SWMRS
“Do you got a car? Do you got a set of keys? Tell me where you’re going. Is there room for me?”
SWMRS is the band you fall in love with. They rock, simply put. The band has an innate ability to hit all the right notes at all the right times.
Leadman, Cole Becker, alongside older brother, Max Becker, head of the band are making serious moves in the punk/rock scene.
Rounding out the band is, Seb Mueller and Joey Armstrong – who is the son of Billie Joe Armstrong.
Coming off the heels of FIDLAR, Zac Carper dips his hands into SWMRS drive north as the producer.
BACKGROUND
SWMRS has gone under several names since their inauguration in middle school, most notably, Emily’s Army. As Emily’s Army, they made the hit song, “Aliens Landing.”
The Becker brothers met Armstrong around four years old. They were neighborhood friends who grew up in school together and played sports together. The three of them were the initial members to the band of today.
Down the road, Armstrong introduced Mueller to the rest of the group. Mueller was a Sax player in a band with Joey. He eventually put down the sax and now plays Bass with SWMRS.
THE BAND
In interviews it is clear to see that Max Becker is the older brother. He takes the initiative to answer most the questions, and carries a certain bravado about him. Max is also the lead to “lose it” a melancholic banger that sets the band apart on Drive North.
Cole Becker plays the little brother role. What you see in Cole, is something profound. He answers questions with ease and leaves you perplexed with the subtlety he carries in his genius. Cole is the talent of the band. His voice is natural and pure, has a drawl. He looks the front man and plays it well. Max and Cole write the songs.
Armstrong is the goof of the band. He rocks a mustache like none-other and is just simply put, a goof. He keeps the band loose and puts moments at ease in a way that some people can just naturally do.
Mueller is the oddball. He rocks the painted black nails and blond hair. He is obviously talented with his ability to play many instruments and simply perform. Mueller is quiet, and usually has the least to say in an interview. It does seem that he is stepping out of his shell and is answering more questions, he also dresses well.
DRIVE NORTH
The music you fall in love to.
“Turn up,” “Silver bullets,” “Miss yer kiss,” “Hannah,” and, “D’you have a car” are
classic riding music. Easy to listen to, sympathetic, and fun.
As stated earlier, this album was produced by Zac Carper of FIDAR. Notoriously, Zac is harsh in the booth. There have been many cases that Carper has worked with where the band describes him as intense and odd in his tactics to produce.
What is clear about Carpers is that he pushes bands to keep evolving and keep finding new sounds. Drive North is an atonement to a young band with talent that is willing to put aside ego and pride for the betterment of their product.
Drive North is truly a great album, and you can only hope for more.
Check out some of the featured tracks below and also follow the band on social media @SWMRS. Check their Website for more tour dates, merch and exclusives.
