Swami John Reis & Co. - Don't Believe In Yourself 7" (/500)

 

Swami (2026)

This latest Swami John Reis 7" is something of a precursor to the next Swami John Reis LP, Navajo White, that is due out in August.  I say 'something of' as neither of the songs on this 7" are destined to be part of that record, they're exclusive to this 7" that was only available from the Swami web store.  It was limited to 500 copies and sold out alarmingly fast when it was put on sale a couple of weeks ago.  I'm just relieved that I was able to secure one.

Keen-eyed readers will note the "& Co." suffix after Swami John Reis this time out.  In this case the Co. is Gar Wood, Ben Moore,  Glen Galloway, J Sinclair K and Rick Froberg on the A side with Ben and J also appearing on the B side.  The A side is "Even the Lobsters Can Sing and with the Hot Snakes lineup +2, musically this feels like Automatic Midnight era Snakes with it's repetitive, yet melodic, rolling bass, coupled with a big guitar crunch what veers off into unique chord progressions.  Rick is on guitar only on this track with Swami John handling the vocals.  It's a truly incredible song and the highlight of the 7" for me.

Not that "Bad Lightning" over on the B side is any slouch, but it is different.  This one has a thunderous, galloping drum beat with a clangy, somewhat unusual guitar riff.  It's really wild sounding and while I wouldn't go so far as to say it's metal sounding (because it isn't), it has a higher pitched, piercing tone than stands out as unique in the Swami canon.  It results in two songs that are not similar, but work together by the sheer will of the Swami and his ability to put a signature stamp on anything he creates, no matter where he takes the song to.

You'd be hard pressed to find a bigger fan of John Reis' work than me, I am absolutely predisposed to like it and carry around that bias with me.  But, these are two incredible songs.  John is not rehashing the same Swami John Reis album over and over.  Each time out he brings something new to the party while still always sounding like him,  I cannot wait to hear what he has in store for the LP next month.

 

Swami John Reis - Turn On You 7" (/250)

 
Swami (2026)

Swami John Reis kicks off his 2026 with a 7" of two new songs.  If I remember the listing on the Swami shop page correctly, I think these were from the same sessions that produced the last full length.  Though I am not positive about that as the page for this on the site is now gone, likely because the 250 copies of this record that were pressed disappeared pretty quickly.

On the A side we have "Turn On You."  This one is a medium tempo chugger with lots of good downstroking in the verse.  But the guitar really shines through said chugging as it has a bright tone with just a hint of jangle. We blast into the expectedly big chorus that also has some nice keyboard flourishes.  It's a fun one.

"Meme Bitch" holds down the B side and is much faster with perhaps double the downstrokes per minute. It kicks off with a relatively straightforward verse with a chord progression that feels very Swami, even though it probably would seem unusual for many songwriters.  I, however, am not a songwriter, so I probably don't know the technical name for this part of a song, but there's a bridge/transition/breakdown thing right before the before the chorus that has a a strong Hot Snakes feel to me, but without the big crunch of guitars that is synonymous with that band.  RIt's great.  The chorus is a cathartic shout along and The whole shebang wraps up pretty quick. 

The Swami can do no wrong by me and this 7" is just another excellent record to add to the collection.  I feel like the amount of new Swami music is definitely on the uptick these last couple of years and I hope that continues to be the case.  I always want more.

Swami John Reis - Time To Let You Down LP - Black Vinyl (/500), Yellow Swirl Vinyl (/1500) & Mystery Wax 7" (/136)

Swami (2025)

As the years have gone by and more music by John Reis has entered the world, I've found that I've had an increasingly difficult time writing about new records and finding ways to describe said music accurately or interestingly.  His bands have been such a gigantic part of my life for over 30 years now, and the sounds that he crafts are in a way part of the lifeblood that keeps me functioning day to day.  I realize that sounds a little heavy handed and perhaps kind of stupid, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that if there's a soundtrack to my life, John is absolutely one of its main composers.

Time To Let You Down is is third record as Swami John Reis including a one album detour as Swami & The Bed Of Nails.  Of the the three, this one is my favorite.  The first album, Ride The Wild Night,  was build on top of a lot of acoustic guitar and piano.  The second, All Of This Awaits You, was more electric with a focus on tight, economical songs. This third one probably has more in common with All Of This Awaits you sonically, but with a more diverse array of song styles.  There's tight, hook filled pop songs like "Prince of the Parade" right along side of slower, more deliberate songs with noisier guitar bursts like "Fed to the Dogs." 

