SWANS have shared their new track called “Paradise in Me“, their first new song from the upcoming album “The Beggar“, due for release on Mute / Young God Records (N America) on 23 June 2023.
In addition, Swans have announced further dates for a tour across the UK, Europe and North America – full details below. The Beggar is released as double vinyl in a brown chipboard sleeve with a download card for accessing an additional 44 minutes of music (a 44 minute piece of music called The Beggar Lover (Three) that is included on the CD), and as a double CD in a brown chipboard digi-pack.
The Beggar was recorded and mixed at Candy Bomber Studio, Berlin, engineered by Ingo Krauss and mastered by Doug Henderson at Micro-Moose, Berlin. The album was written and produced by Michael Gira and features contributions from recent and former Swans, members of Angels of Light, as well as Guest Swan Ben Frost.
“After numerous pandemic-induced cancellations of tours for the previous Swans album leaving meaning, and an apparent bottomless pit of waiting, waiting, waiting, and the strange disorientation that came with this sudden but interminable forced isolation I decided it was time to write songs for a new Swans album and forget about everything else. They came relatively easily, always informed by the suspicion that these could be my last. When I finally was able to travel, songs in hand, to Berlin to work with my friends recording this record, the feeling was akin to the moment in The Wizard of Oz when the film changes from Black and White to Color. Now I’m feeling quite optimistic. My favourite color is pink. I hope you enjoy the album.” – Michael Gira
Michael Gira – Vocals, words, acoustic guitar, production. Gira started Swans in NYC in 1982 and has been the primary songwriter, singer and producer throughout the years. During the Swans hiatus (1999 – 2010), he released several albums by and toured with a group called Angels of Light. Gira recently published a book of his short stories, journals, and words for music, called The Knot. He lives in New Mexico.
Kristof Hahn – Lap steel, various guitars, vocals. Kristof first joined Swans in 1989 and was a principal contributor to Angels of Light, and a core Swans member 2010 – 2017. Kristof’s other musical ventures have included the Rock ‘n’ Roll Noir band Les Hommes Sauvages and Kool Kings (with Alex Chilton). When not making music Kristof translates books. He lives in Berlin, Germany.
Larry Mullins – Drums, vibes, orchestral percussion, Mellotron, various keyboards, backing vocals. Larry is a trained symphonic percussionist. He played through the ‘90s with Iggy Pop and later with The Stooges. He played with Swans in the late ‘90s and was a main contributor to Angels of Light. His current main job is playing drums with The Bad Seeds. Larry lives in Berlin, Germany.
Dana Schechter – Bass guitar, lap steel, keyboards, vocals, piano. Dana played bass in and was a core member of Angels of Light. She subsequently released music and toured as Bee and Flower. Her current band is the power-duo, Insect Ark. Dana is also an animator and designer in the film industry and currently lives in Berlin, Germany.
Christopher Pravdica – Bass guitar, sounds, keyboards, vocals. Chris played bass as a core Swans member in 2010 – 2017. Chris has played with the bands, The Gunga Din, Flux Information Sciences, Xiu Xiu, Yonatan Gat’s Medicine Singers and has a project of his own called We Owe. Chris is a sound designer and lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Phil Puleo – Drums, percussion, vocals, piano, exotic wind instruments. Phil played drums with Swans in the late ‘90s and was a core member in Swans 2010 – 2017 and contributed to Angels of Light. Phil’s early NYC musical venture was Cop Shoot Cop and has since played with Human Impact, among others. Phil is an extremely talented illustrator and lives in Chicago, IL.
Ben Frost – Guitar, synthesizers, sound manipulations. In his own work, Ben’s adventurous sound-craftings are sometimes harrowing and sometimes delicate and quite musical. His numerous albums and his powerful live shows have afforded him much recognition. He is also an accomplished composer and arranger of music for film and television. Ben lives in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Backing vocals are provided by Jennifer Gira, Lucy Kruger and Laura Carbone. Organ illustrations by Nicole Boitos
Michael Gira, a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, founded Swans, an American experimental rock band in 1982.
Despite originating from the New York City no wave scene, Swans has managed to maintain their presence and unique sound throughout the years.
Their style has evolved, spanning across various genres such as noise rock, post-punk, industrial, and post-rock. In the beginning, their music was known for its aggressive sound and cynical lyrics. However, after the addition of Jarboe, a singer, songwriter, and keyboardist in 1986, Swans’ music began incorporating melody and complexity. Jarboe remained the only constant member of the band, aside from Gira and semi-constant guitarist Norman Westberg, until their dissolution in 1997.
In 2010, Gira re-established the band without Jarboe, forming a stable lineup of musicians who have toured globally and received critical acclaim for their four albums. The latest iteration of the group performed their final shows in November 2017, ending their tour with The Glowing Man, their then thought to be final album.
Since 2019, Gira has continued to tour and record with Swans, collaborating with a revolving group of musicians. Young God Records, Gira’s label, has released all Swans albums since 1990. Their most recent album, Leaving Meaning, was released on October 25, 2019.
The Beggar 2CD tracklisting
CD1:
The Parasite (8:27)
Paradise is Mine (9:23)
Los Angeles: City of Death (3:29)
Michael is Done (6:08)
Unforming (5:55)
The Beggar (10:15)
No More of This (6:55)
Ebbing (11:04)
Why Can’t I Have What I Want Any Time That I Want? (7:38)
CD2:
The Beggar Lover (Three) (43:51)
The Memorious (8:38)
The Beggar 2LP tracklisting + The Beggar Lover (Three) included on download card
Side A
Paradise is Mine (9:23)
The Beggar (10:15)
Side B
Los Angeles: City of Death (3:29)
The Parasite (8:27)
The Memorious (7:53)
Side C
Michael is Done (6:08)
Why Can’t I Have What I Want Any Time That I Want? (7:41)
Unforming (6:10)
Side D
Ebbing (11:25)
No More of This (6:55)
Here is the itinerary for Swans’ upcoming tour in Europe:
20/05/2023 – Leipzig, DE – UT Connewitz
21/05/2023 – Poznan, PL – CK Zamek
23/05/2023 – Katowice, PL – Kino Teatr Rialto
25/05/2023 – Zilina, SK – New Synagogue
26/05/2023 – Ljubljana, SI – Kino Siska
29/05/2023 – Bologna, IT – Teatro Duse
31/05/2023 – Lyon, FR – Transbordeur
02/06/2023 – Barcelona, ES – Primavera Sound Festival
04/06/2023 – Lisboa, PT – Culturgest
05/06/2023 – Lisboa, PT – Culturgest
06/06/2023 – Faro, PT – Teatro Das Figuras
09/06/2023 – Madrid, ES – Primavera Sound Festival
11/06/2023 – Athens, GR – Vraxon Theatre
13/06/2023 – Thessaloniki, GR – Moni Lazariston
15/06/2023 – Antwerp, BE – Bourlaschouwburg
16/06/2023 – Utrecht, NL – Hertz Theatre
