Richard Swift (musician)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Richard Swift


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Origin = California, United States of America
Genre = Indie pop, Lo-fi
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Label = Polydor / Secretly Canadian / Velvet Blue Music
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Richard Swift (Born Ricardo Swift Ochoa) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and short-film maker. Swift began performing and singing in Quaker churches around the age of fourteen and began writing and recording his material at home not long after. He has appeared as a guest musician on dozens of albums of all music genres; he was a keyboardist in the band Starflyer 59 for most of 2003, and currently fronts his own ambient-electronic-outfit-side-project, Instruments of Science and Technology. Using myriad aliases over the years, in 2000 Swift released two albums on the label Metro One under the names Dicky Ochoa and Company, and has recently been djing as "Mr. Donald Fivepennies". In 2001, Swift moved to Southern California to pursue his solo recording career. He recorded "Walking Without Effort", yet, unhappy with the record, he shelved it. In 2002/2003 Swift recorded "The Novelist" and began selling home-made copies at shows in and around Los Angeles. Later in the year he went on to release a small pressing of "properly manucatured" versions via Velvet Blue Music. In 2004, Swift combined "The Novelist" and un-shelved "Walking Without Effort" to create the double-disc "The Richard Swift Collection Vol. 1". He signed to indie label Secretly Canadian, who then re-released the "Collection" in 2005. After touring in the US and Europe and releasing half a dozen 45s/EPs, UK major label Polydor signed Swift, and yet again the double disc was re-released in hopes of introducing Swift to the UK. In 2007, Polydor/Secretly Canadian issued his proper follow-up "Dressed Up For the Letdown". Fans and critics praised the record as Swift's greatest work to date. Later in the year Swift met Wilco-frontman Jeff Tweedy during a taping of the BBC program "Later...with Jools Holland". Tweedy asked Swift to support Wilco on their Sky Blue Sky US tour. During the tour Tweedy invited Swift to record at their Loft in Chicago, IL. In October 2007, Swift started his 4th LP at the Wilco Loft. The year ended with Richard canceling a string of November shows with friends Cold War Kids due to a wrist injury. In late February 2008 the Secretly Canadian website announced the future release of a double EP named "Richard Swift As Onasis". This album was released on 04/08/08. In August of 2008, Swift released an EP entitled Ground Trouble Jaw as a digital download, garnering much attention in the blogosphere.

Press quotes

"Little short of magnificent. The onset of a major talent" - "Uncut Magazine"Fact|date=December 2007

"Swift fashions music that thrills with new shapes… a difficult and surprisingly rare achievement" - "Sunday Times"Fact|date=December 2007

"It's not stringently retro, more a Tin Pan Alley of the Imagination. Four stars."- "Mojo"Fact|date=December 2007

"Connoisseurs of grand American pop will love Richard Swift. Four stars."- "Uncut"Fact|date=December 2007

"Swift's adherence to what is essentially bygone rises above contrivance to further reveal him as a worthy descendant of the approach to which he aspires."- "Under the Radar"Fact|date=December 2007

Discography

Albums

* Richard Swift As Onasis - US (2008)
* Music From the Films of R/Swift - Released under the name Instruments of Science and Technology - US (2008)
* Dressed Up for the Letdown - US & UK (2007)
* The Novelist - US (2005)
* Walking Without Effort - US (2005)
* Company - Released under the name Company - US (2002)
* Dicky Ochoa - Released under the name Dicky Ochoa - US (2000)

EPs and Singles

* Ground Trouble Jaw (2008)
* The Novelist - US (2003)
* You're Lying - US (2004)
* Buildings in America - US (2004)
* Nothing to Do with Foxy Boxing - US (2005)
* P.S. It All Falls Down - US (2005)
* Beautifulheart - UK (2006)
* Kisses for the Misses - UK (2007)
* The Songs of National Freedom - UK (2007)

Box Sets

* The Richard Swift Collection, Volume 1: The Novelist / Walking Without Effort - US (2005), UK (18/09/06)

External links

* [http://www.richardswift.us Official Site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/richardswift MySpace Page]
* [http://www.secretlycanadian.com Secretly Canadian]
* [http://exodus.interoutemediaservices.com/?id=afe649c4-02bf-4762-b5da-e875ad808896&delivery=stream Official Richard Swift Vodcast]
* [http://platformsmagazine.com/contents/?p=34 Platforms Magazine interview]
* [http://www.gigwise.com/contents.asp?contentid=27991 Gigwise interview]
* [http://www.popmatters.com/music/interviews/swift-richard-050915.shtml PopMatters interview]
* [http://www.rockfeedback.com/article.asp?nObjectID=3632 Rockfeedback review]
* [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22360-the-novelist-walking-without-effort Pitchfork Review of The Novelist/Walking Without Effort]
* [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/41201-dressed-up-for-the-letdown Pitchfork Review of Dressed Up For The Letdown]
* [http://www.drownedinsound.com/event/view/17375 Drowned In Sound live review]
* [http://beingtheremag.com/reviewalbum.php?id=76&issue=16 Being There Magazine review]
* [http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/review?oid=oid%3A349730 Austin Chronicle live review]
* [http://www.pressplayrecord.com/2007/02/richard-swift.html Press Play and Record interview]
* [http://www.musictowers.com/news/interviews/interview-what-is-richard-swift-trying-to-do-to-me/ Richard Swift interview with www.MusicTowers.com]
* [http://www.secretlycanadian.com/onesheet.php?cat=SC187 Free digital copy of Ground Trouble Jaw EP]