Swans Are Dead is the seventh live album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1998 and was recorded in 1995 and 1997 on the band's final tours before reuniting in 2010.
Setlists for the band's last two tours were far more chronologically varied than setlists for other tours. Although many of the songs performed were taken from Soundtracks for the Blind and The Great Annihilator, the band also resurrected songs from much earlier albums, including a re-worked version of "I Crawled" from the Young God EP (1984).
Background Disc one (Black) was primarily recorded at the Paradiso, Amsterdam on March 13, 1997, while "Blood On Yr Hands" was recorded at Irving Plaza in New York City on January 24. Three other songs that were performed in 1997 were not included on the disc: "The Man With the Silver Tongue", which appeared in a revised form on Angels of Light's 1999 debut LP New Mother; "My Birth", which remained unreleased until it appeared on Swans's 2010 album My Father Will Guide Me up a Rope to the Sky; and "The Sound", which was performed once in 1997 with significant differences to previous versions.
Disc two (White) was recorded at the Paradiso, Amsterdam on August 24th, 1995. Although "In", "Alcohol the Seed", and "Animus" were played during the concert, they did not appear on Swans Are Dead. VPRO, a Dutch radio station, recorded the entire concert except part of "Animus". Three other songs were played in 1995 that were not included on the disc: "Empathy", which has three known performances; "Blood On Your Hands", which was performed twice in 1995 with many differences to later versions; and "Raping a Slave", which was only played once after 1984 and in a significantly altered form compared to previous performances.
Critical reception
The Rough Guide to Rock described the album as "a head-churning final statement".
Track listing
Personnel Credits for Swans Are Dead adapted from liner notes.Track listing and credits as per liner notes for Swans Are Dead album
Disc one (Black) Michael Gira – vocals, guitar, compiling, mastering, producer, lyrics, music Jarboe – vocals, keyboards Bill Bronson – bass guitar Clinton Steele – guitar Phil Puleo – percussion, dulcimer (hammer) Dave Ouimet – performer Kris Force – performer Berry Kamer – recording Josh Wertheimer – live engineer, recording Chris Griffin – engineer
Disc two (White) Michael Gira – vocals, guitar, compiling, mastering, producer, lyrics, music Jarboe – vocals, keyboards Joe Goldring – bass guitar, guitar Vudi – guitar, keyboards Larry Mullins – percussion, vibraphone Andy Ray – live engineer Chris Griffin – engineer
References