A tough rock & roll band from Atlanta, the Swear deliver a swaggering but emotionally literate brand of hard rock with a dash of punk attitude, a side portion of melodic pop hooks, and a shot of glam rock bombast. Led by singer and guitarist Elizabeth Elkins, the Swear were formed in 2005 and earned a cult following through touring, independent recordings, and placement of their music on several major television shows. The group's hard, passionate attack was well documented on their first full-length album, 2008's Hotel Rooms and Heart Attacks, while they toughened up their guitar sound for the 2013 EP Gold and Hymns and Hell. Elizabeth Elkins founded the Swear in 2005, with bassist Kevin Williams the other constant member through their history. After making some noise playing clubs in Atlanta, they self-released a six-song EP in 2006, Every Trick's a Good One, and a full-length album, Hotel Rooms and Heart Attacks, appeared in 2008. Two years later, the group received some unexpected national exposure when two cuts from the album, "Last Breath" and "Shuttered Off Christine," were used on the hit MTV series Jersey Shore. Encouraged by this turn of events, Elkins stepped up her efforts to promote her songs to television, and in time her compositions would be featured on over 40 different shows, including Smallville, Rescue Me, and Life as We Know It. A six-song EP from the Swear, Gold and Hymns and Hell, came out in 2013; by this time, Elkins was dividing her time between a number of projects. She had relocated to Nashville and was penning country tunes for the likes of Billy Currington, Aaron Goodvin, and Kira Isabella. She recorded and toured with a pair of Americana acts, Farewell Angelina and Granville Automatic. She also led Ghost of Summer Suns, an adventurous pop act, and played bass with Supervisor of the Loveless Average, an indie rock band. Despite this, she continued to make music with the Swear, releasing five digital tracks between 2013 and 2016, and working on an album expected to be released in mid-2020. ~ Mark Deming