After spending most of 2016 on the road, which included an amazing opening spot for Carrie Underwood on her Storyteller Tour, The Swon Brothers are back with new music. Pretty Cool Scars, produced by Brad Hill (Maren Morris, Lucie Silvas, Brothers Osborne), is a well-rounded 6-track EP of party songs and heartbreak ballads that reminds us all just how talented these brothers really are.
The EP kicks off with “Dwight Trashed,” an upbeat sing-along song that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser with plenty of guitar, banjo, keyboards and a few play on words with “Dwight” and “Brooks and Dunn.” It also sounds a bit like something Blake Shelton would put on one of his albums, which isn’t all that surprising given that the duo from Oklahoma represented Team Blake and placed third during the fourth season of The Voice.
Recently released as the lead-off single, “Don’t Call Me” shows a mature side of the boys. The song reveals a vulnerability as they plead with an ex to cut ties. Does she listen? Of course not (an answering machine message plays during the song) but they don’t give in, forcing a strength from within to conquer the weakness, giving the song a much deeper meaning as Colton Swon explains: “It’s a song we can all relate to. It’s about finally getting to a point where you get over the things you need to get over, and you can move on with your life. I think it can represent people in a lot of different ways, and then it becomes much more than a song at that point.”
The title track “Pretty Cool Scars” is anthem-like as the lyrics proudly proclaim how our roots and experiences leave their mark in making us who we are:
We are, we are (we are, we are)
Headlights making small town circles, lighting up the dark
We are, we are (we are, we are)
Losin, livin’, lovin’ hard in the backseats of our cars
It’s written on our hands and beat up hearts – pretty cool scars
The strength of The Swon Brothers’ vocals are showcased very well throughout the EP, but especially on the romantic “Take Off,” which has a wonderful sexy swagger (Lay your hand on my shoulder / I’m falling for you over and over / Your curves make it hard to be cool / So I’m goin’ to get straight to the truth) and the final track “Gold” a powerful song that allows the Brothers to show off their amazing harmonies.
Swon Brothers fans can now rejoice with the release of Pretty Cool Scars, but they won’t be the only ones. Don’t be surprised when this EP gives the Brothers’ career that extra push onto the fast track and country radio.
Pretty Cool Scars Track-listing:
1. Dwight Trashed
2. Don’t Call Me
3. Pretty Cool Scars
4. Take Off
5. About Last Night
6. Gold