The Swellers
Good for Me
Fueled by Ramen (2011)
Sounds Like: A poppier version of Alkaline Trio
Score: 8.5/10
When discussing Michigan’s exports, most people would mention all the vehicles and vicious wolverines that the state pumps out. From now on though, they will also have to mention The Swellers’ fourth full-length album Good for Me. Hailing from Flint, this veteran quartet have further cemented their spot as one of the most solid bands on the pop-punk map.
The Swellers were formed in the early 2000s by brothers Nick and Jonathan Diener and they’ve been making increasingly excellent music ever since, but I’ve always felt they’ve been underrated. It’s definitely not because they don’t work hard enough. Their output has been steady (with records released in ‘05, ‘07, ‘09, and now this year). They’ve enjoyed moderate success thanks in part to a few national tours with bands like Paramore, Less Than Jake, and Motion City Soundtrack. They’ve even played dates in Europe with punk heavyweights Anti-Flag, but for some reason they still aren’t a punk household name. Well, if this album doesn’t catch people’s attention and show them that this band is for real, I don’t know what will.
I immediately took to Good for Me after I heard the intro track Runaway. It has an Alkaline Trio kind of feel to it and it’s pretty upbeat both musically and lyrically. It also features a fun little groove right after you think the song is over, which I was completely into. Better Things, a gem of a song smack dab in the middle of the album, is simple, yet catchy and features a smooth melody, a fun chorus, and even a guitar solo thrown in to please all you metal heads out there. On the Line is another standout track, which is exceptional because of how heavy it is. Not heavy as in death metal heavy, but the guitars and bass are lower than the other songs and it features the most explosive chorus on the album. It also showcases their drummer, Jonathan Diener, who rips it for about a minute during the bridge (to the point that, after I find enough change in my couch to buy a drum set, I’m going to try and cover this song).
The Swellers obviously take pride in writing quality, challenging songs and lyrically these guys shouldn’t be overlooked. My favorite line on the record comes from Better Things, “If I stay around, I can feel alright. But I know there’s something else out there for me.” Anyone who’s ever been restless has no trouble relating to that. I appreciate the band’s versatility and they do a great job of switching up the pace while making sure they don’t lose what sets them apart from many other bands. Like their vocals, for example. Nick Diener has a very distinctive and clean voice. In Warming Up, the album’s awesome finale, the vocals are calm, cool, and collected. Then in The Damage, one of the harder songs on the album, Nick sounds almost desperately raw, all the while keeping the same catchy tone.
It’s pretty refreshing to listen to a band that doesn’t rely too heavily on breakdowns or sing-alongs and genuinely cares about musicianship and progressing as songwriters. Don’t get me wrong, The Swellers’ previous releases were all good, but this is a step forward for them and it proves that they’re masters at balancing pop and punk.
Good for Me is available now on iTunes and you can catch The Swellers on tour in October/November!
-Felipe Garcia
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