Mute Swan is a local psychedelic rock band. The quartet just released an excellent five-song EP on the Tucson record label Commercial Appeal. The EP, Ultraviolet, takes the basic template of its predecessor, Feel How it Sees, which was as intoxicating as the synesthesia laid out in its title with hypnotic, Krautrock-inspired circular song structures and instrumental interplay that recalled both contemporaneous efforts by Tame Impala and the groundbreaking sonics of My Bloody Valentine. Now, Ultraviolet rides in on the premise of plenty of worthy second records—from Love’s Da Capo to Spiritualized’s Pure Phase. Which is to say, Ultraviolet has all of the positive qualities of Feel How it Sees while opening up the sound and the idea; it’s everything you liked about the band but new and improved. That advertising cliché isn’t irrelevant here–between the financial backing from Commercial Appeal to the group’s just-completed West Coast tour to the video premiers featured in outlets such as The Fader, Mute Swan is transparently taking a swing at what remains of the music industry. The band is looking to break into what was once referred to as “the big time” and I should know: I contributed to Mute Swan’s press materials along with the PR firm they hired, and that’s a disclaimer. All of these actions on the part of the band, and those working for them, beg the question of whether or not Mute Swan will be the band of its generation to have a career outside of Tucson.
There have been many acts that Mute Swan are following in the footsteps of–most recently local rock bands like Prom Body and Katterwaul, both of whom have appeared at one time to be on the cusp of major national and even international recognition; a decade ago, it seemed inevitable that the Deftones-inspired Chango Malo would go on to fame and fortune. Perhaps I’m being charitable, but the jury is still out on Prom Body and Katterwaul’s potential commercial breakthroughs, because while Chango Malo disbanded six or seven years ago, Prom Body is working on a followup to its 2014 record, which garnered accolades from NPR to this newspaper, and Katterwaul just got back from gigging in France. And that’s stuff worthy of note, but the fact remains that historically, the world–and when I say the world I mean Germany and France likes its Tucson music to evoke a romantic image of the desert, like in the music of XIXA or Brian Lopez or Giant Sand, or the straight-up traditional Mexican music that permeates Sergio Mendoza’s eclectic catalog. If your band isn’t the sonic equivalent of a ’50s Western movie set, your chances of outside recognition are about as decimated as the music industry you’re trying to break into.
Right now, anyone’s guess is as good as anyone else’s, but based on our town’s track record, the chances aren’t high that Mute Swan won’t fade off into the not-so-terrible-at-all fate of settling in to the status of a very popular local band that had a promising moment with the release of its second EP back in 2016.
This article appears in Oct 20-26, 2016.
Hey, Joshua…a “50s Western” would be cowboy music, like Rex Allen and Roy Rogers. The music that may have “influenced” Gabe Sullivan and Howe Gelb and others is more likely the Ennio Moricone soundtracks of Sergio Leone’s “spagheti westerns” of the late 60s-early 70s. The ones that did so well with Clint Eastwood.
I think the “music” that “influenced” Mr Gelb et al was more the yowling of feral cats in the alleys of Tucson and discombobulated street poetry of the bohemian wino than the awesome soundtracks of any western movies no matter what era
i would have to disagree on the music that “makes it out of here” truth is very little really makes it out of anywhere cuz it is such a wide open game that have persistance and work ethic will travel.Rock and roll is a young mans game /always will be/It is anyones guess as to who and why folks sell a few records in europe .I think they appreciate songwriters more then in states. But Tucson is only helpe by media and the occasional breakthrough .Young cats like Gabe and Brian work real real hard to rise . But ya know the music industry confuses me and ive yet to see any spoils so to speak.more power to the young bands ,it is there game in the end.
“anyone’s guess is as good as anyone else’s”
“the chances aren’t high that Mute Swan won’t fade off”
“the fact remains that historically, the worldand when I say the world I mean Germany and France likes its Tucson music”
Really? Anyone’s guess is as good as any one else’s why the standards for what doesn’t not get published by the Weekly here seems to be written by kid’s whose chances aren’t high that that they won’t not pass 3rd grade English class.
Periods and correct grammatical use of english,don’t mean that it has passion or a story.
I’m very bad at that end of things but i’m not sure that is the game changer in rock n roll or writing about it.But i try to learn as i go ,spose that is good enuff for a note pad and a record.These days most musicians can’t get near a publishing deal .now that is a shame.World wide shame.