Ride the Wave of the Current Swell

Courtesy - Mike Pepperdine

Going from two guys playing music on the beaches of Victoria, Canada, to having an international fan base, Current Swell is a name that isn't heard too often in the U.S. It is a mystery to me why more Americans have no clue about such a great band that puts their souls into everything they do with their music.

The laid back band has a reggae, folk, and grass-roots feel to their warm and enticing sound that can’t help but draw you in. They sing about their travels and people they have encountered throughout their international experiences making listeners a part of the story. Current Swell is a wave that rolls through leaving their mark from their hard work, love for their music as well as their fans.

Current Swell independently put out three albums spanning from 2007 - 2009 with tracks like "Chesterman's Valley" and "Stomach" making you want to sing along and jam out without a care in the world. Their music and talent put a smile on my face every time I crank up their tunes. As said before, at times I even feel like I had been along for the ride in the exciting stories that are beautifully told throughout each album. It is an honest and real experience for listeners to take part in.

Courtesy - Mike Pepperdine

As the band traveled the world and shared their experiences through the unique elements in their Mike Pinto like sound, Current Swell got back into the studio to create their latest album, Long Time Ago. Simply by the title of the album and the first track, the reminiscence of the band's journeys together as well as their reflection on past experiences is instantly prevalent  Current Swell's experiences and time together has also transformed their sound a bit on the record to where they rooted themselves in the ground at the beach with a little bit of folk, rock, smooth reggae, mesmerizing vocals, and even some indie rock influence.

For example, "Brad's Song" is stripped down raw and filled with emotion and the stories are still there, but in songs like "Get What's Mine," you become consumed by the tracks catchy melody and tone of the vocals. Then the song "Up The Hills" sneaks up with a bite, having an indie and upbeat flow with a chorus effect on the guitar that gives it a bluesy/"Where is My Mind" by the Pixies feel to it. It is awesome to see a band successfully step out of their element.

I have been on the wave that the Current Swell created for years, now others need to come join the party.