On the heels of
Swell's eponymous LP, 1992's
...Well? finds the band -- founded by frontman
David Freel and drummer
Sean Kirkpatrick -- operating as a foursome with the addition of bassist
Monte Vallier and guitarist
John Dettman. The eclectic, electric, and dynamic set averts the sophomore slump despite the occasional distraction of lounge singer
Richard McGhee, who mumbles his way through a couple of interludes, including "Intro." With such diversions out of the way,
Freel takes center stage on "At Long Last," giving a stellar vocal performance that heightens the song's deep, intoxicating groove. Revisiting moments like this, bolstered by
Dettman's roaring axe,
Swell deliver on the promise of early alternative rock. Elsewhere, inventive tracks like "The Price" -- echoing 1960s psychedelia -- and the country-touched "Down" show a band evolving unhindered through these ten original tunes.