M. Gira : Drainland
An absolutely devastating album, in my mind one of Gira’s strongest musical moments. Recorded during the “White Light From The Mouth Of Infinity” sessions, this album serves as a glimpse into the early direction of the first album by The Angels Of Light, many years later. While Drainland is similar to thematically to the majority of the previous Swans albums, there is also an endearing (if often uncomfortable and reflective) personal touch in the songs as well. The universe which Gira inhabited, during this recording and up until the break-up of the original version of Swans, was frequently bleak, alienated, and melancholic.
Tracks such as “You See Right Through Me” and “Blind” discuss Gira’s historic struggles with alcoholism, while “I See Them All Lined Up”, “Fan Letter”, and the apocalyptic “Why I Ate My Wife” is closer to mid-era Swans, with Gira ruminating on the nature of rock stardom, revenge, betrayal, love, and violence (which is also an encapsulation of Swans in general).
John Lithium 