B-Side Guys

From impromptu formation to unexpected evolution, South Jersey’s Swansun embodies transformation. Formed in summer 2021 for what was intended as a one-off performance, the band’s February 2025 release “Loving Vincent” captures both their classic rock influences and distinctly modern sensibilities, delivering a meditation on fleeting connection that resonates beyond its seemingly straightforward narrative.

The band’s origin story—Alan DeCecco, Evan Ayrer, Ryan Foor, and Evan Pensabene performing once before recognizing their chemistry demanded continuation—mirrors the track’s exploration of momentary but meaningful connection. Since expanding to include Nick Bsales, Sidney Riley, and Dave Mercoli, Swansun has developed a sound that honors their cited influences (Beatles, Black Sabbath) while establishing their own identity within the crowded psychedelic rock landscape.

“Loving Vincent” opens with a direct acknowledgment of emotional vulnerability, establishing the narrator’s understanding that this affection exists within a predetermined timeframe. This knowing impermanence permeates both lyrics and arrangement—guitar lines intertwine then separate, keyboard elements emerge then recede, creating a sonic landscape that feels simultaneously immersive and transient.

The chorus acknowledges transformation through connection, even when that connection proves temporary. When the narrator repeats their awareness that “in the morning it’s all gonna change,” the delivery conveys both resignation and appreciation—recognizing value in temporary states rather than dismissing them for their impermanence.

Most compelling is the track’s refusal to view the relationship’s transience as failure. Instead, the narrative presents the experience as worthwhile precisely because it enables self-discovery, evidenced in lines about Vincent revealing the narrator’s authentic self. This perspective offers surprising emotional maturity within the psychedelic rock framework, suggesting that temporary connections can provide lasting insight.

Instrumentally, the band demonstrates impressive restraint, allowing spaces between notes to create emotional resonance rather than filling every moment with technical flourishes. This approach reflects the song’s thematic exploration of presence and absence, creating moments where anticipation becomes as meaningful as fulfillment.

“Loving Vincent” ultimately succeeds by transforming what could be a simple morning-after narrative into a broader meditation on how we value experiences despite—or perhaps because of—their temporary nature. Through this lens, Swansun offers something more lasting than fleeting romance: the recognition that transience and significance are not mutually exclusive.