The members of Current Swell no longer live together under a single roof — as they did years ago,
when the group first came together as a unit — but the bond between the four friends is stronger than
ever.
Touring the world for the better part of five years, from Brazil to Australia, often has that effect.
Current Swell’s years of experience on the road can be heard — and felt — in the nooks and crannies
of Long Time Ago, the new full-length from this rootsy Victoria, B.C. quartet. The record shifts
between upbeat folk (the title track, Long Time Ago) and singalong-ready roots rock (the first single,
Too Cold) with a fluidity and ease that could only come from continual touring.
The band originally wanted to call its fourth record People Not Places, as if to signify its new lyrical
direction. “We used to write about traveling, because that’s all we did for a while,” says singer-
guitarist Scott Stanton. “But on this record, we wrote mostly about people in our lives.”
Friends, acquaintances — even strangers — have been an integral aspect of Current Swell’s personal
and professional development. Decidedly grass-roots, the band has developed a strong online
following over the years, dating back to the independent release and promotion of its previous
recordings, So I Say (2005), Trust Us Now (2007), and Protect Your Own (2009).
Fans have remained steadfast in their support, something the members of Current Swell do not take
for granted. When the band earned first place at Vancouver’s Peak Performance Project (a 2011 radio
contest which awarded the group $100,500 for top prize), the first people on Current Swell’s thank-
you list were their fans.
“The online community has always backed us,” said singer-guitarist Dave Lang, addressing the group’s
considerable presence through iTunes and YouTube. “That is a big reason for our success.”
Steady momentum at the grass-roots level (the group’s video for its campfire-friendly single, Young
and Able, became a word-of-mouth YouTube success in 2010) has now translated to the stage, where
Current Swell shines. Their ability to capture a crowd was honed the old-fashioned way — through
constant practice. Current Swell has always tweaked things as needed, careful not to move in a
direction that feels inauthentic.
The band, which also features drummer Chris Petersen and bassist Ghosty Boy, started its career
with the most modest of expectations, playing shows in settings that ranged from backyards to
beaches. “When we first got together, we just started writing music for fun,” Stanton says. “Then we
got an opportunity to perform, and then we got an opportunity to tour. It wasn’t something we ever
chased too passionately at first. A lot of things just fell into place for us.”
The quartet struck upon a rhythm soon after, the size of its concerts increasing in tandem with its
rapidly progressing talent. Momentum kept Current Swell moving forward in the years that followed,
culminating last summer with a Canada Day concert before 45,000 people at the B.C. Legislature, one
of the largest concerts of its kind ever in Victoria.
That level of accomplishment (when coupled with sets in support of everyone from the Tragically Hip
and Xavier Rudd to K‘Naan, K-OS, The Beach Boys and more) suggests a band long-removed from its
learning-on-the-fly early days. That didn’t happen by accident.
“We’re all much more educated and knowledgeable about our career nowadays,” Stanton says. “We
feel like we know how to do this for a living.”
Despite years of careful planning and intuitive, thoughtful decisions, some things remain beyond
Current Swell’s control. Case in point: Brazil.
Through a mixture of circumstance and happenstance, the members of Current Swell are now the
beneficiaries of a large and loyal following in Brazil, the largest country in South America. The group
has just returned from a tour of the country, a trek which saw Current Swell headline two large
festivals in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, among the largest cities in the world.
“We’d get an e-mail here and there, ‘Please come to Brazil, I’m a huge fan,’ which was hilarious to
read,” Stanton says of the group’s throng of Brazilian fans. “But then we’d go on YouTube and there
was a bunch of people covering our songs. Someone even covered one of our music videos, lip-
syncing all our lyrics.”
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Bad News
Current Swell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was the phone call that came in and it turned me right around
Oh was it bad news, was it bad news?
