Today on September 18th, the Nashville-based, genre-bending songwriter Patrick Sweany is releasing a new album Daytime Turned To Nighttime on the Austin-based Nine Mile Records. In conjunction with that acclaimed photographer Nate Burrell and Tim Gebauer sharing exclusive to Glide the video premiere of “Long Way Down” off Daytime Turned to Nighttime (below), which was filmed at Sweany’s East Nashville home. The video captures the poignancy and power of Sweany’s words and gives color to his personal delivery and style. Read on further for Glide’s Senior Staff Writer Maeri Ferguson’s in depth take on Daytime Turned to Nighttime.
Video, Production, & Audio by St. Louis artists Nate Burrell (Before the Blink) + Electropolis
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Stepping away from the edgier, darker, and deeply personal vibe of his last record, 2013’s Close to the Floor, one-man-band tour de force Patrick Sweany is putting on some seriously smooth, bluesy moves with his new release Daytime Turned to Nighttime. Where Floor found him getting wild and loose and experimenting with an almost Southern blues rock, Black Keys sound, Nighttime is sultry and confident, warm and homey. No surprise here though, as the Keys’ Dan Auerbach did not have a hand in this record as he did with other Sweany work. Sweany’s vocals are at their softest and sweetest, and the twangy guitar melodies are a little dreamier. Sweany has transitioned from being a restless spirit to a more settled one, taking his time, and it suits him just fine.
The fantastic back-up harmonies on “Afraid of You” offer up a completely new sound than any Sweany album. They give this world-weary battle song a retro flavor that’s ideal with lyrics like “Tryin’ to turn around/But I can’t take back/Love so strong/Like a heart attack”. You can hear the influence of musicians Ron Eoff and Bryan Owings, who join Sweany on Daytime Turned to Nighttime and have played with The Band and Emmylou Harris, respectively. Sweany and his bandmates create such a soulful Southern sound that’s so effortlessly classic and mature, and it’s hard to deny that he is continuing to grow more and more.
There are more slow songs on Daytime Turned to Nighttime than any other Sweany record, too. The whole album has an ease to it, and nothing feels rushed or frantic. Instead, it’s as if Sweany really took his time writing these songs and his producer, the uber-talented Joe McMahan applied the same level loving attention. “Nothing Happened at All” features one of the album’s standout guitar solos, and is also one of the most fully formed songs on the album. It’s bluesy and soulful, and right in Sweany’s wheelhouse. Sauntering, sexy songs like this one are Sweany’s sweet spot, and he sings it like he knows full well.
“Mansfield Street” is another showstopper on Daytime Turned to Nighttime, even though it’s also heartbreaking. A song about moving forward despite tragedy, Sweany hits the nail on the head. “I’m tired of being afraid of life/I don’t wanna be terrified,” he sings, which resonates especially deep after Close to the Floor so poignantly captured a particularly sad period in his life which found him losing loved ones. It’s evident from this tune that Sweany is still transitioning, but there’s no doubt he’s looking toward the future with some sense of hope.
“Back Home” finds Sweany getting back in touch with his traditional side. It’s a foot-stomping, old school growler of a blues song, and he lights it on fire. Similarly, “Here to Stay (Rock and Roll)” has an old timey feel – something Sweany’s always done well. Even the lyrics are timeless: “Rock and roll is here to stay/And I know my time ain’t long”. It’s true whiskey-warm, front porch music, and Sweany is the king of it.
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