Can’t Swim Are Angrier, Heavier and Here to Explain Why

Can't Swim are dipping their toes back in the music waters with the new EP, 'Foreign Language.' The set, which includes guest turns by Taking Back Sunday's Adam Lazzara, Trash Talk's Spencer Pollard, Frank Carter and Stray From the Path's Drew Dijorio, finds the band taking a harder, more raw approach to their music. 

Singer Chris LoPorto broke down each track for Loudwire ahead of the 'Foreign Language' EP's Oct. 11 street, date and gave us some background as well as a look into his mindset on each song. Check it out below:

Foreign Language is a record that I felt necessary to put out. These events in my life that I had never touched on in previous material, I suppose you could say I couldn’t find the right words, finally made sense with our career and the time we are living in now.

The last three years of touring have taken a toll on all of us; changing the way we feel about our music, our message and what we want to accomplish as a band. To write music honestly and to be transparent with our agenda has always been the goal, and Foreign Language is the best interpretation of that yet. It is very easy, especially when your project begins to grow in popularity, to fall under criticism and do what you “think” you should do with your art. Give your audience the same material that you have given them in the past, and adopt the mentality of “if it isn’t broken, don’t try and fix it.” I too am a victim of these tropes and have hit roadblocks in creativity because of the pressure. I can proudly say that this release came so naturally and organically while playing to our strengths but also letting the mistakes and mishaps have their place on the recordings.

"Foreign Language" (feat. Adam Lazzarra)

This song was the last to be recorded. When sending demos out, I received many mixed reviews about the songs. Like any artist, I questioned what I was doing and if it would be well received or not. The lyrics were written after leaving the studio one day as a way to put on paper what I had been feeling about the recording process. The next day, Danny [Rico, drummer] and I got in a room and wrote the whole song in about an hour. I felt the record needed an introduction — a disclaimer for what was to come.

"Filthy Rich" (feat. Spencer Pollard)

Money makes people do awful things. It can turn friends into enemies and family members into distant strangers. Unfortunately, I have found myself in this madness a few times, and this song is a recollection of one of those events. The song is about feeling manipulated, used and taken advantage of by someone who is close to you. Musically, I think it’s reminiscent of our previous work and felt very comfortable to record. The bridge always felt a bit empty and uninteresting to me in the demo stage, but luckily, my good friend Spencer Pollard, whose band Trash Talk I briefly played in years ago, was in town and came by the studio to sing on the song. After that it finally felt complete and even became the favorite to release first.

"SHOOT!"

"Shoot" is about a bad night driving home. I was leaving an ex-girlfriend's house when an unmarked police car pulled me over. Without saying much, they took me out of the car for “suspicious behavior” and put me in handcuffs. After ripping apart my car, throwing my backpack into the street and accusing me of being intoxicated, they finally let me go claiming myself and my car fit the description of someone they were looking for who’d committed a crime. The fact that they were dressed in regular clothes and had been so violent made me question what their true motive was and if they were a part of the police force at all. It stuck with me for years, that fear and uncertainty, and I needed to put it into a song.

"Power" (feat. Frank Carter)

"Power" is a positive song about a negative situation. Over the course of time people have been divided by the evils of the world. Like lemmings, they follow and believe what they are told and spew their arguments toward one another. Oftentimes, we are more concerned about projecting these opinions than really doing something about them. "Power" is about the people, a reminder that we need each other and a story about how we can make this better together. If divided, we will certainly fall. I think it’s a song with an important message for the times we're currently living in.

"Sour" (feat. Drew Dijorio)

"Sour" is a song about a kid in my neighborhood I knew growing up who killed someone drunk driving. His family was very wealthy, they owned half the town and were well respected by everyone I knew. A few weeks after the incident, I was at a house party that he and some of his friends were at. I overheard their conversation about what had happened, and he was boasting about his father’s power and how he “had no worries” about going to jail for his crime. It was disgusting to hear as a young man, no remorse or sympathy for the victim’s family or friends, just a way to brag to his friends about what he had done. Months later the court found him guilty of murder and he we was sentenced to life in prison.

"Prick"

"Prick" is about one of my best friends growing up whose career and new lifestyle eventually led to us drifting apart. He had become very successful with his business and would often hold his money over my head. He would tell me what I was doing with my art was a waste of time and that I would never amount to anything. At the end of our friendship I saw him turn to drugs, alcohol and prostitutes. It’s easy to let things like money and fame overcome you, make you act irrational and lose sight of what's really important. A rat race to the top that many people spend their whole lives trying to reach.

Thanks to Can't Swim's Chris LoPorto for the track-by-track breakdown. You can place your order for the Foreign Language EP here. Catch the group on tour at these stops.

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