Love of Life (album)

Love of Life
Love of Life
Studio album by Swans
Released	February 24, 1992
Recorded	October–December 1991
Studio	B.C. Studios (Brooklyn, New York)
Genre	Neofolk; psychedelic rock;
Length	53:58
Label	Young God
Producer	Michael Gira
Swans chronology
Singles from Love of Life
	"Love of Life" / "Amnesia"; Released: 1992;

Love of Life is the eighth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1992 on Young God Records.

Background[]

Like its predecessor, White Light from the Mouth of Infinity, Love of Life was out of print for a long time and had not been reissued until December 2015.^[2] Six of the eleven songs appear on the Various Failures compilation, and a further four appear on the Forever Burned compilation. These two compilations therefore contain all the material on this release, except the Jarboe composition "She Cries (For Spider)", as well as tracks 1 and 9.

The cover art is a painting by Deryk Thomas. All of the untitled segues, listed as both "(—)" and "(---)", are credited to the band Beautiful People LTD, which is a one-off collaboration between Jarboe and then-Swans bass player Lary 7.

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Pitchfork	8.0/10^[4]

Trouser Press wrote, "Not as stunning in its passion as the band's best work, Love of Life is still an often beautiful, haunting record."^[5] AllMusic wrote, "Love of Life unsurprisingly proves to be yet another Swans masterpiece."^[3]

Track listing[]

All lyrics are written by Michael Gira; all music is composed by Gira and Jarboe except all untitled tracks.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"(---)"	Jarboe, Larry Seven	0:17
2.	"Love of Life"		3:41
3.	"The Golden Boy That Was Swallowed by the Sea"		4:32
4.	"(---)"	Jarboe, Larry Seven	0:37
5.	"(---)"	Jarboe, Larry Seven	2:06
6.	"The Other Side of the World"		4:40
7.	"Her"		5:24
8.	"The Sound of Freedom"		4:34
9.	"(---)"	Jarboe, Larry Seven	0:34
10.	"Amnesia"		4:19
11.	"Identity"		4:31
12.	"(---)"	Jarboe, Larry Seven	1:02
13.	"In the Eyes of Nature"		4:42
14.	"She Cries (For Spider)"	Jarboe	4:57
15.	"God Loves America"		3:43
16.	"(---)"	Jarboe, Larry Seven	1:20
17.	"No Cure for the Lonely" (this track is not present on all vinyl releases)		2:56
Total length:			53:58

2015 bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
18.	"Amnesia (Long)" (from "Love of Life/Amnesia" single)		7:42
19.	"Song for Dead Time (MG Version)"		4:34
20.	"You Know Everything" (from "Celebrity Lifestyle" single)		4:25
21.	"Mother's Milk (Live)" (from Omniscience)		4:37
22.	"The Child's Right" (from Ten Songs for Another World by World of Skin)		3:36
23.	"Love of Life (Short)" (from "Love of Life/Amnesia" single)		3:20
24.	"Unfortunate Lie" (instrumental version)		2:18
25.	"No Cruel Angel" (from "Saved" single)		4:29
26.	"Black Eyed Dog" (from Ten Songs for Another World by World of Skin)	Nick Drake	3:48
27.	"Love of Life (Long)" (from "Love of Life/Amnesia" single)		6:07
28.	"Picture of Maryanne" (from "Love of Life/Amnesia" single)		4:22
29.	"Amnesia (Live)" (from Omniscience)		6:20
30.	"Dream Dream" (from Ten Songs for Another World by World of Skin)		5:32
31.	"Please Remember Me" (from Ten Songs for Another World by World of Skin)		4:37
32.	"Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes" (edit, from Ten Songs for Another World by World of Skin)		1:18
33.	"The Unknown (Live)"		6:45
34.	"Blood on Your Hands (Live)" (from Anonymous Bodies in an Empty Room)		3:11
35.	"A Young Girl Needs (Live)" (from Anonymous Bodies in an Empty Room)		2:35

Personnel[]

Michael Gira – vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, samples, production, sleeve artwork concept and design
Jarboe – vocals, keyboards, backing vocals, mellotron
Clinton Steele – guitar, acoustic guitar
Algis Kizys – bass guitar
Vincent Signorelli – drums
Jenny Wade – bass
Ted Parsons – drums
Troy Gregory – bass guitar
Larry Seven – bass guitar, guitar
Adam Jankowski – narration on "Identity"
Martin Bisi – engineering, additional programming
Howie Weinberg – mastering
Mark Richardson – additional recording
Deryk Thomas – front cover illustration
Larry Lame – sleeve photography
Patricia Mooney – sleeve artwork and layout

References[]

^ Lariviere, Aaron (November 9, 2012). "Swans Albums From Worst To Best". Stereogum. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
^ Young God Records staff. "WHITE LIGHT. . . + LOVE OF LIFE (LTD ED VINYL BOX SET / 3CD RELEASE)". Young God Records. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Raggett, Ned. "Love of Life – Swans : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
^ "Swans". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
^ Leland, John; Sheridan, David; Kenny, John; Frampton, Peter. "trouserpress.com :: Swans". trouserpress.com. Retrieved March 2, 2013.

External links[]

Love of Life at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] Lariviere, Aaron (November 9, 2012). "Swans Albums From Worst To Best". Stereogum. Retrieved June 25, 2015.

[2] Young God Records staff. "WHITE LIGHT. . . + LOVE OF LIFE (LTD ED VINYL BOX SET / 3CD RELEASE)". Young God Records. Retrieved October 18, 2015.

[AllMusic-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b Raggett, Ned. "Love of Life – Swans : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved March 2, 2013.

[4] "Swans". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 4, 2015.

[5] Leland, John; Sheridan, David; Kenny, John; Frampton, Peter. "trouserpress.com :: Swans". trouserpress.com. Retrieved March 2, 2013.

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show v t Swans
Michael Gira Jarboe Algis Kizys Ted Parsons Thurston Moore Roli Mosimann Vincent Signorelli Bill Rieflin Toby Dammit Jonathan Kane Thor Harris Christopher Pravdica Phil Puleo Paul Wallfisch Norman Westberg
Studio albums	Filth Cop Greed Holy Money Children of God The Burning World White Light from the Mouth of Infinity Love of Life The Great Annihilator Soundtracks for the Blind My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky The Seer To Be Kind The Glowing Man Leaving Meaning