99th Dream released

Still determined to get the album out, Swervedriver forwent signing with one of two other interested major labels and instead opted for independent label Zero Hour Records out of New York. They officially released 99th Dream , their fourth album, on 24 February 1998. The band also formed their own label, Sonic Wave Discs (SWD), and on 10 August 1998 issued the album in the UK. About the album’s progression to a more indie rock style, Franklin told The Star-Ledger , “It wasn’t a conscious decision. [It was] just the way it was going – concise little pop songs, bossa nova beats and such.” He continued, “I’ve always liked the idea that you don’t always know where it’s coming from… [The lyrics are] all about time. It’s all over the place. I didn’t put too much thought into it, which may be good. You’re fueling more from the subconscious that way.” In an interview for Mean Street magazine, Hindmarsh mentioned, “There’s a track called ‘She Weaves a Tender Trap.’ That’s like a one-take, all-four-of-us thing, and it has a lot more air in it, a lot more space. Whereas in the past, we used to try and fill every single hole. That song sort of defines a change in the way we’re thinking. I think we’re headed that way, to leave space to let the music breathe a little bit.”