You’re by chance relatively new to Swans, or perhaps only familiar with their pulverizing/bleak early material (see yesterday’s Manic Monday, for example); it might surprise you that their sound evolved considerably in a relatively short amount of time. Indeed, Swans have gone through many different eras, each one compelling in their distinct way. The band even had what could only be described as, dare I say, an “accessible” period in the late 80s/early 90s.
Granted, it started on a somewhat suspect/underwhelming note via 1989’s The Burning World, an album that sounded too streamlined/safe for its good. But Gira and company returned strong on their subsequent album, 1991’s White Light from the Mouth of Infinity, a record representing a giant artistic leap for the band. In sharp contrast to the dark brutality of their early days, the album not only sounded remarkably brighter and more expansive by comparison but also more cohesive to boot. Everything just sounds “bigger” on that record, which is something Gira would continue to explore and build-out in earnest on subsequent releases, often with spectacular results (particularly on their 2010s albums).
But for today’s Tuesday’s Gone, let’s take a trip back to that interesting period when Swans were briefly courted by the mainstream, as evidenced by this intriguing MTV spotlight on the band from the early 90s. It is interesting to hear Gira’s perspective on the popularity of alternative rock at the time, but the various live clips scattered throughout the segment are the real highlights here (with the live performance of “Amnesia” at the end being a particularly tasty treat):
