How to Dress a Monster « The RingMaster Review

From the dark country drama and sultry intrigue of last year’s single Oil!, Scott Swain casts his imagination into even more deceptive corners with its successor Like Nothing Else. The song is a gentle yet brooding encounter; warm and seductive yet with darkness in its lining which as much blossoms into a provocatively mesmeric enticement as the melodic warmth within, .

Making use of the downtime from his bands How to Dress a Monster and Fire at Night to explore his personal writing and songs, Swain unveiled his solo project last year and released the irresistible single Oil!, a song showing hints of inspirations ranging from Elliot Smith and Mark Lanagan to cult cinema. As its predecessor, which was inspired by There Will be Blood, his new track was written about a movie, Event Horizon the spark for Like Nothing Else.

The opening caress of acoustic guitar is an earthy yet celestial lure, Swain’s warm vocals adding to the song’s elevating flight of melody and temptation. With rhythms laying shadows in close quarter to the radiance embracing vocal and lyrical reflection, the song swiftly becomes an easy transfixing of ears and imagination. Simmering with creative and suggestive theatre, the track slowly but openly builds in emotion and intensity from there, its journey into an understated but rousing crescendo a gripping realisation before a final kiss of melodic and harmonic sighing lies poetically on the senses as the song drifts away.

Throughout its evolution, Like Nothing Else is pure captivation and confirmation that Swain’s solo side is heading towards major attention.

Like Nothing Else is released 28^th April.

Upcoming Live Dates:

23/04/2017 Craft Beer Company, Brixton, London.

26/04/2017 The Cellar, The Finborough, Earls Court, London.

08/05/2017 Spice of Life, Soho, London.

18/05/2017 The Bricklayers Arms, Hitchin.

28/05/2017 Opium Bar, Edinburgh.

http://scottswainmusic.com/ https://www.facebook.com/scottswainmusic https://twitter.com/scottswainmusic

Pete RingMaster 19/04/2017

scott-swain_RingMasterReview

By his own words, “This track is what you get when you cross the film There Will Be Blood with Johnny Cash“. That description sums up Oil!, the new single from Scott Swain perfectly; its flavouring and emotive atmosphere encapsulated in those few words and living up to hopes equally raised by such a suggestion. The song is a swarthy slice of melodic rock within a country/mariachi spiced cinematic climate of suggestiveness which swiftly captures attention and imagination.

Having played in bands for almost a decade, supporting Biffy Clyro among the highlights, Swain decided to explore his solo side when his main bands, How to Dress a Monster and Fire at Night, took breathers earlier this year. Drawing on inspirations ranging from Elliot Smith and Mark Lanagan to cult cinema, he soon ventured onto the live scene with just his voice and acoustic guitar. As Oil! shows, in the studio Swain expands his sound and emotive adventure with the help of others but without losing that organic raw character and texture luring increasing praise.

Inspired by There Will be Blood, with Swain lyrically examining “the relationship between wanting to be ambitious and the things which can be sacrificed in the process”, Oil! is a natural seduction of ears and thought. From its first melodic strum and metronomic lure of beats it has ears gripped, ambling in with purpose before hitting an even eager stride as guitars and bass unite around warm harmonies. The country kissed twang of guitar and melodies hold a myriad of pictures for the imagination to conjure while feet and hips are employed by the gentle but keen swagger of the infection loaded song and its lively gait.

Managing to smoulder in emotion and atmosphere while providing a tenacious canter to get involved in, the song is pure magnetism which lingers long after taking its leave and increasingly impresses with subsequent listens.

Oil! is out now via iTunes, Spotify etc.

Upcoming Live Dates:

06.12.2016 Apples and Pear Bar, Brick Lane. London

14.12.2016 Fu Manchu Bar, Clapham. London.

22.12.2016 The Bricklayers, Hitchin.

http://scottswainmusic.com/ https://www.facebook.com/scottswainmusic

https://twitter.com/scottswainmusic

Check out the video for Hitman from Scott Swain @ https://ringmasterreviewintroduces.wordpress.com/video-selector/

Pete RingMaster 29/11/2016