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When Louden Swain began working on the band's tenth studio album, Feelings and Such, the world looked much different than it had two years earlier.

The band's frontman, Rob Benedict, had gone through a divorce. Bassist Michael Borja had recently lost his father. Everyone's lives had been altered by the pandemic that brought everyday life to a standstill for months on end. It was a time of uncertainty and change. What remained the same, though, were the creative bonds shared by Louden Swain's four members.

"We're like brothers," says Benedict, who co-founded the long-running group in 1997. "It's been that way since the very beginning. We're all very committed — to each other, to the music, to the band — and that's what holds Louden Swain together."

With its combination of rock & roll swagger and melodic jangle, Feelings and Such isn't just the finest record of Louden Swain's 25-year career. It's also a testament to the shared history and musical chemistry that continue to fuel the band's output. Co-produced by Louden Swain and longtime collaborator Zackary Darling, Feelings and Such is stocked with emotive, electrifying songs about pushing past challenges and turning one's struggles into salvation. It's an album rooted in trials and triumphs, whipped into shape by a band of rock & roll lifers who've had plenty of experience with both. 

Formed in Los Angeles and named after a character in 1980s film Vision Quest, Louden Swain made its official debut with 2001's Able-Legged Heroes. Albums like 2009's A Brand New Hurt, 2014's Sky Alive, and 2017's No Time Like the Present followed. With drummer Stephen Norton and guitarist Billy Moran rounding out the group's lineup, all four members shared songwriting duties, turning Louden Swain into a true collaboration. The guys embraced their independence, too, making music on their own terms while steadily becoming an internationally-beloved band.

Along the way, Benedict earned acclaim not only as a singer, but also as a film and television actor. Both jobs showcased his work as a genuine storyteller, and Louden Swain's audience expanded as he made regular appearances on shows like Felicity and Supernatural. Louden Swain even became the house band at Supernatural conventions across the country. "I used to think that acting and singing in a band were two different things," Benedict admits, "but now I know they're not. They're part of the same melting pot. We'll play to 2,000 people at a Supernatural convention, and everyone will sing the lyrics back to us. Then we'll play a club show somewhere else, and those fans will travel from other countries to see us. Our fans are amazing, and we don't take any of this for granted."

Gratitude and togetherness are major themes of Feelings and Such. Louden Swain's previous album, Foolish, had been recorded during the height of the pandemic, whose restrictions required the bandmates to individually record their instruments in isolation. "We wrote the songs while apart and recorded our parts separately," explains Benedict, who also released a solo album during that quarantined period. "Once we could actually play together again, there was so much joy and energy between us. You can hear that on the album. It feels very much alive."

Feelings and Such was largely recorded during an inspired weekend that found the bandmates occupying the same space once again, locking eyes with one another and exploring their new songs together in real time. The electricity was palpable. "There's The Rub" and the anthemic "Crystal Ball" were rehearsed in a single day and recorded the following afternoon. The groove-driven "Every Little Thing" evolved out of a casual jam. "Guilty One" — a roadhouse rock & roll anthem with a monster guitar riff — shone a light on the band's humor, with lyrics partially inspired by the band's detainment in an immigration jail cell during a European tour. Perhaps most importantly, songs like "Bring It In" found Louden Swain distilling the challenges of the modern era into messages of hope and resilience.

"'Bring It In' is about me coming to terms with my divorce and finding something positive about the situation," says Benedict, who doubles as the band's lyricist. "It takes a look at everything I experienced — isolation, guilt, feeling alone — and ultimately embraces those feelings. It's a song about being in the moment. We always try to find something hopeful in our music, especially the songs that are very vulnerable and open. We're always looking to make lemonade out of lemons."

Now a quarter-century into a thriving career, Louden Swain's members continue to look on the bright side during moments of darkness and doubt. Feelings and Such is a tribute to that tenacious spirit. Created in the wake of a global upheaval and personal struggle, it's a collection of optimistic rock & roll songs that reflect upon the past, take stock of the present, and focus on the future. And for Louden Swain, the future looks bright.

"It's a bit of a rebirth," Benedict adds. "In our lives, so many things ended at the same time. Supernatural ended. My marriage ended. We've been dealing with the loss of parents and partners, and that can be a scary transition, but there's excitement to be found in the new unknown. Life carries on and you find your next chapter. You never know what that next chapter might bring, and that's the scary part… but it's also the exciting part."

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