin down. ReverbNation called it, "a combo platter of classic, alternative and hard rock. That makes for a sound both loud and approachable, one that can blow your hair back even as it touches your heart." [12]
Early musical influences for the band included R.E.M., the Cure, the Pixies, Pavement and the Replacements.[12] They also cite Pearl Jam, the Beatles, Tom Petty among their influences, as well as Wilco, Dr. Dog, and My Morning Jacket.[13] Lead singer Rob Benedict has said that Pearl Jam is one of his biggest musical influences, both from a songwriting and performance standpoint.[14]
With the addition of Billy Moran as guitarist in 2005, a new sound was incorporated into Louden Swain. Moran "also brought in early musical influences from the hard rock world. The quartet’s common ground, early on, could be found in classic rock icons like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Who—and that provided additional spices in their melting pot of musical textures." [12]
Benedict also attends Coachella every year when he can to gain inspiration for his songwriting.[14]
Band members
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Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album Details |
|---|---|
| Able-Legged Heroes |
|
| Overachiever |
|
| Suit and Tie |
|
| A Brand New Hurt |
|
| Eskimo |
|
| Sky Alive |
|
| Overachiever (reissue) |
|
Vinyl
| Title | Album Details |
|---|---|
| Sky Alive |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Help You" | 2011 | A Little Help - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack |
Other Appearances
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Telephone Tree" | 2004 | This One's for the Fellows |
| "Here Come the Snakes (Seeing is Believing)" | 2006 | Snakes on a Plane: the Album (Enhanced Portion) |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Louden Swain official website". Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ↑ Kerr, Meghin. "Rob Benedict Talks 'Kings of Con' and the Return of Chuck on 'Supernatural'". BuddyTV. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ↑ Ryan, Amy. "Snakes on a Soundtrack". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ↑ Varvel, Emily (17 February 2015). "Louden Swain celebrates success". The Paisano. The Paisano Educational Trust. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Eskimo - EPK". Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ↑ "Overachiever reissue". Amazon. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ↑ "Suit and Tie". Amazon. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ↑ Samo, R.C. (4 May 2012). "Louden Swain - Loud With Swagger". Fanboy Nation. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ↑ "Louden Swain - Eskimo - Official Video". YouTube. Louden Swain. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ↑ Zubernis, Lynn (29 December 2013). ""At Least We’ve Got Each Other" – An Inspiring Chat with Supernatural’s Rob Benedict". Fangasm. Wordpress. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ↑ "Sky Alive EPK". YouTube. Louden Swain. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Louden Swain Bio". Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- ↑ "Eskimo". Amazon. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- 1 2 "Kings of Con: Rob Benedict and Richard Speight Jr Livestream 05/11/15". Retrieved 28 September 2015.