CXXI. Skin | Blood, Women, Roses

SKIN

Blood, Women, Roses 

©Product Inc. UK, 1987.

‟The World Of Skin was a project springing out of the American group Swans, and was a collaboration between the core Swans members Michael Gira and Jarboe.
The project was initially called Skin, with the first two albums being released under that name, the last one being released under the name the World of Skin. The musical style was similar to "The Burning World" and the other later Swans releases, although it shed most of its rock influences to play a mostly acoustic goth-folk style with electronics.
In the UK, the first two albums were released by Product Inc., an imprint of Mute Records, while the last was released on Gira's own Young God label.
"Blood, Women, Roses" (1987) was the project's first release and featured vocals entirely by Jarboe, who had previously mainly been performing backing vocals. Many of the tracks on this album were covers of show tunes and other popular songs (for example "Cry Me a River" and "The Man I Love").

"Blood, Women, Roses" was followed in 1988 by Shame, Humility. Revenge, which featured vocals by Michael Gira (although Jarboe did perform some backing vocals).‟

Urbanaspirines

XLIV. Swans | The Great Annihilator

SWANS

The Great Annihilator

©Young God. US, 1994.

‟That's one hell of an album title, ain't it?  You've got to have some confidence in an album to call it The Great Annihilator, understatement goes right out the window.  It's even more impressive, given that they were so (wrongly) unimpressed with their previous three albums, they've never re-issued them.  Their confidence could not have been more well founded.

This is a stunning, claustrophobic masterpiece of an album.  They've taken the intensity of their early work, and mixed it with the lighter, folkier side of their 'bunny' period.  What that creates is a unique sound of pounding, syncopated percussion, high pitched electric guitar textures, jangling acoustic guitar, and echoing, droning sound loops.  Both vocalists perform the best works of their careers, Michael Gira seems to have perfected his hypnotic, mantra-like croon, and Jarboe can add a touch of heaven or a touch of spite seemingly at will.  The lyrics are sheer Gira.  Does anyone do self-loathing with the same class, the same honesty and intensity?

Intensity is the key-word for this release, as with all Gira-related projects.  I just can't think of any other album that combines such lightness, such intensity, and such tunes.‟

 Darkness Fish