Kari Spieler Photos by Shervin Lainez

Kari Spieler in Prospect Heights, NY (Photo by Shervin Lainez)

"Swear and Shake" - Photographs by Jeremy Ryan

"Swear and Shake" - Taken by Jeremy Ryan

"Swear and Shake" - Taken by Jeremy Ryan

Swear and Shake at Governor's Ball 2013

Some great Swear and Shake promo shots from Governor's Ball 2013. 

Photography by Michael Didyoung and Ellen Fedors.

Daggers Lyrics

Tell me again of the road and its turns
Anything to brighten your words
If even those words are daggers to me
Let those daggers cut you free
Come out of hiding, it’s clear what you need
There’s a whole in your heart it’s starting to bleed
If time will not mend it, you need to leave
If not for yourself then me

Marlon, I don’t stand a chance
This house could never hold your heart
No need to drag it out

Imagine me, Marlon, here all alone
Did you think of this house and us growing old?
It’s the one sweetened thought (that’s) kept darkness away
Never did it cross your mind

Now that your calling’s become such a curse
Mmm
Mmm

Wishful Thinking On Seagrass Shoal Lyrics

Straight from the witch’s brew
There’s colors just for you
But no one can see them, or touch them,
Or magic marker on their sleeves
Lemon, lover, give ‘em hell
Let grandma hear your rebel yell
I say pierce it, dye it, rip your jeans any which way
Little Green Knight mow the lawn
There’s always work to be done
Uh oh, but workin’ and working too hard
Will make you go pop

Doctor up that smile for me
And tell me it’s all right (Tell me it’s all right)
A little lie would help me sleep tonight
“The change will do you good,” they say
Yeah, well I felt fine before (I felt fine before)
So make believe
And lie to me once more

Mrs. Kellner make a toast
For you say you saw your father's ghost
They don't believe you
Forget them
'Cause I truly do
Swan he didn't want to wait
Took a bus across the continental United States
And saw Denver and Cleveland and Scranton
And tasted the wine
I hear it makes you go pop

Round and round we go
And not a day goes by
Without changing my mind
They say it's in my blood
To get like this
A fear I sometimes feel
So I breathe your woes
The world is flat
The world is round
It doesn't matter in this small town
Because no one leaves
And no one comes
This is all that it will ever be
And no one's gonna argue me now
I don't want to fight you in this made up land (Ad naeseum

Smile just a little more believably

Esmeralda take my hand
I'm going to Candyland
And you'll fit in much better
As a construction paper cut out

Ain't That Lovin'

Hey folks!

Been a while since we posted. We are so pleased to announce that we have a new EP available for you guys! Introducing: Ain't That Lovin'!

Get the digital download here.

Order the compact disc here. 

We've also made a chord book for the record, which includes the music for Brother and Fire as well. Download the free PDF here. 

Like You Do Lyrics

In the wake of loving you
I've found a reason to be true
My bad intentions let me down
And I am laying here disarmed
I wasn't looking for true love
Just a little bit of fun
Now somehow I can’t let you go
Oh, oh oh, oh oh

Nobody does it like you do, like you do
Nobody does it like you do

Ain't that just the lovin' game
And I always played the same
Many have tried and many failed
Wear them as trophies 'round my neck
Gone are my ever-rambling ways
I'm gonna love to the grave
Only one thing I know for sure
Oh, oh oh, oh oh

Feet in the air head on the ground
Didn't know I was missing 'til I got found

Nobody does it like you do
Nobody
Nobody
Nobody

Be Your Strength Lyrics

I don’t want to lose this thing
I can see your feet slipping
Through mud and the dirt
We’ll make this work
Darling, I will be your strength

I know it’s been hard work
Lately it’s been getting worse
Some will deceive you
But I will never leave you

AIN'T NO USE IN CRYING
CRYING
CRYING
DARLING, I WILL BE YOUR STRENGTH

Don’t listen to what they say
People can say hurtful things
They don’t see you the way that I do
Let me be your everything
Even when the light is gone
As a living thing you push on
I’m part of you, you’re part of me too
And I will give you everything

Darling, darling

I’m part of you, you’re part of me
I’m part of you, you’re part of me

Good As Gone Lyrics

I left New York City and its winter sting
I woke up hours later to a Carolina spring
The snow on the streets had turned to blue-green grass
It had been a little while since I’d seen anything like that
Soon enough you realize all the things you’ve lost
A dream for a dream and that’s exactly what it costs
The hearth of a home you trade it for the road
The light of a lover it all goes to the show

Don’t go, I can’t stay little darlin’
When I make a plan
I take it to the bottom
Don’t go, I can’t stay little missy
When I made a plan to cross the Mississippi
Don’t go, can’t you see I’m good as gone?

