Jarboe - "Live In NYC" DVD

Stylish, dark, and enchanting former SWAN spreads her wings

For her first New York performance following her split from SWANS, Jarboe and band conjure a bewitching, elegant, and edgy presence for this 2000 show. Shot with several cameras in an intimate setting (the Knitting Factory), this 60-minute video showcases Jarboe's dark solo material as well as some re-tooled revisions of her work with Swans and (The World Of) Skin.

Opening with the esoteric art-rock of "Surrender" and "We Are The Prophecy", the band hits a crescendo with "My Buried Child". As well, "Euphoria/Demons Out" is a cathartic expression of reckless abandonment to a primal force, and features a wild on-stage appearance by the incomparable Kembra Pfahler (The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black). "Dear 666" is a swampy blues number that showcases Jarboe's diverse vocal stylings, while the stripped-down and mournful "One Thousand Years" is a beautiful lament, remaining faithful to the original Skin recording.

"Live In NYC" is an effective look at Jarboe's live persona just post-SWANS, and any fan of her unique and beguiling blend of weird and personal musics will be glad to have witnessed it.

Atavistic

The Living Jarboe

Branca - "Songs '77-'79" CD

Collecting 8 tracks recorded by Glenn Branca's early New York "no wave" groups The Static and Theoretical Girls, this 32-minute set shows 2 distinct faces of the post-punk legend's history. Since then, Branca's "guitar symphonies" have become a well-known part of underground music history, and he's inspired countless avante-rock bands and artists (some of which include SWANS and Sonic Youth -- both of which include members who, at one time, performed as part of Branca's symphonies). These early works show hints at what was to come, but remain firmly attached to the "rock" paradigm.

"Don't Let Me Stop You" and "My Relationship" are both songs from The Static, and the resemblance to early Sonic Youth is uncanny. Clearly, a large part of Sonic Youth's inspiration came from Mr. Branca. These tracks (which pre-date SY by several years) are evidence. There are weird, de-tuned walls of guitars, primal drumming, and quirky vocals. Excellent and seminal work.

The remaining 6 cuts are Theoretical Girls, and are more artful slices of odd post-punk weirdness. "You Got Me" is a bouncy bit of art pop, and "Jill" is a twisted attempt at  acoustic pop, whereas "Fuck Yourself" could almost be very early Swans with it's repetitive riffs and nihilist simplicity/single-mindedness. Simply said, this is a historically viable, if brief, look at an underground inspiration in his earliest permutation. Very cool and unique work.

(Atavistic)

Glenn Branca website

Swans - "Feel Good Now" CD

As a document of the band's scathing and nuanced 1987 "Children Of God" tour, this "official bootleg" was originally released in a small edition on double-vinyl and CD. This resequenced reissue omits "Trust Me", but is still quite worthy for devotees of Swans' transcendent sound and vision.

Opening with the gutteral "Intro", the band launches into "Blind Love", which  pummels mantra-like for over 20 minutes. "Like A Drug" is a bowel-churning attack, while "Beautiful Child" is a churning assault with murderous intent. There's no weak spot here, and though some may feel the 75 minutes here are far too much to endure, I  feel to the contrary, especially as the softer moments (highlighted by Jarboe's foreboding "Blood And Honey") serve to pace the otherwise bludgeoning assault of sound.

Make no mistake, "Feel Good Now" is a raw, bootleg-quality recording. It was, after all, recorded on a Sony Professional Walkman by the band's sound engineer. However, as an album and experience, it's still quite worthy for serious fans, as it showcases a particularly volatile and inspiring period for the band, right between their powerful (even threatening) early work and their more melodic middle period. The intensity is not lost on the relatively low fidelity here. 

Visceral and unembellished, "Feel Good Now" is a cathartic experience with few parallels. It's best to close your eyes and absorb. Magnificent! 

(Atavistic)

Official SWANS site

Young God Records

SWANS - Live At The Firebird, St. Louis, MO, 10.23.12

Having seen SWANS in their post-reformation twice before (Chicago in 2010 and Nashville just last year), I thought I knew what to expect at this show, as the band supported their massive 2-hour double-CD, "The Seer". I was quite surprised at the transformation, and although it was a sweaty, grueling evening, I was quite glad to have been a part of it.

