All Is Calm. Swansea Sound

All Is Calm is a Christmas mini album by Swansea Sound. And, yes, the band is from Swansea (and Kent). Apparently, the band has released a Christmas single in the past two years, but for me it is a first. All Is Calm has a few sides to it. You can hear songs that come close to punk, but also later 1960s pop and everything in between.

Swansea Sound formed in 2020 during the Covid lockdowns and reunite Amelia Fletcher and Hue Williams who used to play in a band called Pooh Sticks in the 1990s. Together with Amelia's husband Rob Pursey, who writes the songs for the band, drummer Ian Button and guitarist Bob Collins they have entered a period in which the band has decided to approach their music more seriously. At first the band would only release a few singles and now next year will be touring the U.S. and Canada.

The album opens with a full on punk track. Anyone hearing it (and is old enough) returns to the late 1970s immediately to bands like Sham 69 and The Undertones. That sets the tone, you'd think, and '(I Wanna Wear A) Mirrored Hat Like Slade' (yes, I remember Dave Hill wearing one) almost answers that expectation. 'Happy Christmas To Me' shows how punk can be mixed with pop perfectly. Just listen to the harmony vocals and that chorus will get every pub shouting along, pints in hand. 'Happy Christmas To Me' was the song that made me prick up my ears when I played All Is Calm for the first time. Time to pay attention my head told me.

What comes after, is more surprising. 'The Life We Led' is pop track from long ago with mild psychedelic undertones. The background vocals are attempting to be angelic, but in line with the music on the album not really succeeding, as it should not. The track is fun though. And the word fun is what shines through more and more. While maintaining a high quality, Swansea Sound shows it has fun creating and playing this music together. That continues right up to the end of All Is Calm.

My usual reaction to Christmas songs is like, yes, sure, but with music coming from Skep Wax over the past year I've learned to pay attention. I was proven totally right, as this is a Christmas album like no other I know. It will be so easy to play this in January, February, right up to Christmas 2026 and beyond.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order All Is Calm here:

https://swanseasound.bandcamp.com/album/all-is-calm