Swing Youth – Myself To Blame/Blade Of Grass 7″
Catchy, but ever so slightly dark, new wave electro pop of the sort to be found on the Split Enz albums True Colours and Waitai. And when I say ‘I Got You’ by Split Enz is my favourite track of all time you will understand I’m not damning with faint praise. Other precedents you may want to search out are The Same and The Tigers, over-looked but brilliant pop artists possibly not helped by being bundled in with the ’79 Ska revival. Swing Youth have that same bounce, their name – though taken from underground German Jazz movement during WW2 – couldn’t describe them better.
Simplicity in Indie Pop can be an art form and there is absolutely NO fat on these two gems. ‘Myself To Blame’ leans most towards Split Enz, it sounds joyous although its’ unspecifically reproachful lyric seems to be looking over it’s shoulder doubtfully. ‘Blade Of Grass’ may have heard 17 Seconds by The Cure but it is an altogether less bleak depression it features. Crying into its’ beer rather than cutting its’ wrists.
There are a few young (broadly)London bands that need watching and Swing Youth can join Pull In Emergency, Elferd & The Uber Peas and Animals Talking on that list.