Genre:
Indie
,
Singer-songwriter
“Like any good poem, it’s the marriage of form and content that elevates Wes Swing’s work.” The Virginia based cellist, singer and multi-instrumentalist creates music of an alternative folk and pop variety and “[pushes] upon the boundaries of what defines the singer-songwriter genre". In live performance, Wes Swing loops his cello and violin, combining layered strings and lyrics imbued with poetry with a full backing band. “Like a cold fall night pierces a mountain hollow...” writes Stephanie Garcia of The Hook.
“Swing began his musical journey as a four-year-old violinist, developing an early appreciation for classical music”, finding his true musical love in the cello while in college at William and Mary. After graduating with a degree in Latin, Wes taught for three years before quitting his teaching job and turning to music full time. Lyrically, a love of the classics comes through in his “imagist lyrics and formally literate arrangements.” Swing's current project is his full length debut album "Through a Fogged Glass". The new album is a not simply a collection of songs, but a landscape of sound, having been written and arranged with much care as one complete work. Swing wrote most of the album in a cabin in the woods where he would “crank up the wood stove on cold nights and experiment with literary influences.” "Through a Fogged Glass" will see its official release in January of 2011, followed by an extensive tour.
Throughout the recording project, Swing had the opportunity to work with many talented musicians. Backing vocals on "Through a Fogged Glass" were performed by the lovely folk singer Devon Sproule, and the talented Brian Caputo played drums and percussion. Wes has built a band around the album, with percussion, bass, and backing vocals combining with a string quartet to realize the full harmonies on the album in a live setting. Swing's first major recognition was to win the 2008 First Amendment Writes songwriting competition. Since then, he has been invited to speak and perform for the Piedmont Council of the Arts, and continues to hold a busy schedule of shows, sharing the stage with such diverse artists as: Paul Curreri, Theresa Andersson, Horse Feathers, Lost in the Trees, Basia Bulat, Devon Sproule, and many others.
"Wes Swing is creating a very unique and personal style of music", combining elements of minimalism, folk, and rock to create an original sound. "Through a Fogged Glass" represents this variety in a holistic way, with string filled instrumentals surrounded by songs of family, longing, and imagery. For the music of Wes Swing, “listening is the biggest and most beautiful reward of all.”