It stays on my conscience with each new passing town
The death in my family that I won’t see to the ground
The memory of a man and all for which he stood
There’s many things I left that no one ever should.

Don’t go, I can’t stay don’t you get it?
When I make a plan it’s hard to forget it
DOn’t go, I an’t stay that’s for certain
You don’t need to hurt me, I’m already hurtin’
Don’t go, can’t you see I’m good as gone?

You can leave but don’t come back
You can leave but don’t come back
You can leave but don’t come back
Don’t let the Verrazano slam you on the way out, boy
You’re gonna be the death of me
It’s better than being half alive in New York City.

Don’t go, I can’t stay little vixen
When I made a plan to cross the Mason-Dixon
Don’t go , I can’t stay don’t you get it
When I make a plan it’s hard to forget it.
Don’t go, can’t you see I’m good as gone?

Photos by David E. Jackson

We had an amazing time in Appleton, WI, this summer. Here's a photo we love taken by the very talented, very friendly, very handsome David E. Jackson.

To view more photos from this series, view this blog spot on Mile of Music. 

"Fire" Chords and Lyrics

Hello everyone!

We've been getting a few requests to post the guitar chords and lyrics for "Fire," so here they are. When the full-length album, "Ain't That Lovin'," becomes available in early 2014, we're going to be releasing a chord book for the whole thing, so consider this just a little taste. 

Thanks very much!

Chords

Lyrics

You set a fire inside of me

If you get closer then you'll see

I'm sure you know

I'm sure you know

I've never felt this way before

But you are someone else's love

Far away I will stay

I'VE GONE THIS FAR WITHOUT GIVING IN

AND I WILL WAIT FOR YOU

WAIT FOR YOU

I'VE GONE THIS FAR WITHOUT GIVING IN

AND I WILL WAIT FOR YOU

WAIT FOR YOU

I've traveled the whole world it seems

And nothing fills that part of me

So it grows

More and more each day

I do not wish to cause you harm

Oh, how I cringe when I see her in your arms

Far away I will stay

I'VE GONE THIS FAR WITHOUT GIVING IN

AND I WILL WAIT FOR YOU

WAIT FOR YOU

I'VE GONE THIS FAR WITHOUT GIVING IN

AND I WILL WAIT FOR YOU

WAIT FOR YOU

Hands in the hive just a taste

Can you see it on my face

I will wait for you

I stand alone right by your side

Helplessly, I wait for the stars to collide

So you know, we belong

Rombello 2013 Set Lists

Hey all!

We had such an amazing time on Rombello. I know it's been a while since we've done a post, but a lot of people have been asking for setlists, and so I thought this was a good use of our blog. Below are the three sets we performed while at sea. 

SPINNAKER LOUNGE - 11/2/13

1. Being and Time

2. The Promise

3. Johnnie

4. Hum our Tune

5. Marbles 

6. Looking Through You

7. Daggers

8. Like You Do (ft. G. Love on harmonica)

9. Green

10. Fire 

11. Brother

12. Do Right Woman (Kari solo)

13. Ophelia (ft. Walter from Reptar)

14. These White Walls

THE POOL DECK - 11/3/13

1. Violet

2. The Promise

3. Johnnie

4. Don't Do It

5. Fire

6. Brother

7. Be Your Strength

8. Marbles

9. These White Walls (ft. Kelly from The So Sos on fiddle)

10. The Light (ft. Kelly from The So Sos on fiddle)

11. Like You Do

12. Green

13. Such a Night (featuring horn players Walter and Sean from Reptar)

THE ATRIUM - 11/4/13

1. Marbles

2. The Promise

3. Hum Our Tune

4. That Thing You Do

5. Fire

6. Like You Do (ft. G. Love on harmonica)

7. Green

8. Wrecking Ball

9. Gone Gone Gone (ft. Chardy from Artist Relations on congas)

10. Violet

11. Drag City

12. The Light

13. These White Walls

14. Ophelia (ft. the horn players and backup vocalists of Brother Jocephus and The Love Revolution)

My Excitement for Our 3/31 Appearance

Why is this show worth going to? We built a big beautiful backdrop which we'll be debuting, there's a grand piano, Kari bought a weird synth, and it's a triple bill we're sharing with two acts whose music I thoroughly enjoy myself. I'll include those obligatory links below.

The show is at 92Y TriBeCa on March 31, 2012. ‪Markéta Irglová‬ (a personal hero of mine) is playing there tonight (3/22). It's incredible to be playing the same stage as her just days later. To celebrate, we got awesome posters printed up! A special thank you to my friend Chris (cmcanndesign.com) who drafted them up on such short notice. There's only fifty printed, and they're all hand-numbered. If you want one on your wall or locker or whatever, pre-order a ticket to the show and we'll have one waiting for you at the door. If you already pre-ordered your ticket, don't worry! You're already on the list.



