Courtney Swain

Released November 16, 2022 from Chase Bliss Records

A vocalized introspection.

Music by Courtney Swain, recorded entirely within the Chase Bliss Habit.
Additional production and mastering by Vince Welch.
Cover artwork by Gabriela Abbondanza.
Layout by Eric Nyffeler.

Thanks to Knobs, Jeremy, Joe Clark, and Chase Bliss Records.

Released October 28, 2022

Music by Courtney Swain and Tim Doherty
Produced and mixed by Vince Welch
Engineered by Bradford Krieger at Big Nice Studio
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound
Cover art by Courtney Swain

Released September 30, 2022 from Dear Life Records

Released Longtime friends and collaborators Courtney Swain (Bent Knee) and Bradford Krieger (Big Nice Studio) booked a recording session with nothing planned out. They had previously worked together on various projects, but had never co-written together. When they started playing and recording, they decided to radically commit to improvised parts and build arrangements in one-take performances. In the studio, they felt free to explore, not limiting themselves or each other, and found the process fun and effortless: no song took more than a couple hours from conception to finished product.

Recorded during the same sessions as ‘Our First EP’ which released in March 2022, Courtney and Brad’s new album ’A Square is a Shape of Power’ delves further into their grab bag of influences ranging from J-pop, folk, slow core, deep house, d-beat, and Enka. Despite the experimentalism at play, the songs weave into a surprisingly cohesive whole of openly cheeky and joyful songs that catch the listener off guard with covertly emotional undercurrents.

Released August 19th, 2022

Music and cover art by Courtney Swain
Produced and mixed by Vince Welch
Mastered by Randy Roos
Engineered by Bradford Krieger at Big Nice Studio
Additional recording at The Record Co engineered by Vince Welch

Thanks to my friends Tim, Kyle, Anthony, Morgan, Elliott, Kate, Azusa, and Riley. Also many thanks for my patrons who have patiently supported this project as well as my many musical and art endeavors. Thank you!

released April 29, 2022

Music and art by Courtney Swain
Produced by Vince Welch
Mixed by Vince Welch
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound
Reamping and additional production by Bradford Krieger at Big Nice Studio
Sound design and beats on Camenti, Derange Yourself, and Who Woulda by Faye Fadem and Kyle Harris
Guitar on Camenti by Elliott Klein
Synths on Camenti and Who Woulda by Peter Danilchuk
Slide whistle and piano on Inanimate Object by Bradford Krieger
Beats on Inanimate Object by Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth

released April 5, 2022

sounds and performances by Courtney and Brad

mixed by Vince Welch

album art by Mel Taing

Longtime friends and collaborators Courtney Swain (Bent Knee) and Bradford Krieger (Big Nice Studio) booked a recording session with nothing planned out. They had previously worked together on various projects, but had never co-written together. When they started playing and recording, they decided to radically commit to improvised parts and build arrangements in one-take performances. In the studio, they felt free to explore, not limiting themselves or each other, and found the process fun and effortless: no song took more than a couple hours from conception to finished product.
Drawing on influences ranging from Japanese folk and pop to slowcore, deep house, and d-beat, Courtney and Brad’s EP is a grab bag of experimental pop music. They write songs that are playful, texturally engaging, and covertly emotional. The EP is Courtney’s first release in Japanese.

released November 5, 2021

Bent Knee is:
Ben Levin
Chris Baum
Courtney Swain
Jessica Kion
Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth
Vince Welch

FROSTING
Written and performed by Bent Knee
Produced and mixed by Vince Welch
Engineered by Bent Knee, Bradford Krieger, Chaimes Parker, David Minehan, and Danielle Goldsmith
Additional vocal production by Josh Friedman
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound
Recorded at our home studios, Big Nice Studio, The Record Company, Tiny Telephone, and Woolly Mammoth Sound

Album art by Ben Levin

© 2021 Bent Knee

Additional performances by:
Joe Gullace (trumpet), Quinn Carson (trombone), and Tyler Brasch (alto sax)

Full film: https://youtu.be/MmSm4UQOBQI

Composed and performed by Tsubaki
Abby Swidler
Courtney Swain
Kyle Harris

Mixed by Vince Welch
Mastered by Randy Roos

Video and stills by Riki Nitabaru
Cover art treatment by Kyle Harris

Dancers
Yoshiko Swain
Yachiho Ito
Tomoko Ohno
Masanobu Uchida
Keiko Hayashi
Mitsue Kawano

Fountainhead is a 35-minute ambient album with accompanying visuals. It's an open-ended piece, so I hope you let your mind wander as you watch, just as you would if you were gazing at clouds.

