Debut LP from The Early Swerve

Formed in 2024, south London outfit The Early Swerve have been building a musical output unlike any other by bringing together progressive folk, retro British pop, nu skiffle and punk energy. The four-piece combine infectious melodies with intricately observed storytelling, creating songs populated by questionable characters, questionable decisions and the occasional moment of unexpected tenderness. Drawing on classic British songwriting while channelling a more raucous spirit, the band have developed a sound that feels tethered to familiar musical areas but determined to explore its less respectable corners.

Fronted by Dave Mackinnon on vocals and acoustic guitar, alongside drummer Bill Snowden, acoustic bassist Jaydan Toomey and violinist Andrew Liddell, The Early Swerve take inspiration from The Beatles, Ian Dury, Madness, Chas & Dave and Love. Their music carries the atmosphere of stories exchanged across a pub floor, where larger-than-life characters and local folklore become the material for songs that are funny, uncomfortable and frequently both at once. Within the apparent simplicity of their melodies however, sits a carefully constructed musical vision, with acoustic textures, punchy hooks and delicate arrangements working together to give each story its own character.

The band haven’t always occupied their current shape, progressing through several line-up changes before settling around the main trio of Dave, Jaydan and Bill, with additional musicians expanding their recordings and live performances. A particularly important step in finding their direction came through working with producer Ed Deegan at Gizzard Recording Studios in Bow. Determined to eschew the artificial shimmer of overly processed production, they stick to analogue recording, allowing the warmth and imperfections of tape to become part of their sound.

Now, their sonic vision reaches its fullest expression on their debut album titled More People Than Teeth, a twelve-track outing exploring the darker, more disreputable side of British life. Penned by Dave and lyricist Essex Moorcroft, whose songwriting partnership began back in 2006, the record brings together toxic relationships, unpleasant personalities, drinking-related disasters and dark humour. Strings, piano, vocal harmonies and female backing singers expand the band’s acoustic setting, adding a cinematic quality that retains the driving rhythms and impact at the heart of their music.

Across More People Than Teeth, the band’s sound becomes a vehicle for a succession of vivid character studies, with curtain raiser “Past the Post” pairing an infectious melody with the darker reality of a toxic relationship, as the bounce of rustling percussion and stabs of bright instrumentation underpin Dave’s expression vocal performance. “6 of 12 for You” turns the thoughts of a thoroughly unpleasant misogynist into a catchy, sing-along number that slows the pace with walking basslines, off-beat guitar chords and picture painting lyricism delivered via East London charm.

“In a League of His Own” allows a horrible husband to recount his tale before the band and his long-suffering wife offer their own perspectives, wrapped up in a perfect display of the band’s unique collision of punk and folk stylings. “Literary Reference” then explores a grubby character with questionable habits, captured in a more intimate setting where fluttering acoustic guitar, soft drums and breezy vocals combine to deliver a more intimate moment on the record.

The album’s centrepiece, “Father of the Chapel,” brings the band’s historical and musical interests together in spectacular fashion. Inspired by the Wapping print dispute, it follows two friends divided by a strike, beginning with a traditional verse-and-chorus structure before opening into a cinematic finale of strings, piano, stacked, overlapping vocals, offering an epic showcase of The Early Swerve’s gripping musical offering.

The album is not merely a collection of colourful rogues, with the band equally interested in expanding their musical sphere through the instrumental piece “Extra Time.” Tracks like “The Barn Dance” capture the chaos of a particularly unpleasant Friday-night pub, drawing humour from the recognisable details of everyday life while “Release the Hounds” transforms an intended album introduction into an elaborate experiment involving reversed tape, sound effects and analogue techniques. Closing the album with “A Song For Leonard,” the jaunty blend of guitar and strings slips into a shuffling groove of bright melodies as smooth vocals glide above to lay down a catchy finale to the band’s sensational debut record.

Mixed and mastered by Deegan at Gizzard Recording, More People Than Teeth balances its darkly comic observations with musical ambition. Across twelve tracks, The Early Swerve find humour in human failings and cinematic possibilities in everyday trouble, creating a distinctly British musical work that celebrates the art of a well-told story without pretending its characters are always worth celebrating. As well as digital streaming services, More People Than Teeth is available on CD and vinyl here.

Listen to More People Than Teeth below