- Thomas Olson
- Albums and Singles
"Chickenspin" is a thin and tightly controlled soundtrack for Santa'selves at work. I like the part where the boss walks in and they all getbusy.
Jhon Balance's lyrics on "Silence is Golden" are wonderfully kinky, andthe music on this piece, alternately jaunty minimalist pluck and darkominous pulse, is effectively schizophrenic. As if Balance werePersephone, skipping gaily through a field of Asphodels in a littlewhite frock, unaware of something enormous homing in... like a shift offocus from figure to ground. The way he says "My love is endless" givesme shudders. The lyrics on this are really extra-deliscious, likehaving phone sex with H.P. Lovecraft.
"Their new polka" is wobbly and perky, like a tightly spinning jewel giving offdelighted tones as it slowly runs out of energy.
"46 things I did today" is a pretty little music box tune which turns into afrantic and tense reflection of Annie Anxiety's spoken word list of activities.Her list occasionally falls into rhymes which briefly create exciting rhythmsagainst the music...
COH is Russian (living in Sweden) Ivan Pavlov, and I see his posts onthe Coil email list now and then -- what's his story? I'm suddenly afan.
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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 four songs from the debut s/t EP from 1982.
- Administrator
- Albums and Singles
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 four 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 rare live recordings on the Body to Body disc.
It's a bit of a challenge to listen to all of one 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.
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- Mark Weddle
- Albums and Singles
This 2cd set (this being the limited edition version with 'bonus' cd)features 2 live shows in Germany from late 1984, not long after thedeparture of Peter Christopherson and John Balance (Coil). Here we havethe very beginnings of the 'hyperdelic' song based period, though thebulk of these tracks are still in the experimental vein of the early tomid '80s. PTV were notorious for not practicing for gigs and, well, itshows. Sometimes I wonder if anyone on stage was actually aware of whatanyone else on stage was doing at any given time. It often seems likerandom jamming, noise and feedback ... in a bad way. A really bad way.The 'songs' are loosely arranged with Genesis mumbling, yelling,bellowing, howling and/or occasionally singing over them here andthere. Those that should be recognizable, like "Unclean" and "Godstar",barely are and are lame in comparison to their studio counterparts. Thesound on both discs is bootleg quality: poorly mixed, distant and fuzzywith audience members clearly chatting amongst themselves. Disc 2,which I guess is the 'bonus' disc, is ironically the better of the twoas the band is much tighter and competent, but only marginally so. Andwith 7 tracks exceeding 11 minutes in length this is simply cruel andinhumane punishment. As for the packaging, it's not much better. Thecover drawing is the most redeeming quality as the insert offers only 1b/w picture of Genesis, track listings, copyright info and web siteurls with nothing in the way of liner notes. Everything about thisreeks of bootleg despite it being an official release from Cold SpringRecords. Definitely for die hard PTV fans only. As for me, I'll stickto the studio albums. May I please have my $18 back?.
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- note - It wasn't worth the hassle of listening to any more of this to find 3 minutes worth of redeemable music to make mp3s.
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- Jason Olariu
- Albums and Singles
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- Jason Olariu
- Albums and Singles
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- Mark Weddle
- Albums and Singles
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- Daniel McKernan
- Albums and Singles
In a word: excellent! Funny, funky hip hop from one of the manymembers of the Wu-Tang Clan. For those with a not-so-uptight sense ofhumor, this album is really great - laughs from start to finish at thelewd and crude lyrics of Big Baby Jesus. ODB repeatedly displays hisinability to really sing, but does so in a very catchy way, along withthe accompaniment of various other flavorful backing vocalists. "Idon't have no trouble wit you fuckin' me - but I gotta little problemwit you not fuckin' me" is a rhyme in "Got Your Money" - a must for allwomanizer fans. It isn't all sexist humor, though; there is theoccasional drug and violence reference. Despite being one of TipperGore's worst nightmares, though, the album is unique in its genre -nice to own even for those who aren't normally into hip hop and/or theWu. Pretty much, if nothing else, this CD is a violent sleaze-fest ofpretentious dirtiness that makes you shake that ass.
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- Cold Blooded
- Got Your money (feat. Kellis)
- I Can't Wait
- Recognize (feat. Chris Rock)
- Rollin Wit You
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- Alan Ezust and Julie Geanakakis
- Albums and Singles
Kate Messick, vocalistfrom Unto Ashes, appears with composer/lyricist James Babbo on thisalbum, and her full upfront vocals seem flatter and less textured thanon Moon Oppose Moon. The whole CD is rather spartan in its composition,featuring a guitar, some ambient synths, and almost no percussion. Thefantastic art-nouveau cover art belies the very simplistic andslow-tempoed droning vocals that persist in track after track -Messick's voice has it's own beauty although here it's relativelyunadorned and the melodies Babbo writes lack dimension and depth. Quitepleasing to the ear though.samples:
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- Alan Ezust and Julie Geanakakis
- Albums and Singles
Featuring a wide array ofexotic old and world instruments, fused with modern electronics andvocals in three different languages, Unto Ashes blends the renaissancefolk goth genres into a melange of pathos. Kit Messick's vocals arehauntingly sad on Teach Me How To Drown. Quid Vides begins as a verymellow chant and evolves into Arabic-Turkish dance. Michael Laird'svoice, reminiscent of Art Garfunkel, sounds so peaceful, and his songsare so pretty, yet rather incongruous when he sings about drowning andmisery, as in Scourge. Der letze Ritter sounds like early-period DeadCan Dance, featuring crashing percussion and hyperactive dulcimers. Thediscordant melodies and hand-drum in Conjuration to Lilith gives apagan ritual finale to the recording. Highly recommended. [ed note: To obtain the release, the best place would be at www.untoashes.com] samples:
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- Daniel McKernan
- Albums and Singles
From the first few notesof this CD, it is evident as to why Volcano the Bear is one of StevenStapleton's favorite new groups. With a very diverse instrumentation,ranging from distorted keyboards to horns to strings to live drums,this album whirls into extremely unpredictable directions. At onemoment it's harsh and almost nerve-irking; and at another it's soothingand beautiful. Some tracks feature vocals - a unique voice with a veryeerie feeling to it. The whole album really does drip with a sinkingemotion that you can't quite grasp - full of twists and turns thatleave the listener just plain dumbfounded.samples:
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