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The Burning World
The Burning World
Studio album by Swans
Released	1989
Studio	Platinum Island (New York, New York) ; B.C. Studios (Brooklyn, New York)
Genre	Folk; Americana; psychedelic rock; gothic country;
Length	44:13
Label	Uni
Producer	Bill Laswell; Michael Gira;
Swans chronology
Singles from Swans
	"Saved"; Released: 1989; "Can't Find My Way Home"; Released: 1989;

The Burning World is the sixth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1989, through record label Uni Records, the band's only major-label release. Co-produced by Bill Laswell and band leader Michael Gira, the album features a major stylistic shift from their past releases, being very tuneful and accessible compared to the bleak, industrialized sound from their past records. It received a mixed reception and was a commercial disappointment; the band was dropped from the record label following its poor performance.

Background and music

Following the unexpected popularity of the band's cover of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart," the band signed to Uni Records, owned by MCA Inc. (now Universal Music). Due to Uni's insistence, Swans leader Michael Gira co-produced the album with bass guitarist Bill Laswell.^[1]^[2] During the recording sessions Swans consisted of Gira on vocals and guitar, keyboardist/singer Jarboe and guitarist Norman Westberg. They were accompanied by Laswell on bass guitar, as well as a series of Laswell's regular collaborators as session musicians on "multicultural instruments".^[1] According to Gira, the album was recorded "piecemeal, with no communication between musicians."^[3]

The album's style has been described as "acoustic-folk",^[4] "'world music' rock with electric shadings",^[1] "psychedelic rock equally lush and dark"^[5] and "dark Americana".^[6] Laswell's production work also weights on the album's sound,^[7] with "a much more somber, elegiac approach to music-making."^[5] The album also features the first vocal duets between Gira and Jarboe. According to Thom Jurek of AllMusic, guitarist Norman Westberg "played as much acoustic guitar as electric guitar on the record" and Jarboe's keyboards mostly "floated through the mix."^[8]

Despite appreciating Laswell's production work in general, Gira was critical of The Burning World. In 2011, he stated: "I abhor that record. Bill Laswell is a very good producer, but we didn't mesh well. I was intimidated and sang in this cramped, monotone way. It didn't sell, and we got dropped."^[9] The album was reissued on CD by Water Records in 2012.^[10] Despite Gira's reservations about the record, the track "God Damn The Sun" has remained a favourite in his solo performances.^[11] Gira also rehired guitarist Nicky Skopelitis and brought along drummer Anton Fier, both Laswell stalwarts, for the Swans albums White Light From the Mouth of Infinity (1991) and The Great Annihilator (1995).

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	6/10^[12]

The album received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, who often criticized Bill Laswell's production.^[13] AllMusic wrote, "Ultimately, Burning sounds more like a compromised major label Laswell project than a Swans album, to its overall detriment", calling the album a "general disappointment".^[1] On the other hand, Trouser Press was favorable, writing: "The Burning World benefits a great deal from the world music instrumentation and structural abilities Laswell brings to it. The arrangements are uniformly strong, the gentler sounds don't strike one as a compromise and the cover of Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home" is both apt and surprising", ultimately calling the album "a nice one that's almost as haunting as it wants to be."^[14] Rosemary Passatino of Spin praised the album, commenting: "Shockingly, Burning World is unbashedly pretty as it is dark." She also described the album as "elegant" and "surprisingly tender."^[15]

Commercial performance

While the album reportedly sold only 5,000 copies in the United Kingdom,^[9] the single "Saved" enjoyed relative success, peaking at number 20 on the U.S. College Radio charts and number 28 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart, respectively.^[2] Following the commercial disappointment of the album, the band was dropped from Uni Records.^[16]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Michael Gira, except "Can't Find My Way Home", written by Steve Winwood

Side One
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The River that Runs with Love Won't Run Dry"	4:16
2.	"Let It Come Down"	4:28
3.	"Can't Find My Way Home" (Blind Faith cover)	4:48
4.	"Mona Lisa, Mother Earth"	4:16
5.	"(She's A) Universal Emptiness"	4:02
Total length:		21:50

Side Two
No.	Title	Length
6.	"Saved"	4:11
7.	"I Remember Who You Are"	4:24
8.	"Jane Mary, Cry One Tear"	3:51
9.	"See No More"	5:30
10.	"God Damn the Sun"	4:23
Total length:		22:19

Personnel

Michael Gira – vocals, guitar, production, album cover concept and design
Jarboe – vocals, keyboards
Norman Westberg – guitar
Jason Asnes – bass guitar
Virgil Moorefield – drums
Nicky Skopelitis – bağlama, bouzouki
L. Shankar – double violin
Fred Frith – violin
Jeff Bova – keyboards
Aïyb Dieng – percussion
Trilok Gurtu – tabla
Bernard Fowler – background vocals
Fred Fowler – background vocals
Karl Berger – vibraphone, string arrangement, conducting
Mark Feldman – violin
Larry Packer – violin
John Kass – viola
Richard Carr – viola
Garo Yellin – cello
Bill Laswell – production, bass guitar
Bruce Calder – recording
Martin Bisi – recording
Robert Musso – recording
Jason Corsaro – mixing
Oz Fritz – engineering assistance
Howie Weinberg – mastering
DZN, The Design Group – sleeve artwork
Vartan – sleeve art direction
Wim V. D. Hulst – back cover photography
Robert Mapplethorpe – front cover photography (Calla Lilly)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Raggett, Ned. "The Burning World – Swans : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
^ ^a ^b Nasrallah, Dimitri (October 24, 2010). "Michael Gira: From Uncompromising Swans to Ethereal Angels of Light Page 3". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
^ Mamone, Jordan N. (August 14, 2012). "Bringing In The String Section With Michael Gira". Vice. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
^ Hampton, Justin (January 22, 1997). "Swan Song: The End of the Swans' 15-Year Flight". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
^ ^a ^b Lariviere, Aaron (November 9, 2012). "Swans Albums From Worst To Best". Stereogum. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
^ Terich, Jeff (September 26, 2013). "Beginner's Guide: Swans". Treblezine. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
^ Wodskou, Chris (November 1999). "Bill Laswell". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
^ Jurek, Thom. "Swans". AllMusic. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
^ ^a ^b Mojo (208): 56. March 2011. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ ""Swans - The Burning World" on Amazon". Amazon. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
^ Zevolli, Giuseppe (March 17, 2014). "DiS Does Singles: The Best Songs You've Never Heard". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
^ Newman, Andy (1995). "Swans". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 390–391. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
^ O'Dair, Marcus (July 16, 2009). "Bill Laswell's Method of Defiance". The Quietus. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
^ Leland, John; Sheridan, David; Kenny, Glenn; Frampton, Scott. "Swans". Trouser Press. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
^ Passatino, Rosemary (August 1989). "Swans: Burning World". Spin. 5 (5): 82.
^ Parker, Chris (September 6, 2012). "Swans Reboot Sinister Grandeur". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved September 22, 2014.