While unlikely to be as earth-shaking as the creative partnership of Brian Eno and the Talking Heads, the second union between these Brisbane indie rockers and electronic composer Lawrence English has nevertheless yielded some memorable and subtly warped pop gems. Fans of their excellent 2008 debut (even Brainwashed loved it) may miss the presence of departed vocalist/songwriter Meredith McHugh though.
The Rational Academy's bio describes them as a "psychedelic avant-pop collective", which is somewhat misleading: Swans usually sounds much more like a cross between Elliot Smith and Sarah/Shinkansen Records bands like the Trembling Blue Stars than anything approximating Animal Collective. There is certainly some psychedelia present, of course, but it very subtle and usually reserved for the instrumentals (such as the hauntingly beautiful title track). The mood here is far more "wistful bedroom pop" than "mind-expanding."
Given the band's collective nature, it is difficult to determine each member's role, but it seems like Benjamin Thompson has become the band's creative center. This has resulted in a significant shift in the band's sound: the buoyant synthpop, male/female harmonies, and shambling Archers of Loaf-style noisiness displayed on A Heart Against Your Own seem to have largely departed with McHugh (whom I believe finished a doctorate and became a scientist). The one notable exception is "Hammer," which artfully melds bass-driven pop to a distressed synthesizer and an angular guitar jangle and tops it all off with spacey electronic weirdness. Instead, the Academy have taken on a more timeless and classic sound: if it weren't for the glistening electronic shimmer, songs like "A New Berlin" and "Summer Husbands" could've been recorded by the Zombies (although a bit more introspective and maybe a little twee).
Swans is a gorgeous sounding album, which probably has a lot to do with English. The acoustic guitars are crisp, the vocals are crystal clear, the songs feel spacious and open, and the electronics are subtle and often sublime. English is clearly a useful guy to have around, as nothing sounds bad when it is tastefully enveloped by an amniotic electronic haze. Aside from the aforementioned title track, I was also beguiled by the rippling spectral drone of "12 Feet in Cheltenham," which favorably calls to mind some of English's own lush soundscapes. There many less obvious examples as well though, such as the warm, undulating glow beneath the guitar solo in " New Berlin."
Notably, this release is the second in Someone Good's "10 songs in 20 minutes" series. While I certainly enjoy concise, well-written pop songs, that also means that there is only about ten or so minutes of truly good material included: there's some filler and an occasional misfire like the misplaced swagger of "Satan." Consequently, I am not sure if Swans is representative of the band's current direction or if this album is merely an experiment. It is undeniably enjoyable, but it doesn't quite hit the highs of their debut. Hopefully their next proper album will more fully realize that promise.
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