SWANS "Filth / Body to Body, Job to Job" Young God Records YG11 2000
Filth cd (61:10)
Stay Here (5:36)
Big Strong Boss (3:02)
Blackout
(3:47)
Power for Power (5:52)
Freak (1:13)
Right Wrong (4:43)
Thank You (3:52)
Weakling (5:20)
Gang (3:24)
SWANS live at the Kitchen - N.Y.C. 1982/3 (24:18)
A. Strip/Burn
B. Heatsheet
C. Blackout
D. Clay Man
E. Stay Here
F. Weakling
Body to Body cd (73:23)
I'll Cry for You (5:41)
Red Sheet (3:11)
Loop 33 (:59)
Your
Game (3:57)
Seal it Over (3:48)
Whore (3:56)
We'll Hang for That (3:55)
Half Life (3:57)
Loop 21 (1:26)
Get Out (3:31)
Job (5:40)
Loop 1 (1:01)
Mother, My Body Disgusts Me (4:43)
Cop (5:56)
Only I Can Hear, Only I Can Touch (2:41)
Thug
(9:44)
Raping a Slave (Live - Berlin 1984) (9:02)
All words both CDs by M. Gira. Contributing musicians on "Filth": Michael Gira (bass, vocals, tapes), Norman Westberg (guitar), Roli Mossimann (drums), Harry Crosby (bass), Jonathan Kane (drums, percussion). Live members between 1982-1985: M. Gira, Norman Westberg, Sue Hanel, Roli Mossimann, Harry Crosby, Mojo, Jonathan Kane, Dan Braun, Thurston Moore, Craig Cafton, Bob Pezzola, Jonathan Prosser.
Since SWANS demise in 1997, Michael Gira has meticulously re-packaged exactly what he wants to preserve of SWANS 15 year legacy via double cd re-issues, this being the fourth and final one. This set couples the long out print 1983 debut album "Filth" and the 1982-85 studio out takes and live recording collection "Body to Body, Job to Job". In addition is a previously unreleased 25 minute live show in NYC from 1982/3 and a 9 minute live version of "Raping a Slave" from 1984. Noticeably missing are the 4 songs from the debut s/t EP from 1982. SWANS always had the potential for brutal sonic assaults throughout their life span but this era in particular focused solely on an uncompromising and unapologetic, sledge hammer sound. Melody and harmony are essentially absent in favor of pounding percussion, raw slabs of guitar and bass sound and Gira's guttural vocals. Lyrically Gira reels against authority and control, money, sex, violence, etc. with simple, receptive slogan like chants. Altogether it's a big, ugly, intense, slowed down mutant strain of punk rock that was all their own, at least, up until everyone started copying them. The 25 minute live show (indexed as 1 track) on the Filth disc is bootleg quality but in this case it doesn't much matter as it's comparable to, and just as interesting as, the numerous live recordings on the "Body to Body" disc. It's a bit of a challenge to listen to all of 1 disc at a time, much less the entire 2 hours and 15 minutes, but for those days when you get a traffic ticket, you're doing your taxes, you hate your job, your significant other leaves you or you just plain hate everything ... this is your soundtrack. The packaging is the same as the other re-issues with a tan and black double digipack (signed by Gira if you order direct from the SWANS web site) featuring the Filth teeth and BtB,JtJ young MG cover pictures and an insert with the Filth lyrics. Say what you will about Gira's track selection for these re-issues but he certainly did a great job of creating a great looking and sounding set of discs for old and new fans alike ...
Where did I get this cd? - mail order via SWANS.