Children Of God / World Of Skin

A reissue of one of Swans' pivotal albums, CHILDREN OF GOD/WORLD OF SKIN captures the avant-garde New Yorkers slowly transitioning from terrifying, pounding brutality into the ethereal, cinematic solemnity of their later albums. The first disc collects 1987's CHILDREN OF GOD. The punishing Swans of old are still present on songs like the slow-motion massacre "Sex, God, Sex", the grinding "Beautiful Child", and the disorienting, metallic "Like a Drug (Sha la la la)". But somber, sepulchral meditations like "Our Love Lies" and the eastern-flavored "Blood and Honey" now begin to broaden their already-experimental sound. Disc 2 collects the two albums band leader Michael Gira and keyboardist/vocalist Jarboe recorded as World of Skin, a folkier side-project that pointed in the direction of future Swans projects. Dramatic, sober, and shot through with near-religious grandeur, the World of Skin songs put Jarboe's beautiful, expressive vocals front and center.|