Swimclub
Encyclopedia
Swimclub is a New York based indie pop band formed in Brooklyn, NY in 2007. The group is composed of Greg Adams (vocals, guitar), Gene Davenport (vocals, bass), Jim Davenport (guitar) and Kevin Bryant (drums). While rooted in Rock & Roll the band draws on several musical styles.
from cult fave The Figgs and indie musician Brent Gorton to produce some studio tracks. By licensing their retro garage rock rave-up “Look Happy” to Project Runway
winner Jay McCarroll
's documentary “Eleven Minutes” the band became financially able to put the CD out themselves. In early 2009 they formed Seehurst Records with their manager and soon after obtained a distribution deal through Virtual Label. Swimclub's self titled debut was released on August 4th, 2009 and was showcased live at the 2009 CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival.
AM New York
reviewer Charles Devilbliss describes Swimclub's debut in his review of August 18, 2009, "The four well-scrubbed gents of Brooklyn’s Swimclub have taken great pains to craft a debut worthy of the effervescent, matching- outfits ’60’s pop they clearly adore, and they largely succeed in crafting a set as pretty as it is perishable. Keeping things tethered to terra firma is a sonorous Stephin Merritt
/Jonathan Richman
vibe that steeps tracks such as “Souvenir” and “Everything Is Coming Around” in a tenor of toothsome melancholy.
in New York, NY LA Times writer David Greenwald describes the EP on his Rawkblog, "Brooklyn act Swimclub’s Funhouse for Fiends is a pretty great crash course in pop history. Singer Greg Adams, Morrissey perched on his shoulder, intones his way through a few generations of rock ‘n’ roll music — highlight “What You Want” offers handclaps, romantic befuddlement and ’50s guitars; “El Lamento!” brings in the ’80s synths; “Never Tried” dips into post-punk. But the band’s textbook dives never go deep enough to distract from tunes catchy enough to win a Gold Glove and moving enough to wallow away your workweek woes." Funhouse For Fiends was showcased live at the 2011 CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival.
The Users 1999 - 2003
Swimclub is an offshoot of a band called The Users that was formed in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1999. Composed of Greg Adams and the Davenport brothers (all attending high school together) and Kevin Bryant who met Jim Davenport in a freshman biology class, the group was more power pop based. The Users recorded an EP called “Slaving for the Heartless” and self released a limited pressing in September of 2000. The single “Radio Crash” written by drummer, Kevin Bryant received moderate airplay on independent and college radio. The band was active until 2003.Swimclub 2007 - present
First arriving in Manhattan in 2005 as a solo artist, Adams later reunited with the Davenport brothers in Brooklyn to begin recording demos for what would be Swimclub’s NYC debut. After cutting their teeth at small clubs downtown and in Brooklyn (and with Bryant back behind the drum kit) the band contacted Pete DonnellyPete Donnelly
Pete Donnelly is the bass player in the current version of NRBQ and is a founding member of The Figgs. Born in Saratoga Springs, New York, Donnelly is based out of Philadelphia. Since 1999, he has also played in the studio and live as part of Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers.-References:...
from cult fave The Figgs and indie musician Brent Gorton to produce some studio tracks. By licensing their retro garage rock rave-up “Look Happy” to Project Runway
Project Runway
Project Runway is an American reality television series on Lifetime Television, previously on the Bravo network, which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted in time, materials and theme...
winner Jay McCarroll
Jay McCarroll
Jay McCarroll is a fashion designer who gained fame after winning the debut season of the competitive reality show Project Runway in 2005.-Career:...
's documentary “Eleven Minutes” the band became financially able to put the CD out themselves. In early 2009 they formed Seehurst Records with their manager and soon after obtained a distribution deal through Virtual Label. Swimclub's self titled debut was released on August 4th, 2009 and was showcased live at the 2009 CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival.
