Swayzak

Talk about courting preconceptions: On top of admitting that their group's handle pays tribute to Patrick Swayze, the British duo of David Brown and James Taylor (not that James Taylor) named their 2002 album Dirty Dancing. Nevertheless, the two are more interested in au courant danceability than pop-culture tributes. For...

By Michael Roberts

December 8, 2005

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Talk about courting preconceptions: On top of admitting that their group's handle pays tribute to Patrick Swayze, the British duo of David Brown and James Taylor (not that James Taylor) named their 2002 album Dirty Dancing. Nevertheless, the two are more interested in au courant danceability than pop-culture tributes. For proof, check out last year's Loops From the Bergerie, throughout which Brown and Taylor refuse to conform to a single style. "My House," featuring guest crooner Richard Davis, melds moody pop with modernistic production touches; "Keep It Coming" layers random samples and Brown's own deadpan vocalizing atop an entertainingly retro groove; "Jeune Loup" and "8080" add ambient textures to the template; and "The Long Night" gives off an erotic buzz, thanks to a burbling beat and the persuasive purring of French chanteuse Mathilde Mallen. The resulting mix works just as well for vertical listeners as horizontal ones, in part because it doesn't give off the slightest whiff of camp. In other words, no one puts Swayzak in a corner.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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