Rob Benedict - Lead Vocals & Guitar
Michael Borja - Bass & Vocals
Bil… Read Full Bio ↴Rob Benedict - Lead Vocals & Guitar
Michael Borja - Bass & Vocals
Billy Moran - Guitars & Vocals
Stephen Norton - Drums & Vocals

LOUDEN SWAIN
By Nick DeRiso

Fronted by lead singer and actor Rob Benedict, Louden Swain also includes bassist Mike Borja, lead guitarist Billy Moran and drummer Stephen Norton. The band has just released its fourth full-length recording – Eskimo, on their own 3 Car Wreckords label.

This fizzy amalgam of sound ties together a wide array of influences. Benedict and Borja, who formed the band in the late 90s, shared a background of indie/college rock legends like R.E.M., the Pixies, Pavement and the Replacements. The addition of Moran completed the band’s sound, as he and Norton brought in early musical influences from the hard rock/metal world – notably Kiss and Gun ’n Roses. The quartet’s common ground, early on, could be found in classic rock icons like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Who – and that provided additional spices in their melting pot of musical textures.

Louden Swain’s first album with Moran, 2009’s A Brand New Hurt, reflected the earliest flowerings of the band’s current sound, and began to rapidly expand its fanbase. In addition, Benedict’s connections to the acting world – he’s appeared on TV’s “Felicity,” “Alias” and “Supernatural” and films like “Waiting” have also attracted attention for the band. Recently they penned the tune “Help You” which was placed in the Jenna Fischer movie “A Little Help,” in which Benedict co-starred. A 2011 successful tour of Europe through England, Germany and Austria also brought Louden Swain to new audiences.

Louden Swain now aims to build on their already considerable momentum with the forthcoming Eskimo, which features 13 of their most polished songs to date. This time through they enlisted the help of several industry veterens--the album was mixed by Joe McGrath (Ryan Adams, Green Day, B.B. King), Mike Farrell (Morrissey, Macy Gray) guested on keyboards, and the finishing touches on the album were provided by the Grammy winning mastering of Gavin Lurssen.

For more information on Louden Swain, go to http://www.LoudenSwain.com.

Wave
Louden Swain Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We could wait until tomorrow
If we can get through today,
If you lead then I will follow
If you think you know the way

There's a problem down at will call
Cause you weren't on the list
I try to comfort you, that's my fault

I'm a plus one and I'm pissed

And if you think that I can save you
Then I'm throwing you the rope
But I'm up against the wave
Give me something to believe in
Cause I'm shoring up on hope
And I'm up against a wave

The odds are up against you
The damage has been done
But I really do like our chances
Aw baby I got a hunch

We could wait until tomorrow
If we could get through today,

If you lead then I will follow
If you think you know the way

Overall Meaning

In Louden Swain's song Wave, the band sings about trying to navigate through difficult circumstances, and trying to find hope and belief in the midst of it all. The opening lines of the song express the desire to keep moving forward, even though the obstacles seem insurmountable. The call and response between the vocalist and the listener in the chorus reflects a relationship that is trusting and reliant on the other person. The lyrics "If you lead then I will follow / If you think you know the way" indicate a willingness to submit to the other person's leadership and guidance.

The second verse references a problem at will call, where the singer is not on the list. As a result, he feels like he is useless, or a "plus one" - someone who is not important or necessary to the situation. Despite this feeling of insecurity, he still offers to help, even if he is not sure that he can make a difference. The lines "And if you think that I can save you / Then I'm throwing you the rope / But I'm up against the wave" capture the sense of powerlessness that the singer is feeling, even as he tries to help.

The rest of the song speaks to the idea of staying hopeful in difficult times, even when it feels like the odds are against us. The expression "up against a wave" creates a sense of being overwhelmed or engulfed by circumstances beyond our control. However, the singer still believes that there is hope for a better tomorrow, if we can just find a way through today. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the idea of relying on each other and moving forward together.

Line by Line Meaning

We could wait until tomorrow
Delaying our actions until another day

If we can get through today,
Surviving the present day is the necessary condition for our future plans

If you lead then I will follow
If you show me direction, I will obey it

If you think you know the way
If you believe you have figured the path to our goal

There's a problem down at will call
There seems to be an issue at the ticket counter

Cause you weren't on the list
Because your name was not included in the list?

I try to comfort you, that's my fault
I attempted to console you when I shouldn't have

I'm a plus one and I'm pissed
I'm an uninvited guest and I'm angry about it

And if you think that I can save you
If you believe I can rescue you from this situation

Then I'm throwing you the rope
I'll extend all my help and support to you

But I'm up against the wave
I'm struggling against a massive challenge