Swans “The Glowing Man”

Swans

The Glowing Man

[Young God; 2016]

Rating: 8

Swan’s front-man Michael Gira understands what many other artists realize too late – in order to continue, you must constantly evolve. Over the past three decades, Gira has reinvented his vision multiple times. Once a pioneering band of the abrasive, no-wave movement, Swans would go on to soften their blows with a more melodic approach in the mid-80s, and then move to a somber, almost conventional stint on MCA Records. Between 1983 and 1996, Swans went through four different line-up changes, and currently, the band’s alumni features a list of 18 musicians. After a 14 year hiatus between 1996 and 2010, Gira emerged with his fifth line-up, returning with a sound more ambitious and potent than anything explored by the band before.

Year of the Bowie: Episode #4

In this episode of “Year of the Bowie” we look back at what would be the most important two years of David Bowie’s life and career, 1971-1972. We’ll also look at some of the stories and interactions that inspired legendary tracks on “Hunky Dory” and “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”.

Turntable Untapped: Brian Eno, “Before and After Science” – Dogfish Head, Palo Santo Marron

Turntable Untapped is a side-project where I pair great albums with great beers. In this month’s edition, I pair Brian Eno’s Before and After Science with Dogfish Head’s Palo Santo Marron. Read more about the pairing below.

Brian Eno Before and After Science – Dogfish Head, Palo Santo Marron

BDWPS Podcast: Episode #48

In this episode we take a look at some of my favorite albums of 2016 so far, including Anohni, Car Seat Headrest, Miles Davis & Robert Glasper, Death Grips, Mutual Benefit, Kaytranada, and Anna Meredith. I also discuss the Carter Family documentary “The Winding Stream”, and we continue our look at Bob Dylan’s “Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”.

Check it out HERE or better yet, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher (search: BDWPS).

Tracklist:
Anohni “Why Did You Separate Me From the Earth?”
Car Seat Headrest “(Joe Gets Kicked Out of School For Using) Drugs With Friends (But Says This Isn’t a Problem)”
Miles Davis & Robert Glasper “They Can’t Hold Me Down”
Death Grips “Giving Bad People Good Ideas”
Mutual Benefit “Skipping Stones”
Kaytranada “Got It Good”
James Blake “Love Me In Whatever Way”
Anna Meredith “Taken”
Carter Family “Keep On the Sunny Side”
Bob Dylan “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna-Fall”