Swapmeet (band)
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Swapmeet | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Sour Sob (2022–2023) |
| Origin | Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2022–present |
| Label | Winspear |
| Members |
|
| Website | swapmeetband |
Swapmeet is an Australian indie rock band formed in Adelaide in 2022. The group consists of guitarists and drummers Maxwell Elphick and Jack Medlyn, lead vocalist and guitarist Venus O’Broin, and bassist Joshua Doherty.
After releasing their debut extended play Oxalis in 2024, they became the first international artist signed to Los Angeles-based record label Winspear. They will release their debut studio album, Mount Zero, in July 2026.
The four band members met as teenagers in the early 2020s.[1] Maxwell Elphick and Joshua Doherty had previously played in a jangle pop band.[2]
The group played in the Adelaide scene under the name Sour Sob, until 2023, when they were sent a cease and desist from local musician Soursob Bob, who claimed their names were too similar.[3][4] Swapmeet became their new name, a reference to Elphick buying his guitar from a swap meet.[3]
In April 2024, the band released their debut five-track extended play (EP), Oxalis, named in reference to oxalis pes-caprae, the botanic name of a soursob.[3] It was entirely self-recorded and mixed.[2] At the 2024 South Australian Music Awards, Swapmeet received more nominations than any other musician,[5] with wins in the Best Song ("Ceiling Fan") and Best Release (Oxalis) categories, and nods for Best New Artist, Best Group and Best Cover Art.[6]
Swapmeet became the first international artist signed to the Los Angeles-based record label Winspear.[7] They played at South by Southwest in early 2026 and were named by Rolling Stone as one of the "most impressive new acts" at the festival.[8] In July 2026, they will release their debut studio album, Mount Zero, named after the mountain range halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne. It was recorded at a beach house in Noarlunga.[2]
Artistry
Early influences for the band included folk rock artists including Pinegrove, Big Thief, Stella Donnelly and Julia Jacklin.[1] The group utilise recording software as if its another instrument, layering dozens, sometimes hundreds, of tracks in the production process.[9][7]