Swans Various Failures (1988-1992) CD

VARIOUS FAILURES contains material from THE BURNING WORLD, WHITE LIGHT FROM THE MOUTH OF INFINITY, LOVE OF LIFE and 10 SONGS FOR ANOTHER WORLD, a side project from longtime Gira collaborator Jarboe.

Swans made their early career by crafting a series of bludgeoning albums that foretold noise rock by at least a decade. By 1988, however, the initial explosion of untamed aggression that had fueled leader Michael Gira and company had been tempered somewhat by the presence of keyboardist/vocalist Jarboe and a general creative restlessness.

VARIOUS FAILURES collects highlights from several out-of-print Swans releases from the transitional period between 1988 and 1992, an epoch that saw the band expand their sound into cinematic compositions of breathtaking breadth and shimmering beauty. Songs like the glittering, expansive "Better Than You" and "Why Are We Alive?" create a palpable sense of space with dewy layers of keyboards and heavily echoed drums. On other songs, like "I Remember Who You Are," the focus shrinks down to Jarboe's haunting voice and acoustic guitar.

2-CD Digipak;Comp.Of Long Out Of Print Singles

Swans: M. Gira (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Jarboe (vocals, keyboards); Norman Westberg, Christoph Hahn, Clinton Steele (guitar); Algis Kizys, Jenny Wade (bass guitar); Anton Fier (drums).