American Alternative music reviews

From their Great Annihilator album, Celebrity Lifestyle is atypical of their style, an ironic indictment of Hollywood Babylon with Gira's awesome world-weary voice, Jarboe's disembodied backing vocals and Bill Rieflin's hypnotic drumming. Mother/Father, sung by Jarboe, is gut wrenching raw emotion ending in an apocalyptic bellow -- a potent piece of latterday Punk. You Know Everything (available on the Various Failures album), is an eerie sound collage reminiscent of "Identity" from Love Of Life. Do investigate the album though, as it contains more great songs like Mind/Body/Light/Sound, My Buried Child, Warm, Blood Promise and the earth-shaking title track.

this cd rocks. there are some moments of noise for noise's sake, but there are some really good moments that would make a crowd enthusiastically beat the hell out of each other. Nice effort

This album is also available as Disc One of the double CD reissue titled Children Of God/World Of Skin where it contains the extra track I'll Swallow You. This original 1987 CD has a colorful foldout with fascinating pictures of a young Michael Gira and Jarboe.

Children Of God represents a transition of the Swans' sound from brutal industrial noise to a seductive softer approach. New Mind and Beautiful Child are the only harsh numbers that hark back to their earlier work; elsewhere the mood is one of resignation or sorrow over mostly gentle instrumentation.

The music is very atmospheric with innovative arrangements, like the beautiful melodic piece Like A Drug (Sha La La La). The overall theme is the futility of love as expressed in seemingly gentle but awesome songs like Our Love Lies, You're Not Real Girl, Real Love and Blind Love.

Fans of dark, eerie music will love this album. It explores the type of emotion that can also occasionally be found in the work of artists like Nick Cave, Peter Murphy, Meredith Monk, Nick Drake, Nico, Velvet Underground, John Cale etc. or in sacred medieval music. In many ways Children Of God presents this Gothic mood in an extreme form.

Swans are an acquired taste, but once you understand the music, you'll be addicted for life. If this album appeals to you, you might also want to investigate their other masterpieces The Great Annihilator & Love Of Life, as well as the albums New Mother, How I Loved You and Everything Is Good Here/Please Come home by Gira's latest project The Angels Of Light.

This CD has all the knowns and maybe even a few unknowns from the decade of spandex, big hair, and neon clothing. Listening to this music after you haven't heard it in a long time is almost therapeutic. You remember all the crap you were going through back in the 80's, and wish to God you could have appreciated those days having the knowledge of the real world that you finally acquired in the 90's. That doesn't sound incredibly therapeutic, but if you pull out your old ALBUMS from the attic, (or acquire this CD), I feel sure you'll know what I'm talking about. From Psychedelic Furs, Adam and the Ants, Siouxie and the Banshees, and UB40, to the more obscure Laurie Anderson, Grace Jones and the old school punk bands X and Black Flag, there is something for just about everyone who was alive at any point during the 80's. Also worth mentioning is Spandau Ballet. I used to make fun of them but after listening to the song "To Cut a Long Story Short", I realized MTV had brainwashed me into thinking they were horrible by playing that other dreadful song/video over and over again.

This CD combines SWANS second LP ("Cop") and an EP, both released around 1984. The music on these releases is a slow, droning, minimalistic, industrial sludge. It is like Black Sabbath or Black Flag slowed down ten times and played more intensely. Michael Gira's lyrics are filled with extreme images of dominance, humiliation, abusive power relationships, violence, and overconsumption. The imagery is so extreme it almost becomes comical. My interpretation of these lyrics--regardless of Gira's intention--is that they accurately portray all the damage that patriarchal social structures do to their victims. Sample lyric: "You're my father. I obey you. You know what I am. I want you to kill me. I'm weak." In my mind, these are the same types of feelings that are internalized by children raised in extremely shame-based authoritarian familial structures. Gira did a great job making this type of abusive power imagery into art on the first several SWANS releases during the mid-1980s. The stark, solid-block colors of these early album covers made for great visual art too. I saw the SWANS live several times in the late 1980s and they were intense. I still think these early albums have some powerful artistic moments. "Filth" and "Cop" are good introductions to SWANS sound and M. Gira's lyrical violence.

Cordelia's Dad's first, eponymous album hints at the future direction of the band -- away from the electric, punk-fueled treatment of traditional songs and towards serious, non-ironic, traditional folk music performed sparsely on traditional instruments. And despite how their other albums are hauntingly good, this album captures raw, youthful energy of people discovering their raison d'etre. Here you will find energetic, electric, melodic-punk romps of songs up to hundreds of years old. The result is brilliant.

