Written over a period of seven years, the record was produced with David Brewis on a low budget. The group mostly chose to avoid recording the material they had played live over the years, preferring to make a more intricate record of mostly recent material.
The album is less immediate and accessible than their later albums, with songs incorporating acoustic guitars and keyboards. The songs were written by the band’s leader Paddy McAloon, whose unorthodox and literate approach to pop songwriting earned the band a cult following. Upon release, Swoon was widely acclaimed. Several reviewers highlighted its sophisticated musical style and unconventional lyrics, and it reached number 22 on the UK Albums Chart.
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