The Swirlies' first full-length album melds noisy guitars, samples, and sweet girl-boy vocals into a disheveled take on dream pop. Where so many dreamy bands polish their sound into pristine oblivion, the Swirlies create a hazy atmosphere that is evocative and unpretentious. Blonder Tongue Audio Baton -- named after a vintage tube equalizer -- combines the elements of the band's early work with more complexity. Songs like "Bell" and "Vigilant Always" juxtapose gentle and brash moments for...   [ read more ]

CD $14.23

On their second full-length album They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons, the Swirlies show again why they're so aptly named. From "In Her Many New Found Freedom" to "The Vehicle Is Invisible," the band's songs float, hover, threaten to fall apart, and, yes, swirl. Though much of the Swirlies' lineup changed between this album and their excellent 1992 debut album, Blonder Tongue Audio Baton, their trademark mix of samples, sweet vocals, and noisy drums a...   [ read more ]

CD $14.23

What to Do About Them, the Swirlies' first mini-album, compiles some of their early work (including their split single with Kudgel) with previously unreleased material and traces the band's development from My Bloody Valentine worshipers into something more interesting. The earliest recordings on the album, like 1991's "Sarah Sitting" and "Didn't Understand," borrow the pummeling tempos and wall-of-feedback guitars from Isn't Anything-era Valentine. However, tracks like {&"Her Life ...   [ read more ]

CD $13.28