"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.

Chords to Johnnie by Swear and Shake

We've been getting a few email requests for chords for our tune "Johnnie." I hope this makes things easier! I'm only going to paste the basics here, there's too much extra pizazz to tab out. There's a capo on one, putting the studio version in Db. Here are the chords:

VERSE

C

Johnnie all your hundred songs

F

learned them on the guitar

C

played them in the mirror

G

pretended they were mine

C

Johnnie what a knack for words

F

each one cuts me deeper

C

strong enough to make you near

G E7

when you're far away

CHORUS

Am B/G C

Johnnie is your suitcase tight?

F

you say goodbye to no one

C

leave a mess of paper

G E7

and make way for the coast

Am B/G C

Honey all your bridges burned

F

should you find your boots worn

C

I will patch your soles

G

if you swear you'll walk with me

Then the verse chords repeat:

Johnnie, I could be your queen
No more nights of long dreams
You could be the stronger man
To sleeps between these sheets
But never with your lips sewn shut
I can only do so much
Won't lift a finger
'Til you show me where it hurts

CHORUS

BRIDGE

C F Gaug

It's the way I'm gonna love you

C F E7
It's the way I'm gonna love you

Am
It's the way I'm gonna love you

Am/G#
The only way I know to

G D7
And I'll lay my candid loving on the line

F Gaug C
It's the way I'm gonna love you

Johnnie Live at Purchase

Jeez we had a lot of fun at SUNY Purchase's Fluxus Friday. Kari and I are both Purchase graduates (May 2010), so whenever we go back to perform, we really feel the love. Playing for our close friends is always a good time, but Purchase is also just a great place to meet new music lovers, making it very exciting and comfortable at the same time. Here we are playing the first tune we sang together, "Johnnie," one year after its creation, at the same school it was written.

The Light - Live at Rye Playland

Kari and I wrote this tune late last summer, but it's been unreleased until now. We found a strangely lit construct near the Long Island Sound at Rye Playland, and asked good friend and housemate, Lori, to film it with her new fancy camera.

Aside from getting this little number out there, we're also hoping that it drums up some action for our Knitting Factory date. If you can make it, please come and show some love this Thursday (April 21, 2011) at 7:00 p.m.

Suddenly Live

It's really important to us that people don't think we're only an acoustic duet anymore. Fans of the EP or New York City residents that make it out to shows already know that, but the YouTube community is mostly familiar with our earlier vids from early last summer. Here we are in late February playing a new tune, "Suddenly," with the full band.

Leave your thoughts below!