JARBOE - The Men Album

The relationship between the sexes in the elaboration of the creative process, the meeting and clashing that stems from different models of interaction and integration, intimate feminine sensations reinterpreted from a male point of view. This is the fascinating founding concept of "The Men Album", and to realize it Jarboe called upon an exceptional cast - it's truly the right word for it: Foetus, Alan Sparhawk, Steve Von Till, David J., Blixa Bargeld, Edward Ka-Spel, Mika Vainio among others.

Six years of planning for a double album that somehow sums up the eclecticism of the princess of darkness, but it's not all smooth sailing, as we'll see shortly.

The first CD, subtitled "Guitars", harks back to Jarboe the singer-songwriter of pain, the one from the Skin project and the middle period of the Swans. It's without doubt the better half of the work, boasting a handful of compositions of undeniable worth. "Reason To Live" is one of the creative peaks of Jarboe's poetics, a skeletal ballad that transcends time and space, though she's accustomed us well to that by now. Torment takes centre stage on "To Forget", a powerful Middle Eastern-flavoured dirge that stretches on for over four minutes through moments of transcendent ecstasy, uncovering the absolute that speaks through Jarboe's divine vocals.

Having ceded the spotlight to Nic Le Ban for "Your Virgin Martyr", which veers towards a more doom-laden and less evocative Douglas P., the doors open onto the second part of the work, subtitled "Rhythms". And here's where the sour notes come in. There's a clear urge to experiment with tempos and rhythms, as already heard in some compositions on the excellent "Thirteen Masks", but in this case the constructs decidedly leave something to be desired. Jarboe uses a variety of musical styles as a pretext to unleash a rhythmic frenzy that doesn't translate into a satisfying final result. So, between bits of downtempo electronic trifles ("Torn Kiss" and "Penance"), sketched-out house suggestions ("Angel David") and the odd commercial-disco eyesore ("Bass Force + Angel Jim"), the album wearily shuffles to its end.

The last track, "Edward Life", is however a small hidden gem courtesy of Mr. Legendary Pink Dots, dragging Jarboe's vocals into an abyss of leaden psychedelic gashes. As they say: class will out: 7 for the first CD and for "Edward Life", 6 for the second, and the final grade is quickly worked out.

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20/12/2006