Got me running as fast as I can down St. Albert Avenue
She said that she loves me yeah
She said that she's scared yeah
She said that she needs me yeah
Left me standing out in the rain again
Jumps into the shower as soon as she gets in
Oh was it bad news, was it bad news?
Her friends said that she hasn't been to work in weeks
Since they found out that she's been using
This ain't easy yeah
She said that she's scared yeah
She said that she needs me yeah
Maybe she don't care yeah
Then she called me on the phone
Said she don't want to do this no more
This ain't easy yeah
She said that she's scared yeah
She said that she needs me yeah
Maybe she don't care yeah
The lyrics of Current Swell's song "Bad News" convey a sense of urgency and confusion in response to a phone call about someone's fate. The singer is walking home when they receive a call that turns them right around, and immediately they begin running down the street in response to what seems like "bad news." The urgency in the chorus is emphasized with repeated questioning about the nature of the news, creating a sense of anxiety and desperation. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the bad news is not related to the singer directly - instead, it's news about someone they are involved with romantically.
The second verse shifts the perspective to the singer's partner, who has been revealed to be struggling with drug addiction. Here, the chorus takes a darker tone, as the situation becomes more dire: the partner's friends have reported that she hasn't been showing up for work in weeks, and there's the implication that the addiction is prompting secretive and shirking behavior. The bridge brings us back to the singer, and a phone call from their partner. Sadly, the partner wants to end the relationship because of the stress and difficulties they're experiencing. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, highlighting again the confusion and desperation that comes with receiving unexpected and difficult news.
Overall, "Bad News" is a powerful song that explores the feelings that come with receiving news that affects someone we care about. It starts out with a sense of adrenaline and urgency, but as we learn more about the situation, the lyrics take on a more somber and helpless tone. The song also sheds light on some of the more difficult aspects of addiction - the secrecy, the sense of betrayal, and the impact it can have on others.
Line by Line Meaning
I was walking home when I got word that you were found
I received a message about you while walking home
Was the phone call that came in and it turned me right around
The message was delivered via a phone call which caused me to immediately change direction
Oh was it bad news, was it bad news?
I am anxious to know if the news was bad
Got me running as fast as I can down St. Albert Avenue
I am hurrying down St. Albert Avenue to reach the destination of the news
She said that she loves me yeah
She expressed her love towards me
She said that she's scared yeah
She admitted to being afraid
She said that she needs me yeah
She conveyed her dependency on me
Maybe she don't care yeah
It's possible that she doesn't care as much as she claims
Left me standing out in the rain again
She continually disregards me, leaving me stranded in a difficult situation
Jumps into the shower as soon as she gets in
She doesn't prioritize my needs, neglecting me in favor of personal hygiene
Her friends said that she hasn't been to work in weeks
Her friends informed me that she has been missing work for a significant amount of time
Since they found out that she's been using
Her absence from work can be attributed to her substance abuse problem, which is now public knowledge
Then she called me on the phone
She later contacted me through a phone call
Said she don't want to do this no more
She communicated that she no longer wants to continue the relationship
Contributed by Elliot J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JB Nuska
very cool video, guys. powerful stuff.
1 year ago today we lost someone close to our hearts, to suicide - things like this make me wish it was more socially acceptable to talk about the problems people go through, you never know who is struggling internally unless they open up to you... because sometimes they don't, and then it's too late.
Kate Willis
I just found you guys and im am consuming all of your music. I cant get enough. Come play live in Maine sometime please!
shawn hambler
Nah I just listened to them for the first time inloves Jose beautiful to the sense's
Brad Hanthorn
love this message, thank you!
Travis Stedmond
Brilliant tune! From Ontario Canada I love drawing and painting to your tunes all the time!
Linda Kaye Winterfield
love it
Bruno Mello
My favorite song from Ulysses Album, great video!
rocks7are7round
Just saw
These guys in concert :) even better in person :)
moon1gaming
Great video and song !
sadie campbell
I loved this. So impacting. well done guys..