A. Swayze & the Ghosts’ latest album, Let’s Live a Life Better Than This is a powerful pivot that showcases the Hobart based band’s evolution from raw garage punk to a complex blend of post punk art rock. Crafted over four intense years, the band who were known for their ferocious garage-punk beginnings confidently step into an experimental realm with Let’s Live a Life Better Than This.
With this step, it’s not only a shift in sound but a bold and brilliant reimagining of their musical identity. One that is a sonic rebirth of grit, growth, and groove. As Let’s Live a Life Better Than This captures the rawness of self-discovery, it too allows the band to play in unexpected territories.
Songs like “Cool Cucumber” have a hooky swagger with irresistible bass lines and bursts of saxophone that push the band’s sound from rock into danceable territory. Frontman Andrew Swayze’s playful yet biting vocals add layers of charisma that drive the track’s infectious momentum. In his words,
“This song represents our break from people’s expectations, embracing a diverse sound that transcends previous releases.”
This departure from genre prison is evident throughout the album. Each song unearths new textures and tonal twists. An example of this is “Sick Kinda WRLD”. The song taps into house music influences while remaining firmly grounded in the band’s post-punk roots. This genre blend gives it a punchy edge that both intrigues and energises, while its chaotic exploration of perception and reality captures a genuine sense of freedom in sound.
Elsewhere, “Tell You All The Time” combines fast-paced riffs with a defiant energy that captures the band’s journey away from a self-destructive past toward self-acceptance. Andrew, reflecting on this personal transformation, says,
“It wasn’t long after that I quit drinking and was forced to recluse while the world shut down. I found some peace and quiet and learned that was what I needed to function and be happy.”
The band’s self-production and mix by Andy Savours results in a textured and immersive sound that balances rawness with polish. Percussion and synth elements weave seamlessly into a guitar-led landscape and deliver a fresh intensity across tracks like “Anthropology” and “Easy Come.”
Let’s Live a Life Better Than This is more than a new release for A. Swayze & the Ghosts. It’s a reinvention rooted in openness and evolution. It’s an album born from chaos but transformed by clarity.
Whether you’re here for the raw rock energy or the danceable undercurrents, A. Swayze & the Ghosts have something vital to say, and they say it loud with Let’s Live a Life Better Than This.