Lounge lizard guitar/bass treatment in "Loch Lomond" the redemption of "Scarborough Fair", the rollicking "Maui", throat-scraping stylings of "My Pretty Little Pink," the "Baby Song" could be a cover of DOA, for crying out loud...

The liner notes on all the 'Dad albums are good, but my favorite observation is on this one: "All these songs are about death, except for one, which is about going to Hawaii."

Folk music enthusiasts should perhaps pass up this album in favor of the later Cordelia's Dad albums "Comet" and "Spine" which have very traditional folk music and shape note singing. But punk enthusiasts looking for something beyond two minute crashes through sex, drugs, violence, 'n' politics should hear this band, and this is the album for them. Because this is sex, drugs, violence, 'n' politics BEFORE it got all lamed out in the twentieth century. This is a band which can really expand your horizons. Four stars because "How Can I Sleep", their second album, had to have five. Finally, contact the band directly to buy the albums -- they won't be printed again any time soon.

this isa great cd. if you like shonie knife then be prepaired, these songs arent the way you rember them. some of these bandshave been arround since the early 80's punk rock days. they turn these songs into their songs. if youre buying this disc because of the bands well i know for a fact that some of the bands dont want you to hear these songs, but you should. this dics rocks all the way thru.youll come out liking some different bands. i recomend this cd foranyone who likes nirvana, white zombie, bad religion, nofx, and any type of altenartive music.

In my opinion, Thin White Rope was one of the most interesting bands of the 1980's, and I was always sad that they didn't get more attention. "Exploring the Axis" was their most accessible and creative album (although I'd rank the angst-powered "In the Spanish Cave" as their best). "Down in the Desert" was a perfect first song to set the tone for the rest of the band's career -- it's quirky and mystical and just a bit sinister, and the band's music and vocals always did sound like a glass of water was urgently needed. I love the guitar hooks in "Lithium," and the way Guy Kyser sings "I'm not proud of how I drag you down..." over them.

In my opinion, Thin White Rope was one of the most interesting bands of the 1980's, and I was always sad that they didn't get more attention. "Exploring the Axis" was their most accessible and creative album (although I'd rank the angst-powered "In the Spanish Cave" as their best). "Down in the Desert" was a perfect first song to set the tone for the rest of the band's career -- it's quirky and mystical and just a bit sinister, and the band's music and vocals always did sound like a glass of water was urgently needed. I love the guitar hooks in "Lithium," and the way Guy Kyser sings "I'm not proud of how I drag you down..." over them.

Song of Joy and Zombie Eye are amongst the classic HALF JAPANESE songs they've ever done. Much of the rest of the album continues their journey downhill in their later years.

Yes, those two songs and maybe a couple more are really worth listening to. However, its really their 80's albums that have the most potency. Though, I gotta admit, I made myself a greatest hits of their 90's records and it really swings. The 3xLP debut release is too indulgent with only about 4 great songs. After that their albums get stronger and stronger. They added band members and went to town.

This album might even be considered their second weakest to Hello. Great band, mediocore album (with a few great songs). Course, any decent HALF JAPANESE album is more couragous and adventuresome than most rock/pop/punk records out there. chrisbct@hotmail.com

With 'Futuristic Lovers' in this album,it's great i'm very happy to listen such a great album like that.Strange vocals belongs to Jad Fair.
Strange guitar riffs with cool vocals.Great,great it's very suitable to listen this album wtih some Jonathan Richman,Velvet Underground,Lou Reed,Cramps.This is what i'm doing right now.All these names are strange and all these names are perfect for me.i'm saying and saying it again Half Japanese's 'Futuristic Lovers' song is so fascinating.There is a song named 'Sometimes' in this album so short so energic so original so weird.Piano
melodies with bizarre background noises.if you lookin' for a different,extraordinary style i can recommend this album.
Also 'Celebration' is an enjoyable song from this album.
The album was recorded in Switzerland and was released by Alternative Tentacles Records in early 1997.

This is a solid addition to Half Japanese's canon, featuring some songs that date from its great upheaval and mutation into its most recent line-up (circa 1990; an example is "Song of Joy"). It moves along very nicely and engagingly, although it does suffer without the warm, immediate production values used on "Hot," opting instead for an ensemble sound that is a bit less dynamic. But, holy hell - this band is never less than stunning.