DAZED & CONFUSED CONTINUE THEIR EXPLOSIVE IMPACT ON EDINBURGH SCENE WITH LATEST RELEASE ‘SWAMP SONG’

BY MORGAN HERMISTON

Swamp Song begins with a series of riffs played by guitarist Ruariadh Rattray. In their previous singles, this type of memorable and explosive intro has been a theme and a very successful one too. Another theme consistent within Dazed & Confused and their songs is their addicting amalgamation of musical styles and genres. In each song, listeners are treated to a mesmerising mix of funk and rock along with an almost western feel. This approach is the same in ‘Swamp Song’.

The foot-tapping element of funk in ‘Swamp Song’ comes from the combined work of bassist Archie Brewis and drummer Alfie Smith. Together, the dynamic drumming skills and funk-infused bass playing really gives the tune its unique twist. This thumping yet dance-infused base from Archie and Alfie, met with easily identifiable guitar features from Ruariadh, gives this song a sound that resembles the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Aerosmith and Boston.

Sung by frontman Callum O’Reilly through crystal clear vocals, ‘Swamp Song’ tells a story of reality versus fiction. Callum’s vocals are impressive, different and he truly brings every word to life. He voices a tale of drawing ourselves away from a life of comfortable fiction and into a, sometimes, painful reality. They emphasise the difficulty, but the need, of distinguishing between the swampy, murky waters of reality and fantasy.

“In exchange for what ain’t real, give me something I can feel,” is the line that enters listeners into the chorus along with a distinctive guitar riff. The catchy chorus is simply the line “the pain it reveals, I want to pray so badly” repeated. While simple, these phrases cleverly summarise exactly what ‘Swamp Song’ seems to be about. This underlying meaning is evident in lyrics like “I leave my misery, it seems no one’s out to save me” and “no phone, only want the radio”.

Even though they are all still young, they have a sophisticated and sensible way of writing that only the best seem to have mastered. For example, Midge Ure, Phil Lynott, and Bruce Springsteen are names that spring to mind for me when talking about songwriters who bring this slice-of-life and true experience style.

While it may work for a lot of tracks to include cheesy, cliche connotations of love, that style of writing isn’t something this group have adopted. The guitar and funk driven tune cleverley disguises, yet also intertwines with the foundational lyrical meaning. This makes it a tune that you can love for its musical charm, or equally for it’s all too real wording.

Not only has ‘Swamp Song’ proven that Dazed & Confused can retain an individualistic way of making music, it has also proven that the approach they take towards lyricism also hasn’t altered. With such an intriguing integration of different sounds among all of their tunes, a foundation has been built that the Edinburgh group can only build upon. The vast variety in musical influences also makes them a band that a wider audience will be drawn to. Whether you’re a fan of funk, rock or anything in between, ‘Swamp Song’ is bound to be a song you add to a playlist, and one I will definitely have on repeat.