Music Reviews

Windsor for the Derby

Difference And Repetition

Young God

Honesty is a characteristic I value in people. More than just truthfulness in what one says, I value someone that’s honest to one’s self. Good, genuine, and simple things are hard to find. That is why Windsor for the Derby is one of my favorite bands. They radiate a quiet peacefulness that is so rare.

Difference And Repetition carries the same torch as “Minnie Greutzfeldt,” but that torch seems to have grown heavier. There is an element of world-weariness in this music, different from the quiet optimism of their earlier works. Michael Gira’s label seems appropriate for this album; there is no Swans-esque bombast here, but the same grace of all of Gira’s projects appears here. Difference And Repetition shares the lyricism of White Light from the Mouth of Infinity-era Swans, but strips the music down to its barest level. The guitars slowly trace out melancholy patterns over the occasional drizzle of the vibraphone. They haven’t lost their affinity for unique sounds, demonstrated by the muted thump of “Shaker,” or the breathy rumble of “Shoes McCoat.”

Windsor for the Derby epitomizes the humanism I love in all art, whether it is music, film, sculpture or portrait. Simply beautiful.

Young God Records, P.O. Box 420232, Atlanta, GA 30342-0232; http://www.swans.pair.com/


Recently on Ink 19...

Swans

Swans

Event Reviews

40 years on, Michael Gira and Swans continue to bring a ritualistic experience that needs to be heard in order to be believed. Featured photo by Reese Cann.

Eclipse 2024

Eclipse 2024

Features

The biggest astronomical event of the decade coincides with a long overdue trip to Austin, Texas.

Sun Ra

Sun Ra

Music Reviews

At the Showcase: Live in Chicago 1976/1977 (Jazz Detective). Review by Bob Pomeroy.