PRESS
-
Swans | Soundtracks for the Blind | Review
()
Magnet #27 | Laura DeMarcoa landscape fraught with intensity and experimentationBorn in the New York underground noise scene 15 years ago, Swans have turned out some of the most consistently dark, eerie and unconventionally passionate (not to mention slowest) music around. Soundtracks For The Blind, the final Swans record, is no exception. Ranging from epic highs to the darkest lows, this double album is a disturbing journey through a landscape fraught with intensity and experimentation. Beginning with a barely audible but immensely nuanced melody, the record grows from delicate noise to pure noise to the techno "Volcano"; this marks an unusual foray into disco for the group, although Jarboe's wispy vocals seem perfectly suited to the style. Soundtracks continue to change, from the jangly pop of "Blood Section" and the western rock of "Hypogirl," to the chaotic catharsis of "YRP" and "Surrogate Drone." As unconventional as ever, Soundtracks For The Blind is Swans most finely realized, daring use of sound yet. An uncompromising swan song....
-
Swans | Soundtracks for the Blind | Review
()
Wired | Mitch MyersSwans bid us farewell with a recording of Homeric magnitudeAfter 15 years of making uncompromising music, the Swans bid us farewell with a recording of Homeric magnitude. Intense sonic assaults jut against gentle instrumentals; tape loops mesh raw feedback with the lost conversations of dead souls; samples are tucked between carvings of art and language. In 1950, Hinsie and Shatsky wrote: "Autistic material ... appear[s] as daydreams, phantasies, delusions, hallucinations, etc. In classical instances, such as occurs in schizophrenia, the unconscious sphere makes the largest contribution." This is the Swans' last studio album. Behold the daydream nation....
-
Swans | Soundtracks for the Blind | Review
()
BEELD | Theunis EngelbrechtAfrikaans language newspaper; Johannesburg, South AfricaThis cult group is progressive, alternative The pop scene is so overloaded that one inevitably misses certain important albums. Thousands of albums are never released in South Africa. That's why the group Swans is relatively unknown down here. This cult group, which consists of Michael Gira and female vocalist Jarboe, has been making a contribution overseas for the past 15 years. With albums like Holy Money, Children of God, The Burning World, White Light From The Mouth Of Infinity, Body To Body Job To Job, Love Of Life and The Great Annihilator they gained a solid reputation. Their new double album Soundtracks For The Blind is unfortunately their swan song: after 15 years they're calling it a day and this month they are concluding their illustrious career with a US and European tour. Describing their music must be one of the most difficult challenges for a pop music reviewer, since their work is extremely innovative and experimental, refusing to be categorized. So we'll have a look at the opinions of a few overseas reviewers who are better acquainted with their work: "Mysterious, powerful, intriguing... Swans strive for the thrilling scale of great......
-
Swans | Soundtracks for the Blind | Review
()
BEELD | Theunis EngelbrechtAfrikaans language newspaper; Johannesburg, South AfricaThis cult group is progressive, alternative The pop scene is so overloaded that one inevitably misses certain important albums. Thousands of albums are never released in South Africa. That's why the group Swans is relatively unknown down here. This cult group, which consists of Michael Gira and female vocalist Jarboe, has been making a contribution overseas for the past 15 years. With albums like Holy Money, Children of God, The Burning World, White Light From The Mouth Of Infinity, Body To Body Job To Job, Love Of Life and The Great Annihilator they gained a solid reputation. Their new double album Soundtracks For The Blind is unfortunately their swan song: after 15 years they're calling it a day and this month they are concluding their illustrious career with a US and European tour. Describing their music must be one of the most difficult challenges for a pop music reviewer, since their work is extremely innovative and experimental, refusing to be categorized. So we'll have a look at the opinions of a few overseas reviewers who are better acquainted with their work: "Mysterious, powerful, intriguing... Swans strive for the thrilling scale of great......
-
Interview with Michael Gira of Swans
()
last sigh press | Kim Alexander and Michael Lundconducted at the Double Door, Chicago IllinoisWe wandered into the bar early and cold from the brisk winter air to find Gira, which did take some doing in the catacomb like basement of the club. After checking out a number of rooms in the place, we heard voices coming from down the end of a hallway. Slowly we were guided by the deep droning of a male voices, only to peek around an open door to see Michael Gira in the company of two other journalists, peppering him with questions. Gira was sitting on an old 50s style couch, with a crumpled 50s style lamp on a little end table next to him. He wore a big Stetson style felt cowboy hat, and as we entered the room quietly, the brim of his hat lifted, his head turned towards us, and feeling his eyes upon us, the cigar in his hand touched his lips. This was the last tour for Swans, and quite frankly, we were pretty happy to have a chat with him. The rest is history... -- Michael C. Lund. --- Michael Gira : Is this going to be downloaded?......