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Jarboe, "Seeress/The Sweet Meat Love and Holy Cult"
This limited edition 7" highlights two of Jarboe's many facets, going from the simple and evocative to the hypnotic and divine. Despite being extremely prolific these last few years, Jarboe's music has been a little patchy but there are moments where her fire burns as bright as it did during Swans' mighty career. This single is one such moment, her performances on the two songs showing both her tender, beautiful singing and her roaring, visceral hollering; both pieces are stunning.
Side one, "Seeress," is a gentle and spacey number, Jarboe providing not only her beautiful voice but also organ and piano. Musically it is not a million miles away from her former comrade in arms Michael Gira's current output but that is unsurprising as both artists occupied the same musical plane for so long. The flip side is a completely different animal. The Sweet Meat Love and Holy Cult is a new improvisation-based group featuring Jarboe and an array of collaborators. On this untitled piece Jarboe chants and howls, almost doing away completely with lyrics. Her vocals combined with the lurching tribal rhythm make the music feel like it is tumbling out of the speakers. It is an incredibly powerful piece of music, full of the spirituality that Jarboe has embraced. Her conviction and energy is captured perfectly on this gem of a track. Anyone who may have lost interest in the years since Swans dissolved would do well to check this out, I am certainly highly impressed with this 7" which has reignited my interest in Jarboe.
