Swim for Shore is the second album release from Kansas City, USA-based progressive rock band Lorraine-Dietrich, and it’s got them on these page for the first time.
By Graeme Smith
The album took the band two and and half years to complete and features six previously released singles and four new tracks. Its title track starts us off and at once we can tell we’re in for something a little different with Swim For Shore. Funky drums and bass set the scene before things kick up to a danceable tempo. Expressive vocals join in, giving us a certain pleading quality that fits nicely with the pace of the instrumental. It’s a captivating start.
Beauty of Flowers takes things a psychedelic direction with a dreamy, looping melody and plenty of natural imagery in its lyrics. One Day You’ll Know has a timeless feel combining classic rock elements with a modern edge. With You I’m Better rounds off the album’s new tracks with a hazy, jazzy odyssey.
From there we get a heady mix of relatable lyrics and jangly instrumentals. Lorraine-Dietrich really do plug into something with the music which feels at once retro and forward-facing. The playing is tight, the vocals compelling, and the style always fresh. By the time we reach album closer We Shall Be Reborn we feel satisfied, yet hungry for more.
It’s fair to say that Lorraine-Dietrich are flying under the radar from an international perspective but I think this album is definitely going to win them a few more fans at least. You can certainly count me as one of them. Swim For Shore is the kind of album I’ll be coming back to often.
Swim For Shore features Peter Grebenyuk on guitar and vocals, Logan Fancolly on bass, and Joseph Cooper on drums. The album is out now and you can check it out below.