Swiftumz Simply The Best

Christopher McVicker could capably add a chapter or two to the omnipresent tall tale of perfect pop’s supposed rebirth in 21st century San Francisco. That’s assuming he could be bothered to weigh in on the subject. Still, for the last decade-plus, McVicker’s chosen musical guise of Swiftumz has certainly been inspirational to the current pack. This perennially loose project allows McVicker to shape myriad aural obsessions into something quintessentially his own. From the distorted fuzz-centric moments on his earliest recordings through his more recent punky bursts of shiny pop, McVicker’s work has wowed the fortunate few who have bent an ear in his direction. For sure, “Everybody loves Chris”. Now returning with Simply The Best, he has leveled up.

Aided by some of The City’s finest like-minded volunteers—Kelley Stoltz, folks from The Aislers Set, The Bananas, Dirty Ghosts and many others, Simply The Best is a varied, all-hits endeavor, placing vibey, holed-up bedroom ballads alongside idealized, sparkling pop rock, chilled on one occasion, sharpened on another. Of particular note are the lead guitar contributions courtesy of Chris Guthridge, adding punch to McVicker’s effortlessly cool arrangements. These combinations and contributions always seem to boost Swiftumz beyond expectations, toward the timeless and classic.

The prime testament to McVicker’s songcraft is that he makes it look and sound so easy. In truth, Simply The Best earned its name over six long years of construction, a tumultuous period that saw the tragic loss of a cherished friend and guitarist, the abrupt closure of the record’s pressing plant and countless other personal and professional upheavals. Somehow McVicker, far too blessed to ever be stressed, was able to see through all these hardships and get all these gems cut and polished. It is without question his finest work to date and a collection of songs that we are all so incredibly lucky to finally hear.