You can order tickets, get more details, and check out photos and music from the other performers here: 92Y TriBeCa website.
Here's the Facebook event.
Don't forget to tweet @talltalltrees @plumegiant , and us, duh! @swearandshake

See you then,
Adam
Swear and Shake

Mercury Lounge

It's happening!

Finishing Maple Ridge

You've all been very patient with us, so I thought I'd give you a rough timeline on the release our first full-length record, "Maple Ridge."

In January 2012, We'll release our documentary on the record-making process. Shot on location at Maple Ridge, filmmaker Michael Oshins did an incredible cutting together the most musical week of our lives. It's also chock-full of interviews with Kari, me, and producer Ben Goldstein, who wears a crazy ass shirt. You'll have to wait for the finished doc to see the shirt, but here are some stills:


Around mid-January, they'll be a few tracks available for streaming. Most certainly "Marbles," a track that features 10 different players, including a circus of Louisiana-style woodwinds and horns, a ton of gang vocals, and an expansive world of percussion that pushes the song along. You can here a rough live performance of that tune here, but it's night and day compared to the studio recording.

By the beginning of February, you'll be able to sing along as you watch our music video for "These White Walls," a high energy folk rock tune where you can really hear Kari pour her heart out. Friend and photographer/filmmaker Ben Morse insisted we do some of the shooting outside, despite the freezing cold rain. It was totally worth it. Here are some mobile uploads from the day:


You can view some of Ben Morse's other work here.

By the start of March, you'll have heard two or three of the ten songs on the record. The official release party will be mid-March. We're planning on making it our biggest show to date: getting all of the many musicians that played on the record out to perform with us, and packing out whatever NYC venue we decide on. By the end of March and into April, we'll be touring with the record at many more east coast cities.

Today's important too. I'm releasing the album artwork. Visualize it with me: a retro uncoated finish with foil stamping for the letters and maple seed insignia.

Thanks so much for your patience. Now that's it's nearing completion, I couldn't be more proud. This record means a lot to me, and I look forward to sharing it with all of you.

Much love,
Adam
P.S.
If you want to stay up-to-date with our album release schedule, please sign the mailing list here.

"For Better, For Worse" - A New Single

While spending almost all of our time working on the Maple Ridge LP, touring around the country, and writing new material, we also had a unique opportunity to cut a single with some very sharp NYC producers. The clip below is a new tune we'll soon be releasing as a single (iTunes, Amazon and more) titled, "For Better, For Worse." It was mixed by Brian Malouf of Cookie Jar Recordings, Los Angeles, CA, (All American Rejects, O.A.R. and more).

Check out these photos that we took while recording as you listen to the track, and please let us know what you think on Twitter and Facebook and here on our blog!

For Better, For Worse by Swear and Shake

Shaun laying it down.

The view from the studio: Madison Square Garden.

Producer Lee Nadel

The single cover.

Plenty of Shows to Cap Off October

Morning Friends---

The end of October is going to be something else for Swear and Shake.

NYC

This Saturday (10.22 - 4:00 p.m.) we play a free CMJ Showcase at The Living Room in Manhattan. The CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival began in 1980 as a new way to showcase breaking talent to industry professionals. Now that CMJ is in its 31st year, we're proud and excited to have our hard work pay off and be a part of it. Thanks to Paper Garden Lovely Hearts Club for hosting us.

NYC

This Tuesday (10.25 - 8:00 p.m.), we open a show for Radical Face at the Studio at Webster Hall. Radical Face is an amazing-sounding act originally from Florida. You might know one of their tunes from a recent Nikon commercial: "Glory". Tickets are available here.

NEWBURGH, NY

For residents of the Hudson Valley: This Thursday (10.27), the band will travel to Newburgh, NY, to film a music video for our original number, These White Walls. That night, we will be playing a show at the newly renovated and awesome-ized Railroad Playhouse with Alpha Male Gorillas. Thanks so much to WDST for their endless support-- here's a radio snippet you can stream. Tickets and details are available here.

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA (VT - NY BORDER)

David Wax says, "Houses will never replace traditional venues, but many artists have come to consider them an indispensable part of their touring routine." Friday (10.28), we will travel to Williamstown, MA, to play at the Billsville House Concert series, just like acts such as David Wax Museum, Pearl and the Beard, and many more have done before us. Details and tickets can be found here.

Thanks for sticking with us. And remember, you can also check shows directly from our website, www.swearandshake.com/shows

Adam 

Swear and Shake

Show Fliers

Show Fliers, a set on Flickr.