The Best Swervedriver Songs, Ranked

Swervedriver blazed a trail alongside Creation labelmates Ride, Slowdive, and My Bloody Valentine in the early ‘90s, but their rock inclinations always made them a slightly uncomfortable fit in the shoegaze genre. Indeed, the fact they toured with both Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden tells you everything you need you know.

Frontman Adam Franklin has ridiculed the pigeon-holing of the band as “shoegaze” and it does feel a little bizarre that the association has endured over thirty years, but here we are.

In fairness, the Swervedriver of Raise (1991) and Mezcal Head (1993) isn’t a million miles away from the Ride of Nowhere (1990) or even “Leave Them All Behind” (1992), but it’s hard to find anything in their discography that sounds remotely like Slowdive or MBV. American rock titans like The Stooges, Dinosaur Jr, and Sonic Youth are more obvious touchstones than the Thames Valley crowd.

When the Britpop phenomenon exploded in the mid-‘90s, Swervedriver suddenly seemed like a band out of time. Creation, no doubt preoccupied with the success of Oasis, dropped them unceremoniously around the release of 1995’s wonderful Ejector Seat Reservation. The final album of their original run—1998’s 99th Dream—was even more overlooked.

Successful reunion tours led to new material in 2015’s I Wasn’t Born To Lose You, 2019’s Future Ruins, and this year's The World’s Fair EP.

While I certainly enjoy Swervedriver’s more recent releases and will include a couple of highlights, I’m going to make no apologies for focusing on the band’s 90s prime here as I select their twenty best songs.

Bonus Pick

“Jesus” (Heaven & Hell Vol. 3 - A Tribute to The Velvet Underground, 1992)

In the early ‘90s, Imaginary Records released a series of Velvet Underground tribute albums. The cast of contributors was stellar—Nirvana contributed a version of “Here She Comes Now” on Volume 1—but Swervedriver’s excellent rendition of “Jesus,” with its celestial guitars and soaring vocals, is just something else.

The Top 20

20. “Volume Control” (The World’s Fair EP, 2025)

“Volume Control” taps into the magic of Ejector Seat/99th Dream era Swervedriver. Thirty years after the muted release of their third album, this band has still got it—and how many of Britpop’s leading lights can say that? Come to think of it, how many other ‘90s rock bands can? There’s something special about Swervedriver and we should cherish them while they’re still around. Check out the World’s Fair EP and go and see them live if you possibly can. You won’t regret it.

19. “Kill The Superheros” (Son of Mustang Ford EP, 1990)

Swervedriver earned a reputation for the quality of their non-album tracks, and “Kill The Superheros,” with its Sonic Youth-esque guitars, is one of the very best. Its appearance on the band’s first EP highlights where the young musicians were coming from as they made their first steps—and how fully formed their vision for Raise actually was.

18. “Autodidact” (I Wasn’t Born To Lose You, 2015)

It’s hard to believe ten years have passed since Swervedriver returned to the fold with new material. The opening arpeggio from “Autodidact” provides instant reassurance that Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge’s magical chemistry is intact.

17. “The Lonely Crowd Fades In The Air” (Future Ruins, 2019)

Future Ruins is my least favourite Swervedriver record. It’s a little too mellow for my tastes and ultimately feels somewhat one-paced. However, I must stress I didn’t pick this in the name of representation—“The Lonely Crowd Fades In The Air,” built around a killer opening riff, is an absolute gem that would be a highlight on any of the band’s post-Mezcal Head releases.

16. “These Times” (99th Dream, 1998)

A gentle, laid-back tune that chugs along pleasantly for its three-minute duration, “These Times” is proof that Swervedriver can deliver low-key drama.

15. “Deep Wound” (I Wasn’t Born To Lose You, 2015)

Is “Deep Wound” a tribute to the pre-Dinosaur Jr hardcore band? I’d like to think so—and it would certainly make sense knowing their sonic roots. It’s one of the band’s noisier post-reformation tracks, and all the better for it.

14. “The Birds” (Ejector Seat Reservation, 1995)

The first of two Hitchcock references here, “The Birds” jangles with the best of them and is an underrated highlight in the Swervedriver discography.

13. “Sandblasted” (Raise, 1991)

“Sandblasted” might be the lowest-ranked of the five Raise songs on this list, but on another day, I could have easily placed it higher. I particularly love the transition from gentle opening to wall of guitar noise—J. Mascis would be proud.

12. “Duress” (Mezcal Head, 1993)

There isn’t another song quite like “Duress” in Swervedriver’s discography. An eight-minute freakout with an insane amount of wah? Sign me up. It plays a vital role in the pacing of Mezcal Head, of course, but is irresistible on its own as well.

