Released
1998

Label
Mothercrow (USA)

Reviewed by
K.A. Alexander

Contact
Jarboe

Visit
Jarboe
At her new site!
Visit
Jarboe at Swans


Last Edit/Update
29 September, 1999

Guests and Release Data
Mark Spybey, Jerry Blue, Joe Budenholzer, Brian Phrenz-C, Larry Seven, Bill Bronson, Michael Evans, Mika Vainio and Ilpo Vaisanen (Pansonic). The CD is available (and nearly sold out as of this update), in a limited-edition of 1500 worldwide from Swans website. Every copy is signed and numbered and features exclusive photography of Jarboe by Richard Kern. $25  Due to the graphic nature of the images, you must be 18 to order this very special edition which will no longer be available
when these few copies are sold.
Background photo by Kim Alexander taken during the Chicago venue of The Swans Final Tour, 1997.

Track Listing

1. The cage
2. Sinner
3. Forever
4. Rage
5. Not Noah's Ark
6. Sacred
7. Disciple Wannabe
8. Mississippi
9. Burnt
10. Anhedoniac Bottle
11. Under Will
12. Circles In Red Dirt
13. Panasonic in red dirt
14. Honey
15. I'm a Killer

     Anhedoniac:  One who is unable to experience pleasure.

    This is the theme for this release. As one may imagine, a ghostly brooding combined with a dark sense of brutal emotional pain, ccompelling exorcism and twisted metaphoric content is captured by Jarboe's music and lyrics on "Anhedoniac."
    In a soft angelic voice, she sings "You can't...  kiss me. You can't... lick me. You can't... kick me. You can't... miss me. You can't... taste me. You can't... shake me. You can't... make me. You can't... hate me. You can't... ache for me. You can't explode... what's empty. You can't erode... the memory. You can't... kill me. You can't... heal me. You can't... breathe me. You can't... grieve for me. You can't... believe in me, and you can't... leave me..." pretty much sums up the feelings of perhaps futility, in "Honey."
    This release clearly marks Jarboe as a virtuoso, reflecting her very personal lyrics of torment, seclusion and stories of agony in a wide array of vocals ranging from twisted cackling, spoken word and glorious melancholy, to that of a childlike cry for empty help as witness to disbelief of pleasure and living in the deep pangs of anguish.
    The styles of sound on "Anhedoniac" are equally versatile and convoluted as are the lyrics -- viciously personal, mystical, elegant, drone/groan and at times medieval. Jarboe has employed a fastidious group of musicians for this release which have greatly supported her messages, leaving the listener far removed from any semblance of notable harmony or peace -- moreover, it can thrust you into the empathetic deep pit of despair, self ruin and desolation. It also seems to be a purging of her feelings representing her many years spent in Swans and the trials she had/has from such experiences. The cover photos are revealingly shocking, visually descriptive of pain, suffering and futility, yet somehow I felt a sense of her freedom yet still in bondage past when I viewed them.  I send my best wishes to Jarboe for her full recovery with her recent surgery of which I hear was a total success. Thank you Jarboe for so many years of music.

To read our interview with Jarboe click here