When Michael Gira disbanded Swans in 1997, he declared himself free of the connotations that came with being in that group who were considered the loudest band and invoked the ire of noise ordinances everywhere. Angels of Light is Gira's project of the last ten years that is the polar opposite to the expectations that were heaped upon him while he was involved in Swans; but, Angels of Light are also similar in that their "quiet" compositions are equally as suffocating and claustrophobic as the seminal act. We are Him is the seventh album by Michael Gira and his revolving door cast of supporting musicians that comprise Angels of Light, and marks yet another shift in the group's overall sound (albeit subtle).
The album's opening track is the tremendous "Black River Song"; the ragged rhythm and percussion arrangement is so driving and powerful while the other instrumentation feeds off of the energy of the beat, and the vocals only enhance the effect of the song with the male female juxtaposition. Gira's haunting vocal performance is striking on "Promise of Water", and the background vocals only add to that feel; but the combination of the entire vocal arrangement with the lilting sound of the stringed instrument pushes the mood over the edge. I wholeheartedly enjoy the simple melodic qualities and the slowly building volume and intensity of "The Man We Left Behind" (then again, I am a sucker for slide and pedal steel guitar which makes an appearance as well) and "Joseph's Song" (which has a bouncy rhythm that makes my feet tap every time). That declaration of enjoyment can be made for "Not Here/ Not Now" (mainly because the male/female vocals play real well off of each other and the repetition of their parts creates a hypnotic effect that is mesmerizing at times) and the title track for We are Him (which marries the bouncy rhythm with an infectious quality). "Good Bye Mary Lou" is a fun track that just has a great pick me up feel in the music.
We are Him is a work that shows Michael Gira borrowing a bit from the percussive power of his former outfit and forging ahead with a new interpretation that harnesses that into the musical structure and breadth that Gira has more recently become known for with Angels of Light. This album is very diverse with a wide variety of instrumentation that is woven together to create some disconcerting pieces that are wholly enjoyable listens every one; I am surprised by how upbeat the album feels.
