PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[tiny_tove]

quite obsessed by PUCE MARY - Success

[dmkerr]

This weekend I recorded a bunch of 7" vinyl to cdr.  Replayed "Priest In Shit" from Phage Tapes several times in a row.  Also a bunch of Hogra, particularly the split with Macronympha.

The other half of the weekend was taken up with Borbetomagus... The Original Chirping Chicken, Bells Together, The Rape of Atlanta and good old Barbed Wire Maggots.

[fin de siècle]

I can't wrap my head around Lamia Vox: 8th rate "satanic" The Moon Lay Hidden.... The interview on HH was embarrassing. Being an occult goth cunt is pure popularity I suppose.

As rumours have it, it's actually her husband who creates and records all the music; and, having seen her "play" "live" once (in February 2010 when Lamia Vox was an opening act for Inade), I wouldn't be surprised if it's actually true. The "performance" was simply embarrassing: one could clearly hear someone at the mixing desk load tracks in WinAmp while she just pretended to do something on her synth; and when she brought on a "shamanic" drum, she couldn't get her hands in sync with the rhythm for about 15 seconds. (Sal Solaris was hardly any better, but for different reasons, though; they, at the very least, produced all the sounds live indeed.)

Not surprised to hear this at all. The whole faux-cult martial/ambient/drone/industrial sphere attracts some real repulsive losers. Claim all they wish about having some deep connection to the unseen elements; mostly I just see image-obsessed queens. Posin' for Satan!

This is funny! I will witness in 6 weeks, when I perform with her at the Dark Land Fire Festival http://www.piletilevi.ee/est/piletid/muusika/muu/?concert=133682 in Lithuania and let you know : ) PS. the interview is embarrassing ...

[HOGRA]

SWANS "Not Here/Not Now" 2xcd
OXBOW "Serenade In Red" cd
HARVEY MILK "The Kelly Sessions" cd
SLAUGHTER "Stappado" LP
GODFLESH "Cold World" EP cd
DREAM DEATH "Somnium Excessum" LP
FLIPPER "Public Flipper Limited" 2xLP

[P A N I C]

Over the last week, up until right now:

- Where is This/Zebra Mu - Split (bizcard CDr, Bored Bear Recordings)
- The Shock Technician/Zebra Mu - Split (3" CDr, Cantankerous Records)
- Hostage Pageant/Zebra Mu - Split (bizcard CDr, Quagga Curious Sounds)
- Woven - Woven (CDr, Haute Magie)
- Die Reitenden Leichen - Död Odin (C60, Monolithische Aktion)
- Die Reitenden Leichen - Destroy All Beauty (C20, Monolithische Aktion)
- Alo Girl versus Die Reitenden Leichen - Split (C30, Monolitische Aktion)
- Die Reitenden Leichen - Glorious Crimes (C60, Monolithische Aktion)
- Die Reitenden Leichen - Sathanas Vomere (C10, Monolithische Aktion)
- Welby - Faceless (3" CDr, Pigdurt)
- various - Mouth Noise (3" CDr, XV Parówek)
- Japan - Oil on Canvas (2xLP, Virgin)
- Altar of Flies - Permanent Cavity (CD, iDEAL Recordings)
- The Favorats - Destination Outta Space (7", Stardum Records)
- Girls' Generation - Love & Girls (CD+DVD, SM Records)
- Girls' Generation - Galaxy Supernova (CD+DVD, SM Records)
- Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror (CD, Mom+Pop)
- Orgasm Denial/Wolverine Carcass - Split (C90, Crushing Cassettes)
- Sissy Spacek - Harm (CD, Troniks)
- Converge - No Heroes (CD, Epitaph)
- Björk - The Best Mixes (CD, Mother Records)
- Björk - The Dull Flame of Desire #B (12", One Little Indian)
- Boar - Craft (C14, Worthless Recordings)
- Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (CD/cassette, Palace Records)
- Grouper - AIA (2xCD, Kranky)
- Beirut - Elephant Gun (7", 4AD)
- Purity Ring - Shrines (CD, 4AD)
- TNGHT - TNGHT (12", Warp Records)
- YUKI - Play Ball/Sakamichi no Melody (CD, Epic Records)
- Where is This - Paunch (CDr, Bored Bear Recordings)
- Clive Henry - III (CDr, Bored Bear Recordings)
- Female Harakiri - The Wave Petals (CDr, Bored Bear Recordings)
- Trumans Water - Spasm Smash XXXOXOX Ox and Ass (CD, Elemental)
- Yu Chiu - YuSee! Again (CD, Music Icon Records)

