15 February 2019
Newsdesk
Oakland, CA rock quartet SWMRS have released their anxiously awaited sophomore album Berkeley’s On Fire. The album is available HERE starting today via Fueled By Ramen.
“When we were writing these songs we were very conscious of our role in creating a space for people to escape from the nonstop negative media cycle,” shared co-frontman Cole Becker on the album’s lyrics. “It’s a strange time to be young; our generation knows the duality of feeling like an unstoppable force for change in one moment and a powerless wreck in the next. We wanted these songs to document that feeling that we’ve observed closely in ourselves and in the people we’ve shared our music with over the past three years.”
Determined to create something new within the rock genre, SWMRS collaborated with envelope-pushing producer Rich Costey (MUSE, Death Cab for Cutie) for two months in the Spring of 2018 for an exercise in grand experimentation. Inspired in equal parts by The Breeders, Rage Against The Machine, and De La Soul, the sonic diversity of the album is indicative of a generation reared on streaming services. SWMRS make music the way they consume it, jumping easily from pop rock to breakbeat-infused rock to emo punk, and jangly power pop.
SWMRS began building anticipation for the album with the release of title track “Berkeley’s On Fire” last August. In November, the band announced Berkeley’s On Fire and shared lead single “April In Houston”. Last month, the band released “Trashbag Baby”, their second consecutive song to premiere on BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac’s Hottest Record in the World, and delivered a three song live performance from their historic Maida Vale Studios. SWMRS spoke at length to the album’s timely lyrical content in a recent interview with Kerrang, who honored the band with their first ever cover story.
Later this month, the band will embark on the European/UK leg of their Berkeley’s On Fire Tour.
Comprised of Cole Becker (vocals/guitar), Max Becker (vocals/guitar), Joey Armstrong (drums), and Seb Mueller (bass), SWMRS released their debut album Drive North in 2016 via their own Uncool Records before signing with Fueled By Ramen (Twenty One Pilots, Panic! At The Disco, Paramore) who later re-released it. Drive North was praised by outlets including Rolling Stone, Noisey, Buzzfeed, and Billboard, and saw the band make their network television debut on CBS’s The Late Late Show with James Corden. SWMRS toured extensively in support of the album, and joined bands including FIDLAR, Wavves, Blink 182, Green Day, and All Time Low on stages around the world. Drive North has blared through hometown games of the Oakland A’s and San Jose Earthquakes, and through Saint Laurent’s runway during Paris Fashion Week.
Berkeley’s On Fire Tracklisting
1. Berkeley’s On Fire
2. Too Much Coffee
3. Trashbag Baby
4. Lose Lose Lose
5. April In Houston
6. Lonely Ghosts
7. IKEA Date
8. Hellboy
9. Bad Allergies
10. Steve Got Robbed
SWMRS Europe and UK Tour Dates
February 23, 2019 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz
February 25, 2019 - Milan, Italy - Santeria Social Club
February 27, 2019 - Hamburg, Germany - Molotow
February 28, 2019 - Berlin, Germany - Musik & Frieden
March 01, 2019 - Prague, Czech Republic - Chapeau Rogue
March 02, 2019 - Vienna, Austria - Flex
March 04, 2019 - Munich, Germany - Strom
March 05, 2019 - Cologne, Germany - Luxor
March 07, 2019 - Brussels, Belgium - AB
March 08, 2019 - Paris, France - Point Ephemere
March 09, 2019 - Amsterdam, Holland - Melkweg
March 11, 2019 - Birmingham, United Kingdom - O2 Institute
March 12, 2019 - Glasgow, United Kingdom - St Lukes
March 13, 2019 - Manchester, United Kingdom - Academy 2
March 14, 2019 - Bristol, United Kingdom - Thekla
March 16, 2019 - London, United Kingdom - Electric Ballroom
July 12, 2019 - Moscow, Russia - Park Live Festival
July 16, 2019 - Kiev, Ukraine - UPark Festival