11. “Son Of Mustang Ford” (Raise, 1991)

Swervedriver’s world is packed full of planes (over the skyline), trains (en route to Satansville), and especially automobiles, with titles like “Girl on a Motorbike,” “Son of Jaguar ‘E’,” and “Cars Converge On Paris” highlighting a love affair with the open road. “Son of Mustang Ford” introduced the theme and remains the best example of the band’s obsession with speed and motion. It was also the lead track on Swervedriver’s debut EP.

10. “99th Dream” (99th Dream, 1998)

Swervedriver were again dropped by their label (DGC this time) before the release of 1998’s psychedelic opus 99th Dream. New York’s Zero Hour Records stepped in to save the day, but it was clearly the final straw for a band that seemingly couldn’t catch a break at this point. The title track, which pairs frantic guitars with a languid rhythm, is an obvious highlight.

9. “Deep Seat” (Raise, 1991)

It goes without saying that there is some phenomenal guitar work on “Deep Seat,” but how about we take a moment to appreciate that superb bassline by Adi Vines? Raise-era Swervedriver had a cracking rhythm section, and this is arguably their finest hour.

8. “Blowin Cool” (Mezcal Head, 1993)

A pleasantly infectious 90s post-grunge tune, “Blowin Cool” sounds like it should have been a modern rock hit. The presence of Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge pretty much guarantees awesome guitars, but its lyrics are genuinely fascinating. Abstract couplets like “Pay phone calling, down the square the people stare / This daily planet's beauty lies behind untutored eyes” set Swervedriver apart from the crowd, and yet somehow ‘90s music fans lapped up far less accomplished efforts like Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train” instead.

7. “Never Lose That Feeling/Never Learn” (Mezcal Head (US Release Only), 1993)

12 minutes of near perfection! Listening to this, it’s hard to fathom why it wasn’t included on the British release of Mezcal Head—it just belongs there. I challenge you to find anything as wild as Stuart Dace’s freeform saxophone on any shoegaze or shoegaze-adjacent track. [The video below is the single version]

6. “Sci Flyer” (Raise, 1991)

The opening track from Swervedriver’s debut is a perfect introduction to the band. I stand by every single word of gushing praise in the No Ripcord review of 2009’s Raise re-issue:

“The glorious opener “Sci Flyer” still sounds positively thrilling today. Graham Bonnar’s explosive drum fills evoke an elaborate NYE fireworks display, while the Franklin and Hartridge’s duelling guitars fuse thunderous power with melodic subtlety. Franklin’s vocals might sit low in the mix, but “Sci Flyer” is no shoegaze track; this is pure visceral rock ‘n’ roll at its very best.”

5. “The Hitcher” (Last Train To Satansville EP, 1993)

Swervedriver’s early-to-mid ‘90s b-sides would make up a pretty formidable album. “The Hitcher”, which has reappeared on both the Juggernaut Rides compilation and an expanded version of Mezcal Head, is the band’s finest.

4. “The Other Jesus” (Ejector Seat Reservation, 1995)

In a different universe, Ejector Seat Reservation might have been a breakthrough smash. It’s such a great record. At a time when the music press was falling over itself to praise mediocre Britpop slop like The Bluetones (A&M labelmates, no less), Ejector Seat Reservation should have been huge. But it wasn’t to be. “The Other Jesus” is the hit single that never was.

3. “Last Train To Satansville” (Mezcal Head, 1993)

Here’s another snippet from my 2009 review: ““Last Train To Satansville” is an epic, narrative-based tune which name-checks Hitchcock’s Strangers On A Train and conjures up a palpable sense of noir-ish paranoia. If you think you can hear a roaring motorcycle engine in the outro, it’s because you can: the band took a Kawasaki into the studio for this very purpose. That’s commitment for you.”

2. “Rave Down” (Raise, 1991)

An absolute stone-cold classic. Evocative lines like “before the pistol crack spins me out sideways, like the sharp hard hit of a car crash in a dream” highlight Adam Franklin’s underrated lyrical skills. And that tempo change in the instrumental break? That’s the stuff of legend.

1. “Duel” (Mezcal Head, 1993)

It’s not that often you can say this about a band, but Swervedriver’s best-known song is also their best. “Duel” is undeniable and never fails to thrill. In our 2009 interview, I asked Adam Franklin which song he was most proud of:

“Son Of Mustang Ford” is pretty good—that song blew us all away on the recent tour. “Duel” might be the most definitive Swervedriver recording though.

It’s hard to argue with the man who wrote all of these brilliant songs.

The Playlist

And that concludes my Swervedriver appreciation post. Members: please do let us know your thoughts in the comments.

A much shorter version of this article originally appeared on my Substack.