AM New York
AM New York
amNewYork is a morning free daily newspaper , published in New York City by Cablevision. According to the company, average daily distribution as of December 2008 was 345,053, according to MondoNewspapers.com. When the newspaper launched October 10, 2003, amNewYork was the first newspaper of its...
reviewer Charles Devilbliss describes Swimclub's debut in his review of August 18, 2009, "The four well-scrubbed gents of Brooklyn’s Swimclub have taken great pains to craft a debut worthy of the effervescent, matching- outfits ’60’s pop they clearly adore, and they largely succeed in crafting a set as pretty as it is perishable. Keeping things tethered to terra firma is a sonorous Stephin Merritt
Stephin Merritt
Stephin Merritt is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles , best known as the principal singer and songwriter in the band The Magnetic Fields...
/Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Michael Richman is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key, generally acoustic backing...
vibe that steeps tracks such as “Souvenir” and “Everything Is Coming Around” in a tenor of toothsome melancholy.
Second Album
The band's second album, Funhouse For Fiends, was released on April 26, 2011 in the U.S. preceded by the single She's A Teaser released digitally on December 28, 2010. The record was produced by Swimclub and Stephen Schappler and recorded at Thump Studios in Brooklyn, NY. Mastering was completed by Fred Kevorkian at Avatar StudiosAvatar Studios
Avatar Studios, formerly known as The Power Station, is a recording studio at 441 West 53rd Street in Manhattan, New York City.The building was originally a Consolidated Edison power plant; but after a period of vacancy, it was used as a sound stage for the television game show Let's Make a Deal...
in New York, NY LA Times writer David Greenwald describes the EP on his Rawkblog, "Brooklyn act Swimclub’s Funhouse for Fiends is a pretty great crash course in pop history. Singer Greg Adams, Morrissey perched on his shoulder, intones his way through a few generations of rock ‘n’ roll music — highlight “What You Want” offers handclaps, romantic befuddlement and ’50s guitars; “El Lamento!” brings in the ’80s synths; “Never Tried” dips into post-punk. But the band’s textbook dives never go deep enough to distract from tunes catchy enough to win a Gold Glove and moving enough to wallow away your workweek woes." Funhouse For Fiends was showcased live at the 2011 CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival.
Song Credits
- Look Happy Eleven Minutes (Regent Releasing) (2009)
- Look Happy Roadtrip NationRoadtrip NationRoadtrip Nation began in 2001 as an idea Mike , Nathan, Brian and Amanda, four friends fresh out of college, formed when they were not sure what to do with their lives...
, Season 5, Episode 7 (PBS) (2008) - Ready 4 Love Roadtrip NationRoadtrip NationRoadtrip Nation began in 2001 as an idea Mike , Nathan, Brian and Amanda, four friends fresh out of college, formed when they were not sure what to do with their lives...
, Season 5, DVD (PBS) (2009)
External links
- Swimclub website
- http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/453334/Eleven-Minutes/credits
- http://roadtripnation.com/listen/profile.php?artist_id=430
- http://roadtripnation.com/listen/music_guide.php?page=3&x=2008
- http://thedelimagazine.com/nyc/index.php?name=thedeli&itemId=226464
- http://www.valleyadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=11107
- http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/music/on-the-record/Record-Reviews-Sugar-Ray-Is-Back-52456097.html
- http://newyork.timeout.com/make-music/search/events/source=db&MMNYTimeslot=LATE_AFTERNOON&page=3&neighborhood=78&date=MMNY§ion=599&city=2
- http://www.rollogrady.com/guide-to-cmj-music-festival/
- http://blog.scientificmaps.com/post/142196446/here-is-the-official-announcement-its-officially
- http://www.rawkblog.net/2011/05/first-look-swimclub-funhouse-for-friends/
- http://tasteyjams.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/swimclub-what-you-want/
- http://newmusicco.blogspot.com/2011/03/swimclub-shes-teaser.html
- http://madmackerel.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/introducing-swimclub/
- http://klubbace.se/2011/03/swimclub-what-you-want/
- http://thenewgay.net/2011/01/swimclub-shes-a-teaser.html
- http://www.plastinki.com/blog/2011/1/5/swimclub-shes-a-teaser.html
- http://faronheit.com/2011/01/pick-your-poison-wednesday-1-5-11/