Swordfish have started to garner a lot of attention with their new album Rodia. Washed Up Emo streamed it prior to its release and Ian Cohen wrote about “Ghost Song” over at Pitchfork. However, neither of these things determined whether or not I’d listen to the band. I listened because I trust Take This To Heart Records to consistently release music that I enjoy. I had never heard about Swordfish before they signed to the label, and I bet this won’t remotely be the last I hear of them.
Rodia kicks off with “Favorite Clothes,” which eases itself into the band’s sound. It starts with distant guitar and when the vocals come in, nothing is rushed. The same goes for the whole release. Just because the songs are short doesn’t mean the band blast their way through them with power chords and fast melodies. While those do occur, it’s not what makes up the entire song. It makes for a great listening experience.
Their ability to blend various genres is a testament to how talented this band is. In “Wash,” trumpets come in at just the right moment and you get this sense of how far the band can stretch their music and make it work. Are they the first to add some horns to their music? Not at all, but they still deserve credit for doing it well. Rodia is a joy to listen to and I can’t wait to see what comes next for the band since they’re already getting a good amount of attention.
American Football gets a reference in, the aptly titled, “Owen.” It’s a nice nod to one of the influences at the end of Rodia. You can hear the mix of American Football and Sorority Noise in this band. They fit perfectly well within that scene. It also helps that Rodia was recorded by Nick Diener (The Swellers) and mastered by Cam Boucher (Sorority Noise). They’re in this scene and it feels like they’re here to stay. If you somehow haven’t heard of them until now, I’d recommend giveing Rodia a shot.