Twentieth Century

Swansea Sounds debut album Live at the Rum Puncheon felt like an indie pop dream come to life. Hooky, clever, and gentle subversive indie pop songs delivered by a team consisting of Hue from the Pooh Sticks, Ameila Fletcher and Rob Pursey, who were in loads of great bands like Heavenly and are still in Catenary Wires together, and Ian Button of Papernut Cambridge. It also felt like a one-off that happened during lockdown and might not be repeatable. That proved not to be the case as the band -- with the addition of Bob Collins of the mighty Dentists on bass -- decided to make another go of it, this time recording in person. The resulting Twentieth Century feels like more of a band effort and less like a lark. They sound less like they are trying to make a Pooh Sticks-gone-punk album and more like they are staking out their own territory where pop hooks meet social commentary in a variety of styles. They add synth pop on "Paradise," get heavy and almost metallic on the title track, delve into majestic punk on "I Dont Like Men in Uniform," edge into 90s bubblegum pop territory on "Greatest Hits Radio," and still deliver plenty of catchy indie pop gems. "Markin It Down" is a fun little song with nice backing vocals and some fine punchy guitars, "Far Far Away" is a lovely tribute to Pete Shelley that sounds like a lost track from the third Buzzcocks album, and "Pack the Van" ends the album with a sweet melody and warm feelings. Its an upbeat finish to a record that doesnt pull many punches lyrically; taking on the plight of the miner over various points in time, the ups and downs of consumer culture run amok, and the death of local radio, while coming across like a band who realize a punch cloaked in a nice hook lands more squarely. Its a little darker and more serious than their debut, but Hue and Amelia sound great, the band is tight and full of vim, and the simple production doesnt distract from the power of the words and melodies. Once an indie pop fantasy, Swansea Sound are now a real band, and the world of indie pop is better for it. ~ Tim Sendra