Opening the show was New Mexico-based A Hawk And A Hacksaw, led by a former member of Neutral Milk Hotel. I hadn't been familiar with them, but was pleasantly surprised at their odd Eastern folk gypsy style. With an accordian, zither, and violin as chief instruments, the duo of Jeremy Barnes and Heather Trost crafted a wild mix of lively and wordly folk music. Trost provided some vocals in an Eastern style on occasion, but overall this was a lovely and somehow unlikely opener for the juggernaut that was to be SWANS. 

When SWANS took the stage at last (it was, by this time, already well after 10pm), the audience went wild, with proclamations of "We love you, Mike", directed at leader Michael Gira, who did little more than smile slyly. The impending aural assault was nothing short of apocalyptic, and it shook the building, sending shock waves surging through the crowd's collective bodies. Even with earplugs firmly in place, this was as loud a band as I've ever experienced in my 24 years of concert-viewing. It was absolutely consuming. Truly.

The songs were more like extended pieces, with a few new album tracks (sometimes expanded and re-vamped entirely) alongside some new improvised pieces (always in transition until recorded), as well as a punishing classic, "Coward", from the band's brutal 1986 album, "Holy Money". Gira conducted his band like a classical maestro, giving them cues to launch into dynamic formation, and waving his hands as if conducting an orchestra. At a few spots, he visibly scolded band members when they failed to meet his expectations. As well, he gave them visible positive reinforcement (a devilish grin) when they did well. This was serious business for Gira, and I'd say his band is well versed in crafting the precise sounds he expects of them. 

If the other recent SWANS shows I've seen in recent years were almost transcendent experiences, with extended drones melding with moments of early SWANS-styled force, this one took a more evolved turn into bowel-churning ferocity that resembled a sort of exalted religious experience. Apparently, the band requested the air conditioning be turned off, and the fervent heat and physical force of the music itself was psychedelic. There's no other word for the effect of having one's guts (and ears) eviscerated in such a startlingly beautiful and explosive fashion.

As for the sound itself, imagine a mix of classic Krautrock (Can and Neu! come to mind), early space-freakout Pink Floyd (with wandering moods and atmospheres that evolve and devolve into "songs"), and the band's own trademarked single-minded sonic punishments. 

This was a wild and positively cleansing, cathartic experience. My hearing may have been adversely affected, but this tour shows SWANS firing on all cylinders. It may've been over 2 hours of gigantic riffs, noise, drones, and amazing drumming (Phil Puleo is a powerhouse, as evidenced by his closing drum solo), but I was sorry I had to leave. 

Young God Records

SWANS original site

SWANS - "The Burning World" CD

I'm pretty certain Michael Gira didn't anticipate, nor "green light" this 2012 reissue of Swans' infamous 1989 major label album. And for collectors or fans, it offers little over the original pressing aside from a louder remastering. I'd have liked to see the single B-sides, at least, appended for a more complete experience, but that's nitpicking.

It's been well-documented before many times. Gira and company were signed to MCA/Uni, and with the addition of an outside producer, Bill Laswell, they came up with this selection of 10 folk/world songs. Coming on the heels of the bands' sprawling, scalding masterwork, "Children Of God", this mellow, moody, and melodic set was subjected to numerous declarations of "sellout". And though it produced one of Gira's most memorably haunting songs ("God Damn The Sun"), the singles "Saved" and "Can't Find My Way Home" didn't find themselves charting much anywhere. 

Years later, many still consider "The Burning World" a blemish within Gira and company's illustrious catalog. Gira himself has outright refused to reissue this, aside from some odd bits included on his "Various Failures" compilation, and a very limited handmade redux called "Forever Burned", which also sold out quickly and now fetches large sums itself.

"The Burning World" isn't a terrible effort. On the contrary, it's a strong one, but it also needs to be seen for what it is --  a turning point, a very public transition where Gira, Jarboe, and Westberg would shed their previous image. They would eventually resolve to rebuild the band's legacy several years later with the double-album epics "White Light From The Mouth Of Infinity" and "Love Of Life", and that legacy continues today, stronger than ever.

So, while this reissue may not be fully "official", newer fans unable to obtain a reasonably-priced original will find it's an appealing alternative. Let's just hope Water/Universal compensates Young God Records for this one. (Water/Universal)

Young God Records (official source for new SWANS music)

SWANS - 09.17.11 Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN

Having satisfied a longtime wish of finally seeing the mighty SWANS live last year in Chicago alongside longtime Godsend/Goatsden friend MXV (keeper of the Punk Vault), I was more than pleased to be able to catch them so soon again, this time much nearer to home, in cozy "Music City", Nashville. Oddly enough, this same night the city hosted shows by both Taylor Swift and Earth.

