Swayback

"Local rockers Swayback deftly cast aside initial fears that their latest release might be a one-dimensional production by throwing all sorts of flourishes into this double A-side. The bass grooves, the handclaps, the hi-hats and horns all come together on "One Way Traffic", like "Know Your Product" (The Saints) bashing up "Bohemian Like You" behind the local pub" - RIP IT UP MAGAZINE, November 2007

"You would need to have Van Gogh’s hearing, a full body plaster cast, and both of your feet nailed to the floor not to git down to this one. Swayback are one of Australian rock’s best kept secrets, but not for much longer if this new single, 'One Way traffic' is anything to go by. In 2006 they led a one-band renaissance of the kind of rollicking, lurching, strutting, thick-sliced rock’n’roll that many thought had died with the Faces, Humble Pie or 70’s Stones. Jet and The Casanovas both achieved greater exposure ploughing a seemingly similar furrow, but neither seemed to possess that essential mix of humour, fun and love for the genre that Swayback have in spades. Their first album, The Quest for Rock & Roll was one of the diamonds in the rough of 2006, and their live shows only cemented their reputation. Always absolutely in tune to the spirit of the music and never a pastiche or bad karaoke.

'One Way Traffic' is more than a great new single. It is proof positive that Swayback have reached a whole new level. A delicious bass run leads into a shimmering steel guitar intro before the steaming, addictive chorus riffs get their hooks into you. There is a whole new confidence here from a band who know absolutely what they are about. ‘It’s never easy’, sings Brenton Manser but he could have fooled me. This is effortless rock the way Federer plays effortless tennis. Swayback don’t sound like one of those bands who try too hard but that’s just because they are so good at what they do.

As a taster for the new Swayback album due in February, this couldn’t be more tempting, especially as the single’s other track 'Moonlight Drive' is equally good. As a stand alone piece of what rock & roll can be about, it is already a contender for Aussie single of the year. How much more fun could you have for $5? And the YouTube video is full of their usual tongue-in-cheek". - THE DWARF WEBSITE, February 2008
- Various

"Swayback rule! Legendary live act Swayback is on The Quest For Rock & Roll and they are well on the way to finding it. Suggestions Swayback are contenders for Adelaide’s best live band title are reinforced by recent supports with bands of the ilk of The Bellrays, The Datsuns, Bob Log III, The Casanovas and a whole host more. What do they sound like? Think early ‘70s, think ‘swagger rock’ and turn your attention to bands like the Flamin’ Groovies and the Stones to form an impression. Most bands are about the fashion and the haircuts, but Swayback let the music do the talking – 12 quality tracks each baring their own character. Right from first drop, The Moves rocks like there is tomorrow and Between You & A Hard Place rocks even harder like there’s no day after tomorrow. I’ve Heard You Say slows down just enough to catch a breath and Control provides a nice bluesy contrast. This is a great album - what more do you need to know?!" - RIP IT UP MAGAZINE, July 2007

“Swayback’s long awaited album ‘The Quest For Rock & Roll’ arrived with a bang in late 2005. It was like the runaway rock ‘n’ roll carnival had come to town! Swayback are Brenton Manser, guitar/vocals; Matt Small guitar/vocals/piano; Duane DeGruchy bass/vocals and Jason Sifis drums/percussion, with guest Derek Mouldey on harmonica.

The album was recorded with Dave Lokan at Big Sound studios and consists of no less than 12 tracks, each with their own old-skool rockin’ energy. “It’s a long way to the shop if you wanna sausage roll” is the overall vibe and this is conveyed with a wall of garage sound, that rocks out almost non-stop! This is especially so on ‘Birdy’, ‘Inspiration’ and ‘Cabin Fever’. Other tracks like ‘The Moves’ and ‘Outlaws’ have more of a rollicking swing feel. Swayback also have a couple of slow ones in their arsenal, namely ‘I Heard You Say’, a kind of suburban gospel number, and ‘Control’ their big minor blues ‘ballad’.