Full piece with accompanying visuals: https://youtu.be/2uugt6PcLxM

Music by Courtney Swain
Mastered by Randy Roos

Featured vocals on “Detective”

This album was recorded on November 30th in the big room at Big Nice Studio, while a pretty wild storm was blowing past us.
Thank you Vince, Brad, and Randy, for always helping me make the best out of my little songs.

Songs by Courtney Swain
Mixed by Vince Welch
Engineered by Bradford Kreiger at Big Nice Studio
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound

Guest vocals on Japanese bonus track “Canary Yellow”

Composed by Courtney Swain
Words by Vince Welch
Recorded at Big Nice Studio in Lincoln, RI
Engineered by Bradford Krieger and Chaimes Parker
Mixed by Vince Welch

Musicians:
Abby Swidler - violin
Anne Kelton - clarinet
Courtney Swain - voice
Jennifer Christina - piano
Teagan Taylor - trumpet

Credits

Bent Knee is:
Ben Levin - guitar, vocals
Chris Baum - violin
Courtney Swain - vocals, keyboards
Jessica Kion - bass, vocals
Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth - drums
Vince Welch - synth, guitar, sound design

You Know What They Mean
Written and performed by Bent Knee
Produced and mixed by Vince Welch
Engineered by Bradford Kreiger and Chaimes Parker at Big Nice Studio
Additional engineering by Dave Minehan at Woolly Mammoth Sound
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound
Album art by Riki Nitabaru
Layout by Scott Siskind

Featured vocals on Xoxoy, piano on Mordial

Written by Courtney Swain 
Produced by Vince Welch 
Engineered by Bradford Krieger at Big Nice Studio, and Dave Minehan at Woolly Mammoth Sound 
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound 
Artwork by Chisato Tanaka 
Album layout by Scott Siskind 

Courtney Swain - voice, piano, keyboards 
Asher Kurtz - guitar 
Jed Lingat - bass 
Kyle Harris - drums 
Tim Doherty - guitar on Sweet Snow 

The songs on this album were written on Martha’s Vineyard during a residency awarded by the Turkey Land Cove Foundation. Thank you for the incredible opportunity. 

Growing Pains 
Songs & string arrangements by Courtney Swain 
Produced & Mixed by Vince Welch 
Engineered by Bradford Krieger at Big Nice Studio 
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound 
Cover illustration by Ellie Gill 
Album design by Lois Harada 
Track artwork by Kristilyn 

Courtney Swain - voice, piano 
Abby Swidler - violin 
Abigale Reisman - violin 
Anna Stromer - viola 
Valerie Thompson - cello 
Additional vocals on Prickly Thorn by Abby, Abigale, Anna, and Valerie

Featured vocals on title track “After You’re Born”

Released on June 23, 2017 from InsideOutMusic/Sony
Written and performed by Bent Knee
Produced and mixed by Vince Welch
Engineered by Matt Beaudoin at Q Division Studios, Bradford Krieger and Chaimes Parker at Big Nice Studio, Dave Minehan at Woolly Mammoth Sound, Aaron Bastinelli at Converse Rubber Tracks, Jamie Rowe at The Record Company, and Mike Sartini at Skid Dog Studio.
Assistant engineering by Caitlyn Bonjiovi, Claire Goh and Brian Donnovan
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound
Album art by Riki Nitabaru
© & Ⓟ 2017 InsideOutMusic under exclusive license from Bent Knee

Released January 25, 2017

Written by Courtney Swain
Produced & Mixed by Vince Welch
Engineered by Bradford Krieger at Big Nice Studio

Performed live by
Courtney Swain - Vocals & Piano
Abby Swidler - Violin
Abigale Reisman - Violin
Anna Stromer - Viola
Valerie Thompson - Cello

Cover image courtesy of Rich Ferri

Featured vocals on “Back to Earth”

released May 20, 2016

Bent Knee is: 
Ben Levin - Guitar
Chris Baum - Violin
Courtney Swain - Vocals & Keyboards
Jessica Kion - Bass & Vocals
Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth - Drums
Vince Welch - Production & Sound Design

Say So
Written and performed by Bent Knee
Produced and mixed by Vince Welch
Engineered by Matt Beaudoin at Q Division Sound
Additional engineering by Chris McLaughlin and Vince Welch
Assistant engineering by Grace Reader, Griffin Bach, Jamie Rowe, Joel Edinberg, Matt Carlson, Michael Healy, and Steven Xia
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound
Recorded at Q Division Studios, The Record Company, and Converse Rubber Tracks Boston
Album art by Greg Bowen. Proofread by Mark Chapman
© 2016 Bent Knee
℗ 2016 Cuneiform Records

