Swallow

Swallow’s first album is called Out of the Nest, a title that suggests this Boston-based band took its name from the family of small birds noted for their long wings. How cute. By the time of 1973’s follow-up, however, a self-titled project produced by the Atlanta Rhythm Section’s Buddy Buie, the group seems to have been influenced more by the voluntary muscular action that moves food down the esophagus and into the stomach. The end result is a strange and somewhat vile piece of artwork that Joe Viglione of All Music Guide (AMG) calls “one of the all-time worst album covers.” If you can ignore the cover art, however, this nine-piece ensemble delivers a tasty set of horn-infused, blues-based hard rock. Toying with the basic concept employed by other brass-flavored groups of the era, Swallow layers its good time rock and roll with a smattering of saxophones, trumpets and trombones. The album kicks off with the hard-driving “Georgia, Pack My Bags,” followed in short by a series of well-crafted pop songs, most notably “Illinois” and “Don’t Tell Mama.” The remaining tracks feature a balanced mix of uptempo rhythm and blues numbers (“I Get My Rocks Off Rockin’,” “Let It Roll”) and sensitive ballads (“I’ll Be Home”). Sadly, Swallow didn’t fare any better than its predecessor and the group disbanded. Producer Buie found fame and fortune with the Atlanta Rhythm Section as a songwriter/manager/producer (he co-wrote both “Imaginary Lover” and “So Into You”), while member Vern Miller eventually reunited with The Remains, a garage band he helped form in 1964.

Notes: Here is an audio-only YouTube clip of “Helping Hand” by Swallow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rJkYwk9BPU.