Customer Reviews

Incandescent + 12

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Liverpool, England was a hip place to be in the early 80's. Quickly following Manchester's lead, Liverpool's scene, centered around Bill Drummond's Zoo label, produced some wildly talented, original bands like Echo and the Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes, who became household names. Others, like the Wild Swans, were relegated to cult obscurity. But what sets the Wild Swans apart is the fiercely rabid cult following that grew around their lone early 80s single, "Revolutionary Spirit." Web-searches turn up gushing praise from old-fart New Wavers who hold this single close to their hearts. Bill Drummond cited it as "the best track Zoo ever produced." But for 20 years, your only chances of finding this rarity were to stumble upon the out-of-print Zoo compilation or locate the elusive single. Luckily, it's finally been preserved on CD with 2 discs full of previously unreleased Peel Sessions, demos, and live cuts.

This isn't quite the same Wild Swans who's good but over-produced melodic pop you probably heard on your local alternative radio station in 1988. This is the sound of four young, angsty, drugged-up hipsters, banging out impassioned pop with a blurry energy like there's no tomorrow. Produced in a fit of extra-curricular activity by Bunnymen drummer Pete de Freitas (who also played drums on it), the single perfectly captures their intense, naïve youthful energy. Crucial to the sound is guitarist Jem Kelly's intricate, melodic, shimmering style; a bit like Richard Lloyd's artsy, English cousin, or Robyn Guthrie on speed. Paul Simpson's dramatic singing adds to the desperate urgency. "Revolutionary Spirit," with its lush verses and stunning, driving chorus, perfectly embodies what the pop end of English post-punk was all about; bold, romantic, wildly catchy, artful, moody, and played with a sense of urgency only early 20-somethings can conjure. The b-side, "God Forbid," is just as riveting, with the same surging energy and beautiful, melodic hooks. The verses' upbeat pop and infectious guitar melodies (copied ad nauseam by every C-86/twee band that ever existed) contrast the dramatic, dark, pummeling chorus. Whether you get this music or not, there's no denying its seminal impact, even on 3rd generation Indie-pop kids who probably never heard it.

Contributing to "Rev. Spirit's" cult mystique is the youthful, DIY naivety of its production. Clearly not a seasoned producer, de Freitas accidentally mixed the single in mono and recorded the levels way too "hot", resulting in audible distortion in the songs' louder sections. Adding insult to injury, de Freitas took the master tapes to New York on a US Bunnymen tour to have them remixed, and lost them (to this day they've never surfaced). Renascent unearthed a test pressing of the single and digitally re-mastered it, eliminating some of the distortion. They also included the stereo remixes from NY (that somehow made it back home), which, despite improved sonic clarity, lack the unique urgency of the original.

So, was there enough good material to justify a 2-disc compilation? The first disc, containing everything they did around the time of Rev Spirit, is pretty consistent. Several tunes reach the highs of the single, like "The Iron Bed," "Flowers of England," and "Now You're Perfect," - all soaring and beautiful, with Kelly's sparkly, hands-on-fire lead-melodic guitar, Simpson's melodramatic singing, and their trademark bruising drums. Even the flanger-laden instrumental filler "Thirst" is fairly engaging.

Disc two loses steam, but still its moments, like the Peel Sessions and demos recorded in '86 after the band returned from a lengthy hiatus. "Northern England" and "Now and Forever" were re-recorded for their '88 LP "Bringing Home the Ashes," but the slightly rough, stripped-down versions here might be more appealing since they contrast "Ashes'" slick production. Disc 2's second half rounds up early live tracks played by the original line-up, which although energetic and well played, suffer from bootleg quality sound. The live stuff isn't essential to me, but I'm sure someone out there is drooling all over it. Disc 2 ends with a boombox recording of the band in rehearsal, hashing out a new, pre-vocals tune.

Revolutionary Spirit and God Forbid are perfect, beautiful pop songs. It is impossible to explain, but hear them and you should get an idea. I know almost nothing about The Wild Swans except that in the summer of 1982, as an 18-year-old spotty punk in a village by the sea in southern England, they touched me in a way no other songs have done, before or since.

This is a must album for those fans who have been in love with Paul Simpson and his deep, melodic voice through the years. "Incandescent" is the collection of the Wild Swans, and I say incomplete because I want more of them!

What attracted to to their music was the deepness of their lyrics to social strife, and whatever ills we have of our personhood. The tracks of Revolutionery Spirit are great to compare each other too. I had only heard their very first cut off the album which is no longer, and feel in love then and there. Hearing all the other tracks brought me back to the 80's and a scan of my life from then til now. "God Forbid" is probably my favorite track, although each and every song is fantastic. I cannot say enough about the music.

This is a must also for James fans, another group from the Liverpool area. I always put them and the Wild Swans together.

My brother had originally bought the 12" vinyl single way back in the early 80's, and even today (2008) I still wanted to go back and hear "Revolutionary Spirit" and "God Forbid." I knew the expense would be worth it for only a couple songs. These two are that wonderful.

For me, though, most of this is 80's pop drivel--it's amazing how so many of the 80's "alternative" bands have that pretty-boy-romantic sound--but there are a few more treats to hear--like "Revolutionary Spirit" (live), "No Bleeding", and "Northern England." At least their hearts are in it, and they strived to make the songs somewhat interesting, like early Modern English and Psychedelic Furs did.

One other mention is the cd case itself manufactured by Renascent UK crumbles in my hands, it's one of the worst I've every purchased, even worse than Led Zeppelin's BBC Sessions case manufactured by Atlantic. Quality means a lot to me, so I took off a star for this foolishness.

I have to admit the first time I listened to this CD I was lukewarm about it. Then when I woke up the next morning, I couldn't get it out of my mind. That's the way it is with music that isn't superficial; once it takes hold, it's powerful stuff. If I had to describe the songs of the Wild Swans it would be as soundtrack to a pleasant dream, the kind where you find yourself floating in the sky. The instrumentation is richly layered with a strange intensity; the singing of front man Paul Simpson has a distant surreal quality. I'm giving this CD 4 stars instead of 5 because of various technical flaws with some of the original recordings, which were apparently done on a shoestring budget. If you can get past that, though, the songs themselves are amazing. Thanks go to Renascent for giving us a chance to hear another great forgotten band of the 1980s!

I have loved the Swans since my Danceteria days in early 80s New York. But its a fitful, frustrating love. You get the sense from 'Incandesent' that the Swans forgot to stop partying. That they never took the time to put together more than a handful of songs. Oh, but what songs they were. This collection is for completists and aging post-punker (like myself) who wished they'd shared a pint with the boys back when simply getting stoned was a subversive act. Its a nice collection of beautiful, quirky oddities here. But a few gems are missing "Holy Holy", "1982", "World of Milk and Blood" come to mind. Maybe on an 'Ashes' reissue. In the meantime, scoop this up. Simpson & Company deserve the attention. If you really care about the band, buy it directly from their label, Renascent. That way the company (and the band) can make a few pennies. Maybe enough to mine the crates for a second hits collection.

Poor quality Great Music! The recording of rev spirit is bad! Comcast plays it on TV and it is great too bad!

I could listen to both discs all day and night, without skipping over ANY tracks. All of the songs are sung and played beautifully. The singer has a rich, beautiful voice. The music captures the message of each song. The CD has a very natural, organic feel... songs from the heart! The songs are about love lost, GOD, spirituality, and England. Quite a few have such beautiful content that I've actually "rewound" the track in awe- where is this content in today's music? The songs are timeless and "touch" almost everyone.

Incandescent is a perfect example of 80s alternative, British made music. If you like that genre, then you will LOVE Incadescent!