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3am

by Ellis Swan

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Art Fin
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Art Fin Eerie whispers in spooky lullabies. Sometimes it reminds me of a sparser Timber Timbre singing within the Caretaker's productions. Spine-tingling tunes that could be good for a horror movie. It made me check if I locked my door. Favorite track: Puppeteers Tears.
elisa
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elisa I wish I could whisper like this, thanks for your music Ellis - inspiring! Favorite track: Hospice.
paolo latini
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paolo latini a whispered, intimate nightly record that updates the primitive blues and folk songwriting with drone, ambient and found noises. Superb listeningwind.music.blog/2022/10/06/ellis-swan-3am-quindi-records/ Favorite track: Puppeteers Tears.
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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Limited edition black vinyl with A4 sheet insert containing Ellis' lyrics and a download code on the page's bottom right corner


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    Includes unlimited streaming of 3am via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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1.
2.
Down by the reservoir Down by the reservoir Down by the reservoir Down by the reservoir   Cover yourself with mud Keep them from sucking your blood Pray that the storm’s going to pass Wind blows down the foxtail grass   Down by the reservoir Down by the reservoir Down by the reservoir Down by the reservoir   Walk through the fire and smoke Convinced that it was a joke Walk through the fire and smoke Wind blows down the foxtail grass   Down by the reservoir Down by the reservoir Down by the reservoir Down by the reservoir   Walk through the fire and smoke
3.
Horses Bones 02:28
Jimmy drove his Chevy into the lake Belly full of whiskey and birthday cake Cold black water came rushing in Everyone since been whispering   What you going to find underneath the pier? When the shoreline disappears Gone up the road looking for my son Going to keep walking until my days are done   Horses’ bones and pinecones Turned around but you were gone   Jimmy drove his Chevy into the lake…
4.
Swing 02:52
Where you going? Don’t be long Where you’re going you don’t belong Broken branches, white birch Slow ringing bells in an empty church And I swing, swing, swing, swing   A factory fire, a dancing bear A homeless heir to a millionaire A widow’s kiss, a mouth full of soap A man alone with a stool and rope And I swing, swing, swing, swing   Where you going? Don’t be long Where you’re going you don’t belong Broken branches, white birch Slow ringing bells in an empty church And I swing, swing, swing, swing
5.
Chinatown 02:09
6.
It could be worse So open your purse Lining is ripped A dirty old skirt Coins drop out My mouth like a curse It could be worse It could always be worse He wore a charm On a silver string It looked like a heart A pretty thing It rang like a bell And bruised like a girl And collected the blood Of half of the world It could be worse So open your purse Lining is ripped A dirty old skirt Coins drop out My mouth like a curse It could be worse It could always be worse He left his voice inside my head Forget was what my mama said He left his voice inside my head Forget was what my mama said Forget was what my mama said It could be worse So open your purse Lining is ripped A dirty old skirt Coins drop out My mouth like a curse It could be worse It could always be worse
7.
She’s my sweet summer storm She don’t mind my coat torn   Rode to Montreal upon a train If I knew she was there Much earlier I would’ve left New Orleans   She’s my sweet summer storm She don’t mind my coat torn My coat torn
8.
Hospice 03:17
I remember the last few words my father said, in his hospice bed   Ain’t no certainty, no peace of mind Something is always coming up from behind   I remember the last few words my father said, in his hospice bed   Skinny old thing in the backyard shed She can shake a paw and play dead Barks all night long, won’t let me sleep Pray the lord my soul to keep   I remember the last few words my father said, in his hospice bed   Hospice bed
9.
Arizona 02:55
10.
Doors open to my cage But I just sit and stare Paint peeling off the moon I watched you disappear Into the mirror   Call my name You were torn From my arms In the storm Call my name   Doors open to my cage But I just sit and stare Who’s going to wipe away Who’s going to wipe away The puppeteers’ tears   Call my name You were torn From my arms In the storm Call my name Call my name Call my name   I won’t forget I won’t forget you my dear   Call my name You were torn From my arms In the storm Call my name Call my name Call my name   I won’t forget At least just not yet
11.
Evening Sun 02:17
Evening sun, going down We’re still miles out of town   Dead dog lying in the sand Roman candle in her hand Welcome to the promised land Evening sun, going down We’re still miles out of town Best come back home again Best come back while you can Best come back home again Dead dog lying in the sand   Evening sun, going down Evening sun, going down Evening sun, going down We’re still miles We’re still miles out of town
12.
Something 01:06
13.
3am 02:16
One two What can I do To keep the devil away from you One two What can I do   Cut my hand and paint the door Circle some sugar on the floor   One two What can I do To keep the devil away from you One two What can I do What can I do   Gonna sit and watch my little one sleep Listen for when the nightingales weep Gonna sit and watch my little one Gonna sit and watch my little one sleep   One two What can I do To keep the devil away from you One two What can I do What can I do
14.
Shotgun shells down in the dirt If I’m lucky this won’t hurt Coin toss lost, you go first Stuck in traffic behind a hearse   Carolina, Carolina I’m right behind you   Laid me down on the merry go round Behind the church in the old playground Wind in the trees, I’m still here Waiting for the light to disappear   Carolina, Carolina I’m right behind you I’m right behind you Shotgun shells down in the dirt Shotgun shells down in the dirt Shotgun shells down in the dirt Shotgun shell

