Notes From The Record Room: Bandcamp Friday (John Dwyer & Desperate Living), The Jesus Lizard, Swans
Record Room: Friday, 3/7
Makaya McCraven’s Universal Beings is on the turntable. I’m into groove this evening. While I’m normally not adverse to the chaos of jazz experimentation and free-from exploration, both of which often yield challenging and rewarding sounds, tonight is just not that night. I’m at the tail end of a 50+ hour workweek that truly only wound up that way because last-minute was the go-to jam for some people. Consequently, I crave order. I crave arrangement. I crave harmony and alignment.
Anyway, you should own Universal Beings if you don’t.
Money’s tight this year, so I couldn’t be as irresponsible as I normally aim to be when it comes to Bandcamp Friday and its built-in incentive to help financially support artists and the work they do. I did, however purchase the following:
John Dwyer
Chime Oblivion
Deathgod
Scheduled for release: 4/18/25
John Dwyer’s Chime Oblivion is, I believe, only the second album released under his new label Deathgod, which is essentially a newly minted Castle Face Records. Two earlier limited variant editions of Chime Oblivion sold out faster than I could acquire one, so I was happy to see that a third variant had surfaced.
I’ve only heard one song of this album so far titled “Neighborhood Dog,” which combines what I believe to be the best aspects of both Sleater-Kinney and X-Ray Spex. It’s a scrappy tune, under two minutes with Dwyer’s Osees-centricisms and penchant for arrangement audible despite sharing some writing credits for this album.
Desperate Living
City Sadness EP
Brutal Panda /
Noise Real Records
Scheduled for reissue: 5/1/25
Growing up in Ambler—and having lived in neighboring Lansdale for almost 20 years at this point—I’ve had the pleasure to witness many gigs from the region’s homegrown hardcore / punk / metal scene over the years. As incestuous as these local music scenes tend to be, the post-hardcore band Desperate Living features the former members of Ladder Devils and The Minor Times. The City Sadness EP was originally released in 2020 via Brutal Panda Records and was recently reissued on LP by Noise Real Records. I ordered the splatter variant.
Further Bandcamp Friday dates for 2025:
May 2nd
August 1st
September 5th
October 3rd
December 5th
The Jesus Lizard
“I’m Tired Of
Being Your Mother”
Ipecac Recordings
Released: 3/5/25
The Jesus Lizard graced us with another non-album single called “I’m Tired Of Being Your Mother.” David Yow reiterates, “I cannot stand the sight of you! I cannot stand the sight of you!” Apparently the song is built from various parental quotes, selected bruise-inflicting phrases spoken aloud by mothers at their children who very likely grew up to respect and adore those passionate matriarchs.
Parents are the fucking worst.
“I’m Tired Of Being Your Mother” is the third non-album single to emerge from the band since 11/2024. A planned physical EP of those non-album singles will be made available as a Record Store Day exclusive on 4/12/25. The EP is titled Flux and will feature an etched B-side.
Prior tracks:
Swans
Birthing
Young God Records
Scheduled for release: 5/30/25
Shy of 20 minutes, “I Am A Tower” is the new single from Swans’ upcoming new album, Birthing. This is album #17. Main Swan Michael Gira will be touring in support of Birthing in 2025 with plans to deactivate this iteration of the group:
“This album, coupled with the recent live release, Live Rope, constitutes my final foray (as producer / impresario) into the all-consuming sound worlds that have been my obsession for years. We’ll do a final tour in this mode towards the end of 2025, then that’s it.”
Noting those “all-consuming sound worlds” Gira speaks of, “I Am A Tower” is the sort of multi-act slow burn with which Swans has become well associated.
— A dog barks —
The rattle and hum of instrumental tension builds
before Gira launches into a lyrical recitation, sort of
prayer-like in delivery, as distant vocal melodies are strung
behind Gira’s commanding presence.
“Just show me an ocean,” he demands, “and I’ll fart as it boils.”Instrumental turbulence ensues as a wavering
undertone emulates a siren.The tension is reduced and harmonized
vocals emerge, both lush and lovely.
— A dog barks —
The 6-minute final act blasts into some riff-driven rock,
underlying melodic textures evocative of 80s post-punk and new wave.
It sounds almost celebratory.
Birthing is available at Young God Records for pre-order.
Sincerely,
Letters From A Tapehead
