Richard Swift Day

I've spent most of my walking time over the past couple of weeks looking upwards in vain for any early sign of returning swifts, walking into lampposts and nearly getting run over in the process. Yesterday morning I woke up and without even getting out of bed, saw three of them looping around in the sky through the dormer window! They have arrived! It's an annual event I've come to christen Richard Swift Day and May 5th is the earliest on record - or at least in the 9 years since I moved into Swede Towers and started keeping records. When the final swift disappeared from the local skies last July, I honestly believed it would be the last time I'd see them from this location, but with all thoughts of selling the house on hold for the time being, I now get to spend one more summer in close proximity with these amazing creatures.

Richard Swift died two years ago at just 41 years of age. He left a superb body of music of his own as well as production work for The Shins, Kevin Morby, Foxygen, Laetitia Sadier and, notably, Damien Jurado, for whom he produced the excellent 'Maraqopa' trilogy of albums between 2012 and 2016. Jurado released a fine new album 'What's New, Tomboy?' a few days ago, which contains 'Ochoa', a tribute to his late friend and collaborator Richard Swift.

Damien Jurado - Ochoa

Richard Swift RIP

The terrible news broke just minutes ago that Richard Swift has succumbed to the previously reported life threatening condition from which he has been suffering. He was 41 years of age. The world has lost a uniquely gifted singer, songwriter and producer.

Richard Swift - Broken Finger Blues

I Will Listen to Your Every Word

Troubling news broke over the weekend that gifted singer, songwriter and producer Richard Swift was recently hospitalised in Tacoma, Washington due to a non-specified life-threatening condition. In addtion to releasing a clutch of fine solo albums and EPs, Richard has carved out a career as a well respected sideman and producer, working with the likes of The Shins, Dan Auerbach, Kevin Morby, Foxygen, Laetitia Sadier, Damien Jurado and most recently Jessie Baylin.

Richard is uninsured and his medical costs are high, so his friends have set up a GoFundMe page for anyone who feels that they would like to contribute a little to his care and recovery.

Richard Swift - A Song for Milton Feher

Over Rainbows and Rainier

Along the lines of Charity Chic's annual New Years Day Homage to Hank & Townes and Brian's yearly Happy (Mitch) Easter postings, I've long considered establishing a once every 12 months tradition of Richard Swift Day, to celebrate the season's first sighting of my favourite bird in our local skies. Needless to say, I've never quite been on the ball enough to pull it all together (it was May 8th this year in case you're interested), but I hope this goes to show the very high esteem in which I hold not only the bird in question, but also the American singer-songwriter who shares its name. Frustratingly, Richard hasn't released an LP of original material since 'The Atlantic Ocean' in 2009, instead choosing to focus his attention on production work for the likes of The Shins, Kevin Morby, Foxygen, Laetitia Sadier and, notably, Damien Jurado, for whom he produced the excellent 'Maraqopa' trilogy of albums between 2012 and 2016. The combination of Jurado and Swift was a match made in heaven to these ears, so imagine my concern when I read a while back that Damien's new LP, 'The Horizon Just Laughed', was to be a much more low-key and self-produced affair. I needn't have worried though. Depending on who's counting, 'The Horizon Just Laughed' is either Jurado's 11th, 13th or 16th long player and surely his most personal in many years. There's an intimacy to these 11 songs that draws the listener closer and is in places similar in tone to the work of Phosphorescent and Iron & Wine. It's a quiet triumph of a record.

Version City #56 - Damien Jurado & Richard Swift sing Relatively Clean Rivers

Initially only briefly available as a download back in 2010, Damien Jurado & Richard Swift's informal album of covers, 'Other People's Songs, Vol. 1', has this week received a belated official release via Secretly Canadian. On the record, Jurado & Swift re-imagine an eclectic mix of tunes from the likes of Kraftwerk, Yes, Chubby Checker, John Denver and the cast of Oh Calcutta! Here's their lovely reading of 'Hello Sunshine', originally released in 1976 on the self-titled LP by Relatively Clean Rivers. The Relatively Clean Rivers album has itself had the full reissue treatment in recent years, bringing down the price accordingly, though if you prefer your vinyl to be of the vintage persuasion you should head over to Discogs sharpish, where a mint original awaits you for a mere £1763. Can anybody lend me a fiver?

Damien Jurado & Richard Swift - Hello Sunshine 

Relatively Clean Rivers - Hello Sunshine 

Richard Swift

This time last night I was flicking through some Damien Jurado songs thinking I might post one, but couldn't make a decision, so I put the idea on the back-burner.

Imagine my spooked-outness this morning when I found that sfw over at Tune Doctor had the same idea - and what a fine choice he made!

Here's a tune from Damien Jurado's current producer Richard Swift. When asked to describe his music I usually say a 21st Century Harry Nilsson, but in addition to being a terrific singer/songwriter, multi- instrumentalist and producer, he's also a  film-maker and photographer - oh yes, and he's currently a member of The Shins.

I Got the Right LPs