[eyestrain]

SWANS "Not Here/Not Now" 2xcd

This is much more enjoyable than seeing them live where you literally can hear NOTHING but a deafening hum and the sight of Gira prancing like a moron makes you leave the venue and wish you hadn't wasted $20 on such garbage. Yet still, this DCD is only fun for about 30 minutes. I don't think anyone is praise-worthy enough for me to want to watch them drunkenly write music on the spot for two fucking hours.

[metalpunk]

I have been listenning again and again both CDs by JAAKKO VANHALA recently.
My favorite is Feral Earth while Here be Lions is still on very very top level. Very recommended!

[HOGRA]

SWANS "Not Here/Not Now" 2xcd

This is much more enjoyable than seeing them live where you literally can hear NOTHING but a deafening hum and the sight of Gira prancing like a moron makes you leave the venue and wish you hadn't wasted $20 on such garbage. Yet still, this DCD is only fun for about 30 minutes. I don't think anyone is praise-worthy enough for me to want to watch them drunkenly write music on the spot for two fucking hours.

Not nearly as good as 80's era SWANS ('Cop' is easily my favorite Swans record) but I saw them in June and it was a very good show. I agree that I could have done without Gira's on-stage prancing, but they were good that night and I'm glad I went. I saw the Angels of Light on their first three tours and it ranked up there with any of those shows for me.

[Human Larvae]

SWANS "Not Here/Not Now" 2xcd

This is much more enjoyable than seeing them live where you literally can hear NOTHING but a deafening hum and the sight of Gira prancing like a moron makes you leave the venue and wish you hadn't wasted $20 on such garbage. Yet still, this DCD is only fun for about 30 minutes. I don't think anyone is praise-worthy enough for me to want to watch them drunkenly write music on the spot for two fucking hours.

first time I've read someone bash them like that

[Dr Alex]

SWANS "Not Here/Not Now" 2xcd

This is much more enjoyable than seeing them live where you literally can hear NOTHING but a deafening hum and the sight of Gira prancing like a moron makes you leave the venue and wish you hadn't wasted $20 on such garbage. Yet still, this DCD is only fun for about 30 minutes. I don't think anyone is praise-worthy enough for me to want to watch them drunkenly write music on the spot for two fucking hours.

first time I've read someone bash them like that

I saw SWANS few months ago in Budapest. Amazing gig!! Loud as fuck but you can hear every single cymbal and everything else! Don't know why you didn't like it...

[eyestrain]

I can certainly see why some would like their live performance, but it just wasn't for me - at all. Saw them
at The Rex in Pittsburgh (was this the show you attended Mr. Hogra?). Horrible venue, horrible sound, napalm-worthy side of town. The fact that I'm quickly becoming crotchety in the presence of crowds can't possibly help...

Either way, I just really have the feeling that if this were anyone but Swans (!), there would be very, very little support. I might have stood out an hour of this performance in truth. Aside from the one decipherable "classic"  - Coward - the whole thing was close to not much else but drawn out, open chord intros with cymbals. The track with Gira going "yololololololololololo" caught my attention, mostly cos there was a pitch change, but when he started that again 40 minutes later, that's when I called defeat and left. I'm a Swans fan to a great level, and while the 80's were their heyday for me, I would also kill to see some Angels Of Light shows. Couldn't find a piece of pleasure in this though. To each his own. Just felt inclined to say something since there seems to be a certain infallibility surrounding the man - whether it's from the press or fans.