There's so much to love here and it's definitely the record that has gotten the most repeated listens for me so far this year.  There's even a cover of the Kamen Rider theme song.  He'll be in NJ next week and I'm really looking forward to hearing these new songs live. 

Regarding the different versions released, the main release that's in stores is a limited to 1500 copies pressing on yellow swirl vinyl.  There are an additional 500 copies that are limited on black vinyl.  300 of these were sold via the Swami webstore and the remaining 200 copies are being sold on the upcoming tour dates.  And if you want to hunt even more, 136 random orders from the Swami webshop also received a Swami Mystery Wax 7".  These are 7"s that the Swami has affixed a label onto so that you don't know what it is until played.  These are typically older 45s and my copy ended up being "My Meloncholy Baby" b/w "Really Need Your Love by The Marcels.  A fun little bonus.

Swami John Reis - Time To Let You Down:
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=uOIpCbqDL-w

Swami & The Bed of Nails - All Of This Awaits You... LP

Swami (2024)

Swami & The Bed Of Nails is the latest incarnation of John Reis' "solo" endeavor.  "Solo" is in quotes because this isn't a solo, singer-songwriter exercise.  It's a full band experience, but there's something of a rotating cast of characters helping out release to release, song to song.  The last time he put out a record like this it was released under the name Swami John Reis.  No matter what this band or any other band of his is called, I've been one of the world's biggest John Reis fans ever since first hearing Rocket From The Crypt in the 90s.  For me the Bed Of Nails is just another great band to add to his catalog.

The thing that strikes me most about All Of This Awaits You.. is that it's fun and joyful.  The songs are upbeat and catchy.  Even the songs that have negative lyrics (like hating a hardware store) are done with an exuberance that still makes it feel like a positive song.  I'm not going to pretend to be smart enough to dig down for deep meanings in most songs.  It's possible there's something about the lyrics of these songs that I'm missing belying a motive I can't see.  But for me, I'm typically happy enjoying things at the surface level most times and boy do I enjoy this record.

The LP is a very economical nine songs long, with three of the songs having appeared on 7"s leading up to the full length.  I think it raises the bar higher than the previous Swami John Reis album, Ride The Wild Night, though there are similarities to that record on here.  There are also times I hear echoes of the Night Marchers and Rocket.  Ultimately, it's a tight, fun record that whizzes by pretty quick, but also never fails to engage me.  

I really dig the aforementioned hardware store song "Harbor Freight."  "Ketchup, Mustard and Relish" is an unexpected entry into the "_______, _______ & _______" song title pantheon that the Swami has been contributing to over the years.  "Lost In Bermondsey" hits even harder than the version played on cardboard instruments that's been floating around on YouTube for a bit.  All in all, I just really like listening to this record.  It puts me in a good mood and if I have anything resembling a complaint it's just that I want more and wish it was longer.

Swami & The Bed of Nails - All Of This Awaits You...:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kMQmWp8SuqpiOBLIwY5LzpG0c-STNyR3M

And yes, I got the bundle with the T shirt...

Swami and the Bed of Nails - How Are You Peeling? 7"

Swami (2024)

Following up on Monday's Shock and Awe 7", this one is the one that is being sold exclusively at Swami and the Bed of Nails shows.  I picked it up last week when I saw the band play in Philadelphia at a venue that I have never been to before, but one that was in a part of town where it seems to have car shaped statues lining their streets that don't move or offer any opportunities to park a car that you happen to be driving.  We found a spot eventually, got to see a great show and pick up this record.

Like the  Shock and Awe 7", the A side on this one, "How Are You Peeling?," is slated to be part of the upcoming Bed of Nails full length.  This song has some big, Swami style riffage to it and, to me, sounds very familiar in a Night Marchers sort of way.  If there was a third Night Marchers record, I wouldn't have a hard time seeing this song slide into that track list.

The B side on this 7" is exclusive to this release and won't be on the full length.  It's called "Honesty" and while it also gives me some Night Marchers vibes, it's a very different beast than "How Are You Peeling?"  "Honesty" feels a bit more epic, with piano being a big part of the overall song structure.  There are guitar chords that ring out and a catchy, chorus that certainly lends it self to a bit of singing along.  It kind of makes me think of the song "Panthers in Crime" a little bit, but only because it has a slightly similar feel.  It doesn't sound like that song at all and it's not as slow, tempo-wise, but there's something about it that makes me feel like the two songs are kindred spirits to an extent.

