Critical Writings

Articles and Reviews: MUSIC

Dressed Up For The Let Down by Richard Swift (Polydor)

The lugubrious purveyor of grand American pop here casts his mordant wit over the commercial failure of his early career, making us laugh in the process. Funnily enough, this expression of disillusionment with ‘the biz’ is now released on a major label, providing some measure of vindication for a seemingly anachronistic artist, whose strength may well lie in his Tin Pan Alley unfashionability. Here he demonstrates that while, to paraphrase Jimmy Webb, music may be a harsh mistress, it can also be a rewarding one.

First published in Magill, April 2007