Swans
Public Castration is a Good Idea
[Thirsty Ear Reissues]
Rating: 6.0
Oh, great. I review one album for Pitchfork and suddenly I'm the resident
expert on all things Swans. I don't dislike them, mind you, but it's not
like they're my favoritest band in the world. It wouldn't be so bad if
Michael Gira wasn't so damned prolific; we're going on two years since
Swans actually broke up and they're still releasing albums-- no new
material, mind you, just live recordings and re-releases of old albums.
Public Castration is a Good Idea falls under both categories: a
live album from 1986, being re-released on Thirsty Ear.
Four- and- a- half minutes of slow, relentless bashing opens Public
Castration, which is a good way to prepare you for what lies ahead:
sparse, gothic instrumentation, blunt- trauma percussion, and Gira's
tortured moans. It's terribly bleak and repetitive, and easy to dismiss
if you're not in the right mood. On the other hand, if you are in
the right mood-- which would be utter disgust with yourself and everyone
else in the world-- then lines like, "I'm your stupid child/ I'm your stupid
helpless child/ I'm your stupid naked child," become viciously effective.
Lord knows what the Columbine killers would have done if they had listened
to Swans. (Mmm... probably the same thing, come to think of it.)
Public Castration is a Good Idea shows Swans in their most basic
form, before Gira began tinkering and expanding their sound in the ensuing
years. I personally prefer their early- to- mid '90s work, as this feels a
bit too skeletal, but that's just me. Besides, there's no denying the
intrinsic entertainment value of having a copy of Public Castration is
a Good Idea around the house. The title alone is enough to freak out
your parents and roommates; imagine what'll happen if you actually play
it for them.
-Nick Mirov