The 2010 release “My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky,” by catharsis-rock pioneers Swans begins with the harshly beautiful sound of chimes segueing into the ever-reliable pounding guitars of old; horns blow and cymbals ride. Frontman M. Gira certainly takes his time bringing his vocals into the album opener “No Words/No Thoughts,” but the instrumental introduction provided by the first four minutes of the new album perfectly re-introduces listeners to the legendary band that has been on hiatus since their last tour in 1997.
M. Gira has had a busy 15 or so years since Swans broke up. With the formation of Young God Records, the personal overseeing of all things Devendra Banhart-related, and his “side-project” The Angels of Light, one would expect some kind of dip in quality in some respect. But one of the curious, wonderful things about this ever-engaging performer is that every piece of music he has put out or been somehow involved in has managed to feel at least partially like a part of his personal vision. This vision has stretched back to the 1982 formation of Swans and includes such themes and emotions as religious exaltation, lust, depression and joy. These are always extremes, at both ends of the spectrum. Consequently it is no surprise that with the return of Swans, we see a fantastic continuation of the man’s poetry of despair and catharsis.
Fans of this band may note that the name Jarboe has not been mentioned yet. Unfortunately, Jarboe, the female singer-songwriter who has contributed her talents to previous albums by this band, did not rejoin Swans. Whether this is for the better or worse is not up for discussion. Certainly her past contributions have been essential parts of the albums she’s worked on, but with “My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky,” her presence is not especially missed.
With this work, Swans may have released simultaneously their most diverse and focused album yet. The album runs for barely 45 minutes, which is a bit surprising when one considers that the last studio release by the band “Soundtracks for the Blind” runs for over two hours. And yet, “My Father…” still manages to contain some of the most compromising and bizarre sounds they have produced.
Admittedly, some of the band’s more abrasive tendencies have been reigned in. It is unlikely that the days of onstage nudity and endless industrial rants will ever return. But, with the new sounds the band is exploring, one can hardly accuse them of repeating themselves. The mandolin-led swirl of “You F*cking People Make Me Sick,” featuring guest vocals from Devendra Banhart and M. Gira’s 3-year-old daughter feels as much at home on this album and in the canon of this band’s work as the pounding blues-based sound of “Jim,” which was previously released on M. Gira’s solo album “I Am Not Insane.”
Despite the fact that this album easily has received the most critical acclaim the band has yet received, Swans will likely continue to keep their status as cult act. There is nothing wrong with this, and family man M. Gira is unlikely to be looking for much more at this point. With this release, he will garner a whole new generation of fans. The stylistic shift the album presents fits in with the musical arc of the band thus far, and new listeners would be well-advised to explore the rest of their discography. With the lack of Jarboe, fans of the band’s previous work may be a bit hesitant. But don’t be silly: Swans are back; every bit as angry, joyful and cathartic as they were before.
Mark Schiffer can be reached at [email protected].
