PREMIERE: Oakland's SWMRS Deal With Life Tomorrow on “Figuring It Out”

Photo by Alice Baxley

When someone brings up Oakland, you may think about Raiders football or the brilliantly hardcore-gun-touting reincarnation of the team’s logo that Ice-T and Body Count wield so unapologetically.

But Oakland is home to more than football, and honestly, we don’t need to be tough all the time. Life has plenty of room for that. Enter NorCal surf-pop-punk band SWMRS and their upcoming full-length, Drive North.

Drive North was produced by the newly reincarnated FIDLAR vocalist Zac Carper, who was beyond stoked to do it. They're a suitable match, as SWMRS have recently been reincarnated, too. Formerly known as Emily’s Army, the band’s previous records were produced by drummer Joey Armstrong’s father, that Billie Joe guy from Green Day. Carper was thrilled to follow up Armstrong’s production for SWMRS debut.

“I wanted to work with SWMRS right when I heard their demos. The way they all work together as a band is really inspiring,” says Carper. “You can tell they have been friends since they were children.”

Stream the poppy foot-tapper filled with skate-gang vocals “Figuring It Out” as an ode to the moment.

SWMRS new record will be released on February 12 via Uncool Records.