[Nyodene D]

I can certainly see why some would like their live performance, but it just wasn't for me - at all. Saw them
at The Rex in Pittsburgh (was this the show you attended Mr. Hogra?). Horrible venue, horrible sound, napalm-worthy side of town. The fact that I'm quickly becoming crotchety in the presence of crowds can't possibly help...

Either way, I just really have the feeling that if this were anyone but Swans (!), there would be very, very little support. I might have stood out an hour of this performance in truth. Aside from the one decipherable "classic"  - Coward - the whole thing was close to not much else but drawn out, open chord intros with cymbals. The track with Gira going "yololololololololololo" caught my attention, mostly cos there was a pitch change, but when he started that again 40 minutes later, that's when I called defeat and left. I'm a Swans fan to a great level, and while the 80's were their heyday for me, I would also kill to see some Angels Of Light shows. Couldn't find a piece of pleasure in this though. To each his own. Just felt inclined to say something since there seems to be a certain infallibility surrounding the man - whether it's from the press or fans.

I was at this show as well.  The sound was largely terrible and the venue was uncomfortably packed. I saw them in Buffalo with Pharmakon a few weeks later and the sound was much improved (everything perfectly crisp and audible) but ended up leaving about 90 mins into the set. I'm a fan of this current incarnation of Swans on record but few people merit playing for 2+ hours live, especially playing unreleased material.

[HOGRA]

I can certainly see why some would like their live performance, but it just wasn't for me - at all. Saw them
at The Rex in Pittsburgh (was this the show you attended Mr. Hogra?). Horrible venue, horrible sound, napalm-worthy side of town. The fact that I'm quickly becoming crotchety in the presence of crowds can't possibly help...

Either way, I just really have the feeling that if this were anyone but Swans (!), there would be very, very little support. I might have stood out an hour of this performance in truth. Aside from the one decipherable "classic"  - Coward - the whole thing was close to not much else but drawn out, open chord intros with cymbals. The track with Gira going "yololololololololololo" caught my attention, mostly cos there was a pitch change, but when he started that again 40 minutes later, that's when I called defeat and left. I'm a Swans fan to a great level, and while the 80's were their heyday for me, I would also kill to see some Angels Of Light shows. Couldn't find a piece of pleasure in this though. To each his own. Just felt inclined to say something since there seems to be a certain infallibility surrounding the man - whether it's from the press or fans.

We are all entitled to our opinion, but the performers can't ever seem to escape fan criticism. People are either complaining that the band played way too long or that they didn't play long enough. That they didn't play enough "old stuff" or that they played too much classic material and very little of the newer songs. I'll admit, I am not a big fan the The Rex, but what does the part of town where the show was held have anything to do with the performance? I've seen loads of bands in awesome, great-sounding venues suck complete ass. As much as I am NOT a fan of Manny Theiner, he is probably the only guy in town who could/would bring SWANS here - and I am happy that he did. Yeah, Gira still acts like a rockstar, but if you don't want to deal with his personality or the long shows (which SWANS fans should fully expect by now), then stay home and save your $20. I feel that I got my money's worth, which is not very common these days when it comes to live shows...

[Nyodene D]

who are all you western PA nerds anyhow? I'm up here in Erie with my dick in the dirt...

[eyestrain]

who are all you western PA nerds anyhow? I'm up here in Erie with my dick in the dirt...

Travelled from across state - since they skipped Philly (closest city) - adding to the frustration.

Hogra, didn't mean to make you mad. I just didn't enjoy the music.

I've seen four shows this year. Swans was the least impressive. Wovenhand was fantastic. And ironically both of you gents above playing at Garfield Artworks on separate occasions are on the list - both of those being the highlights of the year for me. Just to give an idea of what I found successful. Either way, my trap is shut.