Roxy Swain returns to the forefront of the Chicago independent music scene with their sophomore full-length “Restless Hearts”. The 8 song set will be released on limited edition vinyl and worldwide digital platforms on February 1st 2014. The group’s 2009 EP “New Love Designers” notoriously gained popularity in the unlikely country of Indonesia, where b-side “Duo Jet” made it all the way to #17 of the country’s commercial radio, beating out then-contemporary pop stars Fergie and Miley Cyrus, despite the group not having sent any promotional materials to any country in Asia. Their next release, 2010’s debut LP “The Spell of Youth,” garnered the group praise as one of the ten best local bands in Illinois Entertainer’s year-end summary. After an extensive Midwestern tour and the departure of two founding members, a revamped lineup spent over a year writing together, developing a trademark sound that nurtured consistency across multiple influences and numerous styles. “Restless Hearts” represents that very fusion – the triumphant synthesis of the group’s trademark retro rock with new flourishes and nuances ranging from roots rock and blues to alt-country and dream pop. Roxy Swain has re-emerged as a band steeped in the classic rock of the Rolling Stones and the soul of Stax Records that can also carefully blend modern flavors from influences such as The National, Neko Case and Tame Impala. “Restless Hearts” is the very tapestry of that combination. Opening track “Tonight” crafts a heartfelt, country-tinged response to the Replacements song “Alex Chilton” by way of a letter to Chilton’s one-time Big Star songwriting partner, Chris Bell. “Impossible Wait” is pure pop set in the sunshine of California, while later in the sequence, the group shifts seamlessly from the Kinks-inspired retro rock of “Sad” to the midnight soul of a 60s juke joint in “Salt and Smoke.” Perhaps most impressively, in contrast to their debut, the group has drawn from myriad influences while managing to retain a style thoroughly original and finally cohesive, anchored by Swain’s distinctive lead voice and the band’s comprehensive approach to thoughtful arrangement. “Restless Hearts” is truly a tour-de-force of 40 years of musical history - a thoroughly retro-rock feel with a 21st century context.