about

Reviews:

- www.brainwashed.com/index.php/reviews-easyblog/ellis-swan-3am

- www.whitelight-whiteheat.com/wl-wh-review-tremendous-psych-folk-reveries-by-ellis-swan-at-3am-lp-quindi-records/

- sun-13.com/2022/10/26/ellis-swan-3am/



Drawing the night in around his private, unnerving vigil, Ellis Swan returns to Quindi Records with an album of cracked beauty and haunted balladry. The Chicago-based singer-songwriter debuted on the label last year with a collaborative project called Dead Bandit, a vividly produced instrumental set in thrall to the badlands and a laconic, languid Americana.

Under his own name, Swan records intimate, poetic songs in a stark fashion, so fragile they might disintegrate in between your fingers were you to pick them up. He draws the microphone close to pick up every whisper and drags the music through layer upon layer of tape fuzz, leaving room for atmospheric impressions which loom out of the walls like the ghosts of past misdeeds. These pieces play on the natural distortion and delirium which occurs at the farthest end of the night – the hour before dawn might hope to break the veil of darkness.

Swan’s is a hauntological sound, but like the late Israeli rockabilly icon Charlie Megira his process strikes a spooked tone past revivalism and out of time or place. The only anchor which places Swan anywhere is the subtle presence of Katherine Swan providing lyrics to ‘3am’ and lyrics and backing vocals to ‘It Could Be Worse’.

The impression cast is of one man and his guitar, but there are other textures tucked into the music – the muffled murmur of a drum machine or a low frequency organ hum, some desolate piano, other treated percussive impulses which might well have been the work of incidental sprites while the four-track was rolling.

There are fuller cuts like ‘Evening Sun’ and the title track ‘3am’ which play with structural dynamics and creep out of the shadows a touch, while passages of plaintive, instrumental unease such as the hypnotic, mantra-like ‘Chinatown’ protract the space between songs. ‘Swing’ lolls between moments of bottomless silence and a discernible, rickety funk, and ‘Puppeteers Tears’ teases out a buried drama. But primarily, it’s the light touch of ‘Horses Bones’ and tin can tenderness of ‘She’s My Sweet Summer Storm’ which spell out the spellbinding character of 3am; a singular creation fusing the best qualities of folk, blues and Americana with a fearlessly experimental sound palette.

credits

released October 7, 2022

All tracks were written, recorded and performed by Ellis Swan, except for ”3am" lyrics written by Katherine and Ellis Swan, and "It Could Be Worse" lyrics written by, and additional vocals by, Katherine Swan.

Mastered by MA Spaventi.

Layout by JDN.

QUI006.

C+P Quindi Records 2022.

Special thanks: Jolene and Joseph.

Quindi's special thanks to LEDX.

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Ellis Swan Chicago, Illinois

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