Performing in the tiny Mercy Lounge (upstairs from the larger Cannery Ballroom, where I saw Nick Cave's Grinderman last year), possibly due to a wedding party being downstairs (funny, that, seeing the ladies and gents in their nicest dresses and suits--hah!), the show opened fairly promptly with former Sun City Girls frontman and Sublime Frequencies founder Sir Richard Bishop. His brand of Middle-Eastern and Indian-tinged guitarwork was fun, lively, and quite good. After a while, Bishop's between-song banter became off-kilter, surreal/dada storytelling, beat poetry, and some freaky folky stuff that likely harkened back to his proto-punk days with Sun City Girls. As keeping with M.Gira's unusual and left-field opening choices (last year he featured transvestite vaudeville performer Baby Dee), Bishop was a reasonably well-received opening act. During this time, SWANS' steel guitar player Christoph Hahn took a seat next to us. Though we introduced ourselves and shook his hand, he turned down an offer of a beer, and didn't hang around long.

A short intermission between acts, and after what seemed like an interminable period of guitar feedback from the empty stage (it must have been at least 15 minutes), Thor Harris appeared, adding chimes and percussion to the din. There was plenty of shrill overloaded noise, and members of the crowd held their ears as they were assaulted by the painful sound. Drummer Phil Puleo took stage next, adding more drums and noise. Gradually, Hahn, bassist Chris Pravdica, and guitarist Norman Westberg joined in, with Michael Gira appearing around the same time.

The group continued with the assault, building and building to a feverish overload, before beginning with "No Words/No Thoughts", from the latest SWANS album, "My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky". The band was tight and prone to expanding the songs into densely-packed clots of heavy-duty, cement-packed walls of sound. Pravdica's bass had some troubles early on, and showed Gira becoming visibly agitated. In fact, his orchestrations led the group, and I witnessed all the members intensely watching him for their cues throughout the show. Indeed, Gira is the mastermind and leader, and his humble but commanding presence warranted the band's full attention at times. Crossing the man was simply not an option, and this reminded me of the Chicago show where Gira stopped the show to point out, shout at, and spit on a slam-dancing goon who was disrupting other fans' enjoyment of the show. Bouncers soon converged and threw the fool out. Bravo! Nothing of the sort happened here in Nashville, though. The audience here was respectful and reverent.

The band ground through many of the songs from the latest album, and I noticed what seemed to be a couple of new songs, as well, presumably from their upcoming release. As well, a singular throwback to the old days was dusted off, that being "I Crawled" from "Young God", which ended up being 10 minutes long. Most of the tracks tonight seemed to be expanded and broadened, showing more in common with both the gut-churning density and aggression of early SWANS and the "Soundtracks For The Blind" era, with broadstrokes of instrumental post-rock atmospheres and orchestrations. Whereas last year's tour had more linear songs, this one was more sprawling, epic, and mountainous. And much stronger.

Forget half-baked metal, SWANS are as vicious and monumental as anything out there, even 30 years after their initial inception. This was an amazing show, with such a tremendous volume that my ears rung for a day afterwards, and the impact of the bass was felt throughout my body. Stunning! Gira still has it, and he's collected a band that has all the sheer power and tension that SWANS were known for in the past.

After the show, we managed to meet most all of the band and shake hands. Gira himself appeared in a new, clean shirt (and graciously signed my brother's copy of the now-rare book, "The Consumer" as well as posing for photos and chatting a bit). He was good-spirited and very affable with fans, some of whom we spotted holding a stacks of vinyl for him to sign. We also approached drummer Puleo, and reminisced about his days in Cop Shoot Cop and their 1992 show at laundromat/bar/venue Sudsy Malone's in Cincinnati, where we saw him after a Skinny Puppy show across the street. He remembered Sudsy's and was a gracious host as well, and so thanked him before hitting the highway for home. All-in-all, a wonderous night, dulled only by our ringing ears.

Young God Amazon Sampler

With the monumental SWANS reformation tour presently assaulting eardrums across the United States, frontman Michael Gira's label, Young God Records, has released a free downloadable 86-minute sampler of the label's history, including work from Gira as SWANS and Angels Of Light, plus work from Devendra Banhart, Larkin Grimm, James Blackshaw, and Akron/Family, among many others.

It's available from amazon in the USA for absolutely FREE. Fans in the UK have to pay, as do Germans (though amazon.de has a discounted rate it looks like).

The link should be here:
Young God Amazon Sampler