Two great songs, four if you count the other 7", that are making me very anxious to hear this new Bed of Nails record.  I'm hopeful that 2024 will feature a deluge of Swami related material as I'm also eagerly awaiting the second Plosivs record that had been discussed a couple of years ago.

Swami and the Bed of Nails - Shock and Awe 7"

Swami (2024)

Last week I had the pleasure of seeing Swami and the Bed of Nails for the first time.  Made up of John Reis of every great band that has existed fame and other luminaries, they ripped through a set of songs from the last Swami John Reis album, new tunes from a forthcoming Swami and the Bed of Nails album, a Sultans song and a Night Marchers song for good measure,  They also were selling a tour only 7", but that's not this one.

This 7" went for sale on the Swami Records website a few weeks ago.  It sold out pretty quick and is the first official salvo from the Bed of Nails moniker.  The A side, "Shock and Awe," is billed as being from the upcoming full length.  It's a piano heavy rocker with an acoustic guitar foundation and a big, shout along chorus.  It wouldn't have been out of place on the last Swami LP, but also feels like it takes the musicianship up a notch.

The B side, "I Don't Hate Everything," is said to be exclusive to this fine 7".  It's more of straight up rocker and is built off a riff that has a lot in common with "Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones.  For me, everything John touches tends to be gold.  I like some of his bands more than others, if I'm raking them, but in general I like everything.  Hell, I just preordered a Me First and the Gimme Gimmes record because hes on it and that's not something I was ever expecting to do.  Point is, Swami and the Bed of Nails is just another in a fine line of bands that I can always get down with.  They were great live, and I dig this 7" a lot too.  

I'll post a bit about the tour only 7" on Friday.

Swami John Reis & Creepxotica - Shelter Island 7"

Swami (2022)

This is a collaborative 7" featuring the skills of Swami John Reis and Creepxotica.  It was first sold at an event at the Bali Hai restaurant and then the leftovers were sold on the Swami website.  I was not able to go to Bali Hai, being on the wrong side of the country and all, so I was glad to have been able to wrangle one from the website.

Both songs are instrumental surf tunes, though they are dramatically different from the Swami John Reis and the Blind Shake team up.  That was was louder and more aggressive.  These songs are more in line with traditional surf music ala The Ventures.

Side A is the mellower of the two with "Shelter Island" being a pleasant mid tempo number that feels like the soundtrack to a sunset on a slightly breezy day.  I don't know exactly what that means and if you want to call bullshit on it as a description, that's fine.  But that's the vibe I get from it more than anything, it conjures a vision in my head of a relaxing evening.

On the B side we have "1 Mai Tai... 2 Mai Tai... 3 Mai Tai... Floor!"  This one is a little faster and it's built around a person ordering mai tais.  As they order their first, the music starts up.  When they get the the second, things start getting a little louder and looser.  This continues until the end when the fourth mai tai hits the floor.  A neat concept.  Even though I can't say this 7" hits me as hard as the Blind Shake LP, I still really enjoy it and would really like to hear more from this partnership.

Swami John Reis & Creepxotica - "Shelter Island" (This is a live version from the show that the 7" was sold at, the one on the record is a studio version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhd1XBQuUK4&ab_

Swami John Reis - Ride The Wild Night LP - Green Vinyl & Black Vinyl (/200)

Swami (2022)

I think you can be a casual or occasional reader of this website and still ascertain pretty quickly that I'm moderately obsessed with every band that John Reis has been involved in over the years.  From Rocket From The Crypt to Drive Like Jehu to Hot Snakes to Sultans to Night Marchers to Pitchfork to Plosivs and every weirdo one-off done in between, I collect them all and I listen to them pretty constantly.  I've said recently that his music has simply made my life better and I'm grateful for all of the noise he's put out into the world.

This record is somewhat different.  It's the first time he's released an album exclusively under his own name (there were other projects with Blind Shake and Metz, but those band names were part of the titles for those releases).  I can't imagine that anyone who likes John's other bands wouldn't like this.  There's definitely similarities in song structure and feel.  But it's also different in that the bones of these songs are mostly built around an acoustic guitar and piano. 

