RICHARD SWIFT

DRESSED UP FOR THE LETDOWN

Richard Swift’s sophomore release Dressed Up For The Letdown seems to symbolically call for an
end to the age of overdub onslaughts and overrated studio trickery that have been plaguing
records since the advent of the ADAT. After all... Sly Stone didn’t quantize “Luv N’ Haight”; in
1969, Crosby Stills and Nash weren’t “Helplessly Hoping” auto-tune would be invented; and
there’s no doubt in my mind that whoever is responsible for the tambourine on Bob Dylan’s
“Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35” had gotten stoned (as suggested). Why bring this up? Because each
of the aforementioned songs have remained steadfast against the hourglass sands, regardless of the
lack of digital editing employed during their respective recordings. You can just smell it in the air,
can’t you? You know, the unmistakable fragrance of the impending societal revolt against the
modern milquetoast manifestations of “art”? Or is it just me? I mean, who among us found
themselves wishing George Lucas was poor again, whilst miserably enduring the Star Wars
prequels? I see those hands. Sure, it looked cool... sort of... Personally I’d take A Clockwork Orange
any day over this green-screen nonsense.

And herein lies the point: just because you can, doesn’t necessarily mean you should. In the spirit
of this truth Richard Swift has confidently composed yet another original masterpiece; employing
an archaic attitude of tempered restraint on a fresh collection of ten songs, without appearing
shamelessly retro or kitschy. Playing a vast majority of the instruments on Dressed Up himself, by
virtue Swift has created something that is characteristically his. And considering his rough-
around-the-edges exterior, one could rightly assume that Swift desires the listener to accept him as
an ordinary honest man with some honest songs — unmasked blemishes and all. Yet when one
engages with Swift on this narrow-road-less-traveled, one immediately ignores the subtle
imperfections shadowed by the all-consuming white light of well-crafted pop songs in an analog
heaven. In effect he’s saying, “Just listen to my songs... the riffraff in the background is
inconsequential.” Sure Swift... whatever you say.

Dare I say fans of The Richard Swift Collection Vol. 1 will not feel Dressed Up For The Letdown, as
Swift leads the faithful further into a melancholic world draped with colorful sonic landscapes.

Dressed Up For The Letdown

The Songs Of National Freedom

Most Of What I Know

Buildings In America

Artist & Repertoire

Kisses For The Misses

P.S. It All Falls Down

Ballad Of You Know Who

The Million Dollar Baby

The Opening Band

CATALOG #:

SC133

RELEASE DATE:

FEBRUARY 20, 2007

FORMAT:

CD/LP (VINYL NON-RETURNABLE) 

CD BOX LOT:

40 UNITS

LP BOX LOT:

25 UNITS  

GENRE:

AVANT POP / INDIE ROCK

KEY MARKETS:

LOS ANGELES, SEATTLE,

PORTLAND, SAN FRANCISCO, SAN DIEGO,
AUSTIN

CD UPC:

656605013329

LP UPC:

656605013312

1. Much anticipated follow-up to Secretly Canadian’s re-release of Swift’s 2xCD The Novelist / Walking
Without Effort in late 2005. Up ‘til now critical darling Swift has been a musician’s musician, embraced
primarily by critics and rockers, but with the release of this album — his first new material recorded
since 2001 — Swift will surely burst from the confines of the touring van speakers of the world.

2. In the last year, Swift has embarked on tours with My Morning Jacket, the Walkmen, Elbow, Josh
Ritter, Jens Lekman and Earlimart, earning a reputation for a live rock revivalist, conjuring up images
of classic period Dylan and the Band live performances from the late ‘60s and early- to mid-‘70s. A
crazy globe-trotting touring schedule will commence in February upon the release of this record.

3. A video will be produced for lead-off single “Kisses for the Misses”.

4. Girlie Action will promote the album in the USA.

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