"Sorry, Mr. Swift, but you're much too fat/and could I convince you to wear a cap?" So begins Richard Swift's "Artist & Repertoire," a song in which the pudgy, Brillo-headed Swift somberly (and sarcastically) bemoans the vanishing audience for his sweet, piano-based pop songs. Thankfully, Swift labors on with a melodic skill set that, 45 years ago, would have put him in the company of songwriters like Goffin, King, Bacharach and David. This year Swift released The Atlantic Ocean, a collection of buoyant tunes that finds the songwriter inserting cheap, playful synth lines amid classic song craft and his vibrato-heavy, high-reaching vocals. Swift opens for the Fray and Jack's Mannequin, so fans of piano-pounding pop would be wise to snag a piece of the lawn this Friday night.
Find everything you're looking for in your city
Find the best happy hour deals in your city
Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90%
Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city