That doesn't mean that John has gone troubadour and has made a quiet singer-songwriter record.  The acoustics provide the foundation, but there's electric guitar, some synth and an upbeat rhythm section that keeps everything definitely in the same punk-adjacent wheelhouse that most of John's other work also resides.  He has a sound that's really distinct and I can always hear the common thread from band to band even when the singers change and the tangents veer into different directions.

There are two versions of the record.  The standard version available in stores is on green vinyl.  The limited version is the one on black vinyl, in this case limited to 200 copies and only sold via the Swami webstore.  This isn't the first time the black one is the limited one.  It's funny to me since usually people put the premium on the colored vinyl, but I always enjoy the chase.

No surprise, but I love this record.  In particular the title track, "When I Kicked Him In The Face" and "Days Of Auld Lang Syne" are the songs that stand out the most to me as being stupendously catchy and where I would recommend folks start if they want to sample these wares.  But really, at this point do you need to sample?  If you bother reading my dumb website, you should see John's name and just know that record should be part of your collections.

Swami John Reis - Ride The Wild Night:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nXej11afJ1d2xZpXMlpQk6NgInfLHKGAM

Swami John Reis - Ride The Wild Night 7"

Swami (2020)

While Swami John Reis has released music under his own name in conjunction with The Blind Shake and Metz, this two song 7" marks the first release where he's not working with another established band. With John having been responsible for some of my favorite records ever released, I was interested to see how this 7" would differ from say Rocket From The Crypt, Hot Snakes or Night Marchers.

A Side "Ride The Wild Night" is built off of a fast paced acoustic guitar riff that reminds me a little bit of the Rocket cover of "Love Is Lies."  It's not as obviously pop as that cover song is, but it has a similar feel with John & co using that riff as a foundation to layer on the electrics and blast into a chorus that I can't wait to scream at the top of my lungs once shows are a thing again.

On the B side we have "I Hate My Neighbors in the Yellow House."  It starts off with a heavy synth riff and that caused me concern for a brief moment as I am not typically interested in 80s synth sounds.  But, the synth is just the backbone that all of the the guitars and rhythms are constructed around.  It's the noisier of the two songs and I don't think it would have been too out of place on the second Night Marchers LP.

These two songs are from an upcoming full length album.  Said album was supposed have been released this year with a supporting tour, but of course 2020 must be consistently terrible.  I'm looking forward to hearing more from this and I hope the album doesn't get pushed too far into 2021.

Swami John Reis - Ride The Wild Night 7" (YouTube Music full album playlist)

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lGQLD0EuOZw4quq73f81TFRiEkfwupkLY

Record Store Day Haul #3: Metz & Swami John Reis - Let It Rust 7" - Green Vinyl

Swami (2016)

This was another 7" not carried by my record store for Record Store Day, but luckily Interpunk came through gain with this one.  As I'm sure you can imagine, this was a record very high on my priorities list because as soon as you add John Reis to anything, it becomes a mandatory addition to my record collection.

The funny thing is, when you add John Reis to anything it also becomes an amazing record.  I've tried to give Metz a chance in the past and while I wouldn't say they are bad, in general they're not my cup of tea.  I've always found them just a bit too noisy.  However, once you add John Reis to the mix, he can't help but bring a catchiness and a bit of a melodic undertone to whatever he is involved in.  His addition instantly makes this 7" something I could listen to every day.

The A side is "Let It Rust."  It's built off of a fast changing, repeating guitar riff that wouldn't be out of place on some of the noisier moments of Reis' back catalog.  But what really drives this song home is the back and forth vocals of the chorus that really bring together the chaos of the verse.  I'd also be remiss to not mention the breakdown towards the end of the song that cements this as a top notch hit.

B side "Caught Up" seems like it could very easily fit on any Night Marchers record.  With its lighting quick guitar licks and abrupt changes in tempo, this song is dynamic to the point of almost being ridiculous.  Reis has always been one of my favorite guitar players in rock and roll.  I'll present this song as a definitive example of why.  It's just an incredible song.

I'm not sure what the future holds for the Metz and Swami John Reis working together, but I really hope they reconvene for a full length like John did with The Blind Shake.  At this point, I'm fine with you adding John to just about any band.  Whatever it takes to get me more records.

Metz & Sami John Reis - "Caught Up":

https://soundcloud.com/swamirecords/caught-up-metz-swami-john-reis-7