The mix is the classic drums, bass, electric and slide guitars with occasional piano and harmonica thrown in. The vocals are straight up and come with three way rock ‘n’ roll harmonies and when they sing “….the quest for rock & roll is not what it seems….” you better believe it! So if you like loud, reckless, chunky, laid-back, 70’s blues rock, Swayback is the band for you!” - ADELAIDE BANDS WEBSITE, December 2005

“…Swayback have released a fantastic album - probably the best long-player these ears have heard come out of South Australia. It rocks, it rolls, it swoons and caresses like all great rock and roll albums should. 'Swagger Rock' in the the style of the Stones, Flamin Groovies (before they added the apostrophe) and 'modern bands' like You Am I and Soundtrack Of Our Lives. Very cool.” - HALF A COW RECORDS, April ’06

“Recorded live over a weekend at an abandoned farmhouse in the Adelaide Hills, the debut album by South Australian four piece Swayback, is honest, raw and bloody exciting. They move from straight up, driving rock to all out blues in a matter of minutes as both 'The Moves' and 'Between You And A Hard Place' attest. There’s a little of the new (The Vasco era), the old (The Rolling Stones) and the established (Kings Of Leon) within their music. As their bio suggests: Swayback, are a triumph of substance over style. Who am I to argue? Gritty vocals, hard-edged attitude and punchy riffs, it's all right there. Impossible not to fall under their rock'n'roll spell, 'The Quest For Rock & Roll' begins here!” - BUZZ MAGAZINE, June 2006

“If you haven’t heard of Swayback you may be forgiven. Before I went to Adelaide I hadn’t heard of them either but I tell you, there are fantastic things going on South Oz and this band is one of them. This four piece plays a blues driven style of rock and roll that is mature and comfortable with itself. The distinct Australian rock sound is still there, but it is complimented with sporadic bursts of piano harmonica and liberal dashes of slide guitar. The Quest for Rock & Roll is strong throughout, which is impressive for a 12 song release. What’s even more impressive is that not only is it a strong album, it is also an interesting album. There are enough twists and turns to keep the listeners attention avoiding the trap of having their songs blend into each other.

The first track, The Moves, is a killer opener that grabs the attention like all good first tracks should - and leads on to much greater things in Between You & A Hard Place which keeps the energy going. A nice little piano ditty brings down the tempo and calms the mood of the album. From here the band steadily draws and changes the tempo to build it to a final rocked out ending.

In all this album is good and that’s all you need to know…” - LOCAL ANAESTHETIC FANZINE, September ‘06

“Adelaide’s days as a breeding ground for raw rock ‘n’ roll are light years away from the two-pound Pom garage blues days of the 1960’s, or the post-punk pub rock rock of The Dagoes, Exploding White Mice, Lizard - Various

"First up was Swayback and they went down like a fine wine barely hitting the sides. The word on the street is that Swayback are one of the hottest prospects around town and maybe they're in for bigger and better things in 2007, which is totally true." - Bob Tyger, fasterlouder.com, OCTOBER 2006

"Paul was also looking forward to catching local band Swayback once again.

“Yeah, we’ve played with those guys a bunch of times now,” he said in conclusion. “And I remember playing Adelaide with them when we toured with 67 Special and one of the guys from that band saw them and said, ‘shit, this is just the opening act. They’re great’." - Robert Dunstan interviewing Paul Doery of The Exploders, Rip It Up Magazine, AUGUST 2007

"Next on stage were Adelaide rockers, Swayback , who took the tone from zippy-about-town hatchback to white-line-snorting vintage V8 muscle with their brand of swamp-soaked rock and roll. The addition of another rhythm guitar allows more room for lead, and with bad-ass bass and thumping drum lines akin to the rhythm of a lumpy Chrysler 440 engine, it’s possible to imagine how Wolfmother may have sounded had they been influenced by Gene Vincent rather than Led Zeppelin.

Swayback left the stage to applause, a round of those “they were cool” nodding gestures and even a back-flip from one tipsy punter who was surprisingly more acrobatic than he looked. Then again, so was John Belushi." - Mr. Blue, fasterlouder.com, AUGUST 2007

"Helping the ’Spiders celebrate the release of their new album Live At The Esplanade, Adelaide sons Swayback took the stage at an unusually early time considering they were an interstate act. Conscious of the lack of audience, their awkward between-song banter suggested the band definitely needed to have a drink or two. Sonically however, Swayback were far removed from their on-stage demeanour, delivering their form of hard-driving blues rock with precision and intensity. Their stop / start song structure emphasised what a tight unit the band are, and a later time slot would have surely seen them get a better response." - X-Press Magazine, DECEMBER 2008 (Lime Spiders album launch, Amplifier Bar, Perth)

"Swayback's distinctively languid yet rocking retro sound strikes a real chord with the steadily building crowd. With lots of bluesy slide guitar, they blend lots of classic rock influences such as The Faces, Allman Brothers Band and Rory Gallagher. The quality of the playing is outstanding and they are suitably well received". - Budgie support review, dB Magazine FEBRUARY 2008 (Budgie national tour, Governor Hindmash, Adelaide) - Various