''Swans Are Dead'' is the fifth

double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...

and seventh overall live album by American

experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with ...

band Swans. It was released in 1998 and was recorded in 1995 and 1997 on the band's final tours, before reuniting in 2010. The setlists of this era in the Swans live show were probably the most varied in terms of chronology. Although many of the songs performed were taken from ''

Soundtracks for the Blind ''Soundtracks for the Blind'' is the tenth studio album by Swans. It was released as a double CD in 1996, through Young God Records. ''Soundtracks for the Blind'' was intended, as suggested by the title, to function as a "soundtrack for a non-e ...

'', the band also resurrected songs from much earlier albums, including a re-worked version of "I Crawled" from the '' Young God'' EP (1984).

Background

Disc one (Black) was recorded in Amsterdam, New York City, Trondheim, Prague, Brussels and Atlanta on the band's final tour in 1997. Two other songs were performed on this tour, "The Man With the Silver Tongue", which appeared in a revised form on Angels of Light's 1999 debut LP '' New Mother''; and "My Birth", which remained unreleased until it appeared on Swans's 2010 album '' My Father Will Guide Me up a Rope to the Sky''. However, neither tracks were included on the album. Other songs were also sporadically performed, such as "The Sound" (at least twice on the American leg of the tour). The liner notes state that disc two (white) was recorded in Norway on the band's 1995 tour. The songs "In", "Alcohol the Seed", and "Animus", that had been played during the tour and also for the Amsterdam concert, did not appear on ''Swans Are Dead'' (the concert has been recorded by the radio station VPRO, Animus is also cut on that recording).

Critical reception

''The Rough Guide to Rock'' described the album as "a head-churning final statement".

Track listing

Personnel

Credits for ''Swans Are Dead'' adapted from liner notes.Track listing and credits as per liner notes for ''Swans Are Dead'' album ;Disc one (Black) * Michael Gira - vocals, guitar, compiling, mastering, producer, lyrics, music * Jarboe - vocals, keyboards * Bill Bronson - bass guitar * Clinton Steele - guitar * Phil Puleo - percussion, dulcimer (hammer) * Dave Ouimet - performer * Kris Force - performer * Berry Kamer - recording * Josh Wertheimer - live engineer, recording * Chris Griffin - engineer ;Disc two (White) * Michael Gira - vocals, guitar, compiling, mastering, producer, lyrics, music * Jarboe - vocals, keyboards * Joe Goldring - bass guitar, guitar *

Vudi Vudi is the nickname of Mark Pankler (born 22 September 1952, Chicago), guitarist with San Francisco based indie rock band American Music Club. He is also the vocalist and guitarist in San Francisco based indie rock band Clovis de Floret. H ...

- guitar, keyboards * Larry Mullins - percussion, vibraphone * Andy Ray - live engineer * Chris Griffin - engineer

References

{{Authority control 1998 live albums Swans (band) live albums Young God Records live albums Albums produced by Michael Gira