PHILADELPHIA COLLINS, the recording project of Devin McKnight (Speedy Ortiz/Grass Is Green) and Theo Hartlett (Ovlov/Flat Swamp) will release Derp Swervin’, their debut EP on July 24th via Exploding In Sound Records. The much anticipated wait to hear the collective’s impressive debut however… is now over. The band are excited to share the first listen to Derp Swervin’ on Stereogum, unleashing their undeniably well structured and impressively executed EP in full. Speaking about the record’s use of guest vocalists, Stereogum said, “different points of view are tied together by McKnight and Hartlett, who turn the fractious nature of the release into a strength, showing off how adept they are at a wide range of styles” before expanding “Philadelphia Collins makes heartfelt, memorable rock music that transcends a singular vision.”
Considered by some to be an EIS all-star team of sorts, the duo of McKnight (guitar) and Hartlett (bass, drums) began writing songs together in the summer of 2013, laying down the initial framework of the what would become Derp Swervin’. With the music written and demoed the band decided to ask some friends to write and record vocals, reaching out to Two Inch Astronaut’s Sam Rosenberg, Palehound’s Ellen Kempner, Dirty Dishes’ Jenny Tuite, and Spook The Herd’s Abe Kimball (as well as Philly Collins’ own Theo Hartlett).
Restless musicians with an unending desire to create, McKnight and Hartlett have created a stunning record filled with hazy post-punk, accessible yet off-kilter, and a penchant for the disorienting. The revolving cast of guest vocalists each add their own element to Philadelphia Collins’ sonic chaos, channeling an onslaught of indie punk that draws influence from fuzzy shoegaze to unapologetic noise rock. The band unwinds with a distorted fury, blurring lines with a dynamic batch of songs that stand as well on their own as they do together.
Philadelphia Collins may not be the main focus of any of the musicians involved, but these are no mere scraps. Derp Swervin’ is a fully realized project from start to finish and there’s no shortage of songwriting talent among the band and their guests. Derp Swervin’ is just the beginning.
