This record is likely to be one of the most neglected CDs in my collection, up until writing this piece. I almost certainly bought it at the same time as Love Is Simple (2007) (see next entry) and, as is often the case, I listened to one of them at the expense of the other.
It is because of this neglect that listening to the record now, six years after buying it, is such a delight. Preconceptions that I had of Akron/Family and, even more surprisingly, Swans have been put to rest. Up until about fifteen minutes ago I knew that Angels of Light was a collaborator on this album, but that was the extent of my knowledge, such was my curiosity. Angels of Light, AKA Michael Gira, isn’t just some guy with a hat, but is one of the founding members of the band Swans. My experience of Swans is limited, extending as far as seeing their name on ATP programmes, and being aware of their intimidating heaviness. Are they post-punk? Are the post-rock? I don’t really know, but I always had the idea that they were too heavy for the likes of me.
Not so Angels of Light. Here, he an Akron/Family borrow a bit of heaviness and light from one another, at least in my head. There’s none of the oppressive scariness that’s makes me wary of Swan, and Akron/Family are devoid of the flimsiness that is occasional elsewhere in their work.
The results are oftentimes reminiscent of Lennon/McCartney songs, which often have the dark John songs lightened by the technical touch of Paul. The Abbey Road song ‘Because’ is a presence on opening track ‘Awake’ and later on ‘Dylan Pt. 2’. Michael Gira sounds like Johnny Cash at the end of The Provider. I'm only getting these things now, now that I listen carefully for the first time. I should have done this blog a long time ago.
I suspect I will gain more insight into this album with time. This is, for now, a record of my first impressions of Akron/Family & Angels of Light, a CD that has been quietly waiting for me on a shelf in the corners of rooms.
This and the next album in my collection were introduced to me by my friend Jenni. Read on for a story.
No comments:
Post a Comment