`99th Dream` was the nearly lost fourth studio album by British alternative rock band Swervedriver, which was originally released in 1998 shortly before the band broke up. It`s remastered and reissued on extended double vinyl this month and features three new remixes by Alan Moulder (My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Led Zeppelin). While the 3CD version packs in the remastered album and remixes on Disc One; the remastered live 1998 New York show on Disc Two, and an hour-long Disc Three featuring outtakes and studio demos.
The first disc has the 99th Dream album which opens with title track 99th Dream which is a delightfully preoccupied nigh on swaying thoughtful introduction with some fairly surreal lyrics that appear to be a roundabout declaration of love of somebody despite their challenging behavioural issues. The lyrics for `Up from the Sea` are no less strange but seem to be maybe a metaphor for gaining inspiration from our earthly resources. It`s a captivating listen with some restrained guitar riffs, gentle harmonies, and a wonderful reflection in the vocal delivery at times.
`She Weaves a Tender Trap` has an almost retro trippy vibe and may be about an unhealthy relationship that you maybe can`t or don`t want to leave. It has that reflective psychedelic ballad trance like atmosphere. There`s a real deep wishful introspection on life with `These Times` a simple but completely absorbing track.
`Electric 77` runs at over seven minutes long but doesn`t feel overly long. It takes us on a dreamy almost hypnotic journey with lyrics that are certainly not filled with aerophobia as they take us to the moon and beyond. A track I just let myself meld into. We have an almost cinematic timeout in the cosmic like instrumental `Stellar Caprice`.
`Wrong Treats` has a rhythmic, recurring, spooling, power pop like touch and maybe touches on growing up and the district that shaped you. There`s a much more stop-start feel about `You’ve Sealed My Fate` with the title repeated throughout which becomes almost mantra like.
`In My Time` is another trace-like composition which veers along in a delightfully abstract way while `Expressway` has an almost acoustic round the campfire jam like ambience.
`Behind the Scenes of the Sounds & the Times` would have been the final track on the original release and it has an initially sonic atmosphere before vocals join and the number becomes much more thoughtful and reflective maybe insightful. The latter part picks up speed and volume as it races to a conclusion.
There are four additional tracks, out-takes with `Why Say Yeah` a heavier questioning offering while `93 Million Miles From The Sun (..And Counting)` seems much more philosophical about life and our existence here shared over a compelling rhythmic entrancing soundscape. `The Director`s Cut Of Your Life` has a blend of light and heavy riffs which draws you in. The final track is `Straight Thru Your Heart` which has some restrained wah wah reverberating guitar riffs, a rhythmic drumbeat and a gentle vocals that are delightfully expressive. A poetic love song possibly.
The second disc is a live show from the intimate 250 capacity `Mercury Lounge` music venue in the Lower East Side of New York City from 14th January 1998 and has a baker`s dozen of songs from the first four albums, `Raise`, `Ejector Seat Reservation`, `Mezcal Head` and `99th Dream`. This seventy eight minutes worth of powerful material is at times pretty raw with the usual spectators talking during the show captured along with the band`s blend of shoegaze, alternative rock, dream pop, and grunge. A timely snapshot of the groups capabilities at the time in front of a surprisingly attentive American audience.
The final disc is named Doremi Faso Latido and rich with `99th Dream` out-takes. The title maybe refers to the assignment of syllables to steps of the diatonic scale, the music of the spheres and the Pythagorean concept of sound. There are six out-takes with the fairly trippy `Butterfly` spoken word `Canvey Island Baby` pretty out there, space rock tinged `Sciflyer97`, mesmerising `Carousel City`, quite gentle retro `Sea Foam` and rhythmic `Cool Your Boots`. The demos include a lighter `Up From The Sea`, dreamy keys / synth bathed `Straight Thru Your Heart`, slightly faster `These Times` with overdubbed spoken word, jangly almost Byrds like `You’ve Sealed My Fate` a heavier `Wrong Treats`, a more delicate `Electric 77` and finally a quite raw `Behind the Scenes of the Sounds & the Times`. The final numbers are live TV outtakes which include title track `99th Dream` and `Wrong Treats` both delightfully powerful.
There was so much to enjoy on this collection which runs at around three and a half hours and listening to what is shared, although nearly a quarter of a century old really stands up and has sparked my desire to revisit all of Swervedriver`s albums. At the time the critics said that the album was “packed with odes to psychedelia and mesmerizing sonic displays that draw heavily from [Swervedriver’s] post-punk past.” praised the “warm, spacey psychedelia and classic pop hooks.” And wrote that “the band’s ability to strike a balance between restraint and reckless abandon is way more impressive than even the catchiest of melodies.
The album certainly still shimmers and sizzles like the work of shamefully few bands of the time. This box set is definitely a must have to add to your collection.
Rating 9.5/10
