A. Swayze and the Ghosts

"THIS YEAR CARRIES THE WEIGHT OF THREE: AN URGENT COLLECTION OF NEW MUSIC, A RECENTLY GAINED INDEPENDENCE, AND THEIR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RETURN TO THE STAGE."“Impassioned, intelligent punk” (DIY) group A. Swayze & the Ghosts are a potent force within the world of modern post-punk. Erupting into the scene with critically acclaimed, “end to end faultless” (The Guardian) and ARIA nominated debut “Paid Salvation”, the band has been capturing the attention of global audiences with rousing music conceived by a nervy charge and drilled urgency as they “understand that the point of punk wasn’t just to make a racket. It was to make a difference” (Louder Than War). The album was championed by The Guardian, NME, MOJO, BBC1, Beats One, Clash Magazine and many other notable music publications including a sync on the recent remaster of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.Led by the charismatic and enigmatic lead singer, Andrew Swayze, the Australian five-piece has amassed a fervent following with their incendiary, and oftentimes, “unpredictable, risky and unhinged” (Triple J) live performances. Emerging from a touring hiatus, during which the band turned inwards to explore their musical style, AS&TG’s latest single “Cool Cucumber” marks a departure from their established abrasive sound. Synthesisers and saxophones replace frantic urgency and political undertones, resulting in a refreshing joviality that nevertheless carries their post-punk signature. The spacious groove in “Cool Cucumber” is an invitation to dance, with the song both lyrically and sonically symbolising the progression of the band into a genre-melding, dance-music-meets-70s-New-York-punk outfit. This self-described  “Bowie-punk” sound marks the beginning of a new era for a band that has consistently provoked boundaries and norms with their expression as artists and performers.