Artist: Circus Mort

Title: Circus Mort

Year: 1981

Label: Labor Records  

Personnel: M. Gira (vocals), Don Braun (bass), Josh Braun (keyboards, vocals), Jonathan Kane (drums), Rick Oller (guitar vocals)

Tracklisting: Swallow you, Children remember, Yellow light, Watch the puppet

Glass say…

Accurately described by Trouser Press as like ‘banging your head against the side of a swimming pool — underwater’, Michael Gira’s Swans remains one of the most unique and influential industrial bands of all time. However, long before the Swans ever existed, Gira did time with this little-known New York post-punk collective.

One of the first things to hit you when ‘Swallow You’ kicks in is the speed. the almost unnaturally fast-paced music is totally at odds with Swans’ sound. Similarly, the aural assault you might expect is lacking, replaced instead by a tight, clean guitar and rhythm section, with cool keyboard fills/ drones occupying the spaces. Gira’s voice sounds strikingly youthful across the EP’s four strong post-punk vignettes, but stills packs enough of punch to make you sit up and take notice.     

People expecting headaches may be disappointed by the relatively safe tunes presented here, but this disc ain’t no ugly duckling.