We’re pleased to be running the premiere for the new single ‘The Shrug’ from jazz collective Al Swainger’s Pointless Beauty. Taken from the upcoming album ‘Hearts Full Of Grace’, ‘The Shrug’ see’s Swainger showcase his abilities as a composer with a gentle, melancholic soundscape packed with beautiful instrumentation, courtesy of his extremely talented five-piece band.
An emotionally impactful instrumental performance, the track manages to tell a story without a single word being uttered, such is the level of the playing across the tracks four minutes. A backdrop of delicately placed drums, grounding bass and subtle piano creates a pillowy bed for the flawless lead brass (Gary Alesbrook) and guitar (Ant Law).
Speaking about the meaning behind the track, Swainger explains: “The Shrug is a gospel jazz ballad representing how sometimes we can only have non-verbal responses to trauma. Sometimes we’re just so sad that when someone asks a well intentioned ‘how are you doing?’ all you can do is shrug, I wanted it to communicate that melancholy but also the optimism that it doesn’t last forever and things do get better.”
With a background of playing with some of the jazz greats at illustrious venues including Ronnie Scott’s, Al Swainger has a wealth of experience which shines through on the new single from Pointless Beauty. An exciting look at the upcoming album, ‘The Shrug’ is released April 13th via Other Compass Records, listen below.
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