Additional performances by: 
Andy Bergman (alto sax and clarinet), Ben Swartz (cello), Bryan Murphy (trumpet), Geni Skendo (flute & shakuhachi), Geoff Nielsen (trombone), James Dineen (voice acting), Keith Dickerhofe (cello), Nathan Cohen (violin), Sam Morrison (bari sax), and Rebecca Hallowell (viola) 

Group vocals for "Counselor" and "The Things You Love": 
Alessandra Cugno, Andrew Humphries, Anil Prasad, Celine Ferro, Clint Degan, Curtis Hartshorn, Geni Skendo, James Willetts, Jeri Schibelli, Jessie Vitale, Josh Golberg, Kelsey Devlin, Leilani Roser, Leo Fonseca, Mary Freedlund, Max Freedlund, Michael Vitale, Mike Razo, Miriam Olken, Peter Danilchuk, Rebecca Hallowell, Roland Rotsitaille, Ryan Jackson, Sam Swan, Stephen Humphries, Susan Putnins, Tim Doherty, Toni Schibelli, Tori Bedford

released March 20, 2015

Music arranged and produced by Eric Freeman

Vocals & Lyrics for
Track 1 - Puncture
Track 3 - On The Hill
Track 9 - Sublimation

Music by Courtney Swain
Mixed by Vince Welch

Kyle Harris - Drums on "Mirage"
Jed Lingat - Bass on "Token"

Cover photo by Chris Baum

released February 10, 2015

Music by Ben Levin
Produced by Vince Welch
Engineered by Adam Brass
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound
Recorded at Mercenary Audio and The Record Co in Boston, MA
Album Art by Greg Bowen

Ben Levin - Guitar
Courtney Swain - Voice
Josh Friedman - Keyboards
Chris Baum - Violin
Tyler LeVander - Drums
Jed Lingat - Bass

Brothers Lumpy: 
Ben Wallace-Ailsworth - Percussion
Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth - Percussion

String Quartet: 
Chris Baum - Violin
Jonathan Cannon - Violin
Abby Swidler - Viola
Trevor Jarvis - Cello

Released November 11, 2014

Shiny Eyed Babies
Written and performed by Bent Knee
Produced and mixed by Vince Welch
Engineered by Adam Brass and Vince Welch
Mastered by Ray Jeffery
Cover art by Bree Lurver
Recorded at Woolly Mammoth Sound & The Record Co

Bent Knee is: 
Ben Levin - Guitar
Chris Baum - Violin
Courtney Swain - Vocals & Keyboards
Jessica Kion - Bass & Vocals
Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth - Drums
Vince Welch - Production & Sound Design

Additional performances by: 
Abby Swidler (viola), Abigale Reisman (violin), Guy Mendilow (berimbau), Matt Hull (trumpet), Matthew Consul (violin), Rach Azrak (flute), Rachel Jayson (viola), Rachel Panitch (violin), Ro Rowan (cello), Rob Krahn (trombone), Sam Morrison (bari sax), Tyler Kion (alto sax), & Valerie Thompson (cello)

Written, performed, and mixed by Courtney Swain, except track 3 “Dreams”, mixed by Vince Welch

released May 19, 2012

Produced by Greg Vogt

Courtney Swain: Keyboard on Hayward and Fume. Backing Vocals on The Guerilla Girls Meet Bob Burns

released September 27, 2011

Written by Ben Levin and Courtney Swain
Arranged & Performed by Bent Knee
Produced & Mixed by Vince Welch
Engineered by Adam Brass and Chris Ray
Recorded at Mercenary Audio, Big T Productions & The Record Co
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound
©2011 Bent Knee

Bent Knee is: 
Ben Levin - Guitar
Chris Baum - Violin
Courtney Swain - Vocals & Keyboards
Jessica Kion - Bass & Vocals
Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth - Drums
Vince Welch - Production & Sound Design
 

released April 1, 2012

Music by Ben Levin
Produced and Mixed by Vince Welch
Engineered by Adam Brass
Mastered by Randy Roos at Squam Sound
Recorded at The Record Co in Boston MA

Ben Levin - Guitar
Josh Friedman - Piano
Jed Lingat - Bass
Courtney Swain - Vocals
Chris Baum - Violin
Gavin Wallace Ailsworth - Percussion
Tyler LeVander - Drums