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Epitaph Records -- Millencolin

The Swellers

Beginning of the End Again
2005
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The Swellers - Beginning of the End Again (Cover Artwork)


Review by: Gunner
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Published on June 13th 2006

A couple years back I met some young kids who told me they were in a band. Nothing too special there, happens all the time, but when they hooked my band up with a show in Michigan, I was blown away by what I heard. Four kids, three still in high school, were playing fast, melodic skatepunk like I hadn't heard from any new band in years.

Fast-forward a few months and the talented kids put out this 7-song EP that is, in all honesty, as close to perfect for a fan of `90s Fat Wreck punk as I've ever heard. It's not the most original sound, with many hints of No Use and Bad Religion with a bit of Dragonforce influence in the guitar work, but the songwriting is spot on and far beyond their years. The vocals are strong, with catchy melodies and tight harmonies, and the musicianship and drumming is all as tight as you could ask for. Best of all, these songs have the urgency and ambition many of their "forefathers" seem to have forgotten on their most recent albums, and of the 7 songs there's not one miss in the bunch.

That should be all I need to say for you to know whether you think this is worth listening to or not. Many of you will scoff at the style you've grown out of years ago, but I'm sure there's a number of you out there who still play your old Strung Out and Lagwagon CDs on a regular basis. You owe it to yourselves to get a hold of this record so you can follow the career of one of the most promising young punk rock bands out there.



People who liked this also liked:
Rise Against - Revolutions Per MinuteRise Against - The Sufferer & the WitnessThe Loved Ones - Keep Your HeartThe Swellers - My EverestMuch the Same - SurviveMuch The Same - Quitters Never WinNOFX - The DeclineA Wilhelm Scream - RuinerA Wilhelm Scream - Mute PrintA Wilhelm Scream - Career Suicide



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    Posted by Flossin on 2007-11-30 17:30:53
    My Score:

    I love the song "Run" off this album, they need to play it live! Great band, great CD, great guys

    Posted by ThinMike on 2006-08-29 03:12:13

    "Ah, melodic pop-punk. Why do people still think you're good?"

    Good music is good music. I feel sorry for you if you liked melodic punk a few years ago and think just because your tastes changed that it means the truth of what music is good or is not has changed as well. All those old records you used to love? guess what, they're still just as good as they ever were. You're the one that changed. Get a clue.

    Posted by randomhero323 on 2006-08-23 12:47:27

    i won this cd along with their first album and a signed poster in a contest. this band kicks ass

    Posted by freaky003 on 2006-06-19 16:25:16

    i think this band is awesome :)

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 19, 2006 at 11:38 AM (EDT)

    Wowzerz..... I'm in la and just got onto these guys, ya no, every once in a while ya hear somethin that is vaguely familiar and is done verywell, and after a couple listens ya get a feel that this will develop into major league. The potential is overwhelming.... Young, but mature beyond their years. Good lookin, and focused, if this is the beginning of the end again... Then the swellers beginning is nowhere near the end.... Lovit

    Posted by pearljamz on 2006-06-19 11:22:54

    get this cd, and be able to say years from now, yea i was into it when they were just starting out. these guys are legit.....AND THEY ARE ONLY 20 YRS OLD !!! AMAZING !!!!

    Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-06-16 20:53:00

    "not all of us are fickle teenagers who hopped on the post-hardcore bandwagon while trying to fit in with the latest trends"
    Yeah...because being fat teenager listening to hardcore while sitting alone in his room and posting stupid comments on messageboards is real fucking trendy.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 15, 2006 at 11:50 AM (EDT)

    "Ah, melodic pop-punk. Why do people still think you're good?"

    because it is still good, when it's done well. not all of us are fickle teenagers who hopped on the post-hardcore bandwagon while trying to fit in with the latest trends

    Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-06-15 10:46:52

    Ah, melodic pop-punk. Why do people still think you're good?

    Posted by socrates on 2006-06-15 07:34:16
    My Score:

    oh, the score is 7 not 3, my bad.

    Posted by socrates on 2006-06-15 07:33:10
    My Score:

    well, the vocal melodies sound very much like nufan, although the singers voice is much stronger, but the music itself is way better than nufan's.

    Posted by MrStylson on 2006-06-14 23:57:10

    Actually, for the summer months the Local is back to a regular sort of schedule, just at the Masonic Temple. This friday kicks off the summer season of shows with The Swellers, and then the season wraps up with The Hard Lessons in August I believe.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 7:20 PM (EDT)

    "Is the local finally open again? That place was awesome when my band used to play there a few years ago. I would always go through the couch cushions and find like $5 in change when I stayed there over night.

    -Ken"

    sorta..theyre having shows a couple times a month at the masonic temple down the street till the new building opens. the Swellers are playing there friday, and Wolf Eyes saturday, and then I dont think theres anything for a while.

    Posted by mrprecision79 on 2006-06-14 17:29:48

    These boys are some of the most hardworking bands that I know. I've been following them for the past 3 years and they play relentlessly and I've never been let down whenever I've seen them. They've got so much going for them right now with their first US tour and I am head over heels for "Beginning of the End Again", it also helps that these are some of the nicest people on the face of the earth. Best of luck!

    Posted by MrStylson on 2006-06-14 16:12:59

    actually, if you pay attention, you'll see someone asked if Gunner was making reviews now.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 3:22 PM (EDT)

    guy below me. no one cares!

    Posted by Gunner on 2006-06-14 14:57:26

    Yep, I wrote a review. Nobody had reviewed it yet and it's one of my favorite records from the past couple years, even if it is just an EP.

    I used to write reviews for a few years until I ran out of time and so few new records caught my attention. Luckily this is one that did.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 2:26 PM (EDT)

    Is the local finally open again? That place was awesome when my band used to play there a few years ago. I would always go through the couch cushions and find like $5 in change when I stayed there over night.

    -Ken

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 1:43 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    but everyone steals from everyone. i think they have a little less straightforward punk drumming and more complex indie-rock type drumming and that applies to some of their strong structures too, some of the choruses do sound like NUFAN and Lagwagon, but those bands weren't all that original either. I'd rather have this solid EP full of solid songs than something with a gimmick that will wear thin in a few years (remember when keyboards were all the rage?).

    and a bulk of the band is from fenton, so their native "scene" is Flint.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 11:59 AM (EDT)

    This is a good replica of Fat Wreck stuff, but I think that's my problem with it. These guys do NOTHING original and I keep finding myself listening to the album thinking- no use part, lagwagon part, nofx part, strung out part etc. Personally, I'd rather listen to the real deal than an imitation. I CAN BELEIVE IT'S NOT BUTTER!

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 1:25 AM (EDT)

    this EP deserves three stars at best. one good song. the rest are very mediocre. shows A LOT of potential though.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 10:33 PM (EDT)

    They are, in fact, signing to Nitro.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 10:25 PM (EDT)

    "Yo, where in michigan are these kids from?

    -Ken"

    fenton,flint,new lothrop

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 9:01 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "This ep is nothing short of stellar, and I hope to god they sign to Nitro or something."

    One of the guys in the Swellers toured with A Wilhelm Scream recently, so signing to Nitro may be a likely move in the future for the band.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 8:43 PM (EDT)

    I've seen these guys perform for almost three years now, and they never cease to amaze me. Their album does the same.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 7:43 PM (EDT)

    Maybe they've become significantly better recently, but I used to work at the Local, and they never seemed to be anything terribly fantastic.

    Posted by TheMarc on 2006-06-13 17:04:15
    My Score:

    This ep is nothing short of stellar, and I hope to god they sign to Nitro or something.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 4:46 PM (EDT)

    Yo, where in michigan are these kids from?

    -Ken

    Posted by niveK82 on 2006-06-13 15:24:22
    My Score:

    gunner is doing reviews?

    Posted by rkl on 2006-06-13 11:45:31

    how come the soloing isnt iron maiden influenced, since thats who dragonforce is ripping off?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 10:57 AM (EDT)

    Actually the soloing on this EP is clearly Dragonforce influenced. I'm surprised that knowing the band likes them you can't hear it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 9:33 AM (EDT)

    there was no reason to even mention Dragonforce in that review except for the fact that the guys in the band like them.....pointless.

    Posted by Infrarecon on 2006-06-13 07:29:45

    There's some good stuff here, there are also some good tracks on their first release 'End of Discussion'.

    Posted by mikestupid on 2006-06-13 07:15:43
    My Score:

    Music that sounds like it came from 10 years ago = good music.

    Posted by reduced2teeth on 2006-06-13 06:37:53

    These guys DEFINITELY have potential.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 2:59 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Looking foward to seeing them this summer on tour!

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 2:54 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I bought this on iTunes on impulse and I was blown away by how amazing this band was -- and then I saw how young they were and I about creamed myself.

    People might say these guys sound like NUFAN or whatever, but NUFAN never sounded THIS good THIS early in their careers.

    Great(er) things are to come, for sure.

    Posted by tno on 2006-06-13 02:50:45

    Beginning of the End Again is nearly perfect if you are a fan of melodic pop-punk. If you haven't checked out The Swellers by now you are really missing out.

    Posted by MrStylson on 2006-06-13 01:25:44
    My Score:

    One of my favorite albums of last year.