By: Kylie Cooper Photo by: Tera Elwell
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The idea of living a life with purpose is one not lost onbrmany – a reflective and contemplative notion that takes us, as an individual,broutside of ourselves and catapults us into the composition of the world atbrlarge. “What is my purpose?” “How can I leave behind some type of impact on the worldbrwhen I have left it?” Undoubtedly an inner-monologue many of us have has with ourselves atbrsome point in time.
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That very notion, of longing to be more than just an individual,brbut one with a meaningful purpose behind our words and actions and lives, isbrthe DNA which holds together the song, “The Chill.” The first single off ofbrSword Collector’s self-titled EP, allows its listeners to ponder on that verybrthought. Even if for only two minutes and 35 seconds. I mean, if you’re goingbrto think in a retrospective way – something that might feel daunting at first –brtwo and a half minutes is a good place to start.
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Sword Collector, formed of a South-Texasbrtriad: Kyle McCoy (bass, vocals), Ryan Johnson (guitar), and Carlos Cooperbr(synth, drum machine), met growing up in Corpus Christi when each began frequentingbrthe local hardcore punk scene in the mid 2000s. There, they formed a friendship and musical identity within thebrwalls of the now-closed music venues around the Coastal Bend. Their musicalbrpaths would gravitate together again long after they’d spread across the state.
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In what began as a simple text exchange amongst the friendsbrlooking for a new creative outlet would later turn into a band forming andbrfiles being shared back and forth in order to create a sound so unique. In anbreffort to begin a new project on all fronts, the result lent itself to a soundbrunlike anything the three had ever played prior.
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Album Art: Brian Morgante, Flesh & Bone Design Tinged with elements of new wave and more moody sounds, SwordbrCollector peppers in 808s, chord organs, and other unique instruments to craft genuinelybrcharming musical moments. Recorded entirely by the band and mixed by RyanbrJohnson, their upcoming self-titled EP maintains a distinct intimacy with the songbrwriters. Mastered by John AllenbrStephens at Third Coast Recording Co (The Suffers,brCamera Cult), the final result is a sonic experience as lush as it isbrpersonal.
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Employing the sometimes-dreamy-sometimes-eerie soundscapes,brthe lyrics themselves explore the very ideas of self-discovery and those dauntingbrquestions of “who am I?” and “what is my purpose?”
McCoy speaksbrto the intention behind the song and, indeed, before even hearing him talk about it in his own words, the concept has already resonated with me from mybrown listens.
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“‘The Chill’ is my expression of desire for greater purpose,brfor the ability to make a lasting impression,” McCoy says. “The song is also abrbit of a rumination on morality and the quality of my own lasting impact beyondbrthe ego. I like to think that it’s fairly universal to want to be rememberedbrand remembered well.”
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And he’s right. This idea of leaving our mark on the worldbrin a positive way is a thought I feel most people might have now more thanbrever. How can we do our part in the short amount of time we have here on Earthbrand not waste any bit of it? You won’t find the answer to those kinds ofbrquestions here. But, that isn’t the point. I think the point is to get more peoplebrto adopt that way of thinking and, perhaps, the world would be a better placebrbecause of it.
You can listen to Sword Collector’s first single, “The Chill” here now. Visit the bands social media pages (@swordcollectortx) to learn more about their self-titled EP coming early October via local record shop, Hybrid Records.
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