Album Review: Swervedriver -- I Wasn't Born To Lose You

UK shoegaze legends Swervedriver have finally released their fifth album (and first this millennium), a fluent, reflective collection less reliant on volume and grunt and more focused on nuance and texture.

That said, their distinctive noise-pop aesthetic hasn’t altered significantly; softly-layered guitars awash with reverb and delay still weave in and out, although all rough edges have been sanded down and frontman Adam Franklin’s vocals seem smoother and more effusive. Effortless melodies still abound, and the whole thing has a dreamlike quality that is more pretty than powerful. A most welcome return.