Artist: The Swift
There's not just one powerful "Love Song."
There's an album full of love songs.
Only for four-piece, piano-driven pop band The
Swift, the new CD Singing Back to You likely
won't be played for a couple's first dance of
wedded bliss or form the soundtrack for a romantic
dinner for two. Rather, for the first time in
their 10-year career, The Swift has crafted a
project that reflects the heart of who they are
and most closely resembles the center of their
live musical ministry.
"We were much more intentional about this
record," says bassist/vocalist Mike Simons.
"We've been leading worship together for
the last 10 years, and we wanted to make a record
that reflected that part of our ministry."
On their third national release and Rocketown
Records debut, The Swift lends its signature sound
to the worship songs they perform relentlessly
in front of thousands at camps and conferences
each year. Vertically focused and including songs
from many of today's leading worship music writers,
Singing Back to You unveils the band's
deepening maturity and dynamic musicianship with
stylistic leanings reminiscent of Keane and Coldplay.
Piano player/vocalist Britt Edwards says, "'Singing
Back to You' is a lyric from 'Love Song' that
sets the tone for the rest of the album. We are
seeing God as a wonderful creator who has been,
in a sense, singing to us through the beauty of
creation. This album is our response to that."
Musically, the band takes its inviting and distinctive
sound, which has drawn past comparisons to Ben
Folds and Keith Green, and amps it up more than
a few notches. "This new record is really
taking things in a different direction,"
Edwards explains. "We're using a lot more
electronic elements, whereas our first two records
were very raw as far as instrumentation goes.
This project also brings in other keyboard instruments
and sequencing."
But a growing musicianship isn't the only change
for The Swift. In addition to the band's recent
move to Rocketown, new members Guy Lemon (drums)
and Matt Wilder (guitar) now round out the foursome,
and both Edwards and Simons are awaiting Impending
fatherhood. While Simons' wife Suzanne is due
within weeks of the album's release, Edwards'
wait is a bit less predetermined. Britt says,
"My wife Cadle and I are in the last stage
of adopting a child domestically, and it's beginning
to take a lot longer than we anticipated. I've
always been taught to not dwell on the past, and
now the Lord is teaching me not to dwell on the
future either. We were beginning to be so frustrated
in our waiting that we had forgotten to just enjoy
our last bit of time with just the two of us and
how available we are right now to get involved
with other things."
And there are plenty of others things calling
for The Swift's attention, including participation
in a Fall 2006 "Back to You" tour and
a 2007 already being filled with nearly a dozen
camps and conferences around the country. For
a band that got its start leading worship in their
North Carolina hometown, singing in front of thousands
of kids each week makes perfect sense. Simons
says, "When I was 14, music was the main
reason that I kept showing up for church every
Wednesday night. I know the impact that God has
allowed it to have in my life, and I want to be
involved in other lives being impacted. We have
a real heart for evangelism. Sharing the gospel
and teaching from scripture is a priority of our
live performances. We don't just come to a city
and play music. We work alongside the ministry
that brought us in and do our best to complement
the big picture."
Edwards adds, "I'm in the music industry
because these are the doors that God continues
to open for us. I would hope that when it's all
said and done, our music draws people to the character
and kindness of Christ. I hope that those who
know Him would be encouraged to be more like Him
and others would be drawn to meet Him."
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