Swimwear Department is a Houston-based band whose name is reflected in their music, as all of their songs are inspired by swimming holes and shopping malls. They aim to make music that people can dance to and every song has a part where everyone can sing. Their live shows are energetic, featuring crowd-sourced backing vocals and dance contests. The band’s music has vintage beats and basslines with organ sounds reminiscent of 1960s psych rock, and the frontman’s talk-singing and screams evoke early punk. The bass guitarist often alternates between driving basslines and leadlines usually reserved for a guitarist. Swimwear Department‘s debut album, “Turn Over! Go Under!“, was released in July 2018, and both the album and live shows are filled with moments of nostalgia for past summer activities. Overall, the band reminds listeners that despite changes, there’s always fun to be had.
“Shop!” is a song that explores the concept of consumerism as a religion, where desire serves as both the engine and goal of the endless economy. The lyrics and music intentionally create a jarring effect, while still managing to be entertaining. The song suggests that the poorest and the environment are the ones who suffer the most in this cycle. The chorus encourages listeners to keep shopping until they rot and decompose, eventually becoming a source of energy for other shoppers. The song was recorded with Grammy-winning engineer Steve Christensen and will be the lead single for the band’s upcoming album, “The Poolest of the Mall“, set to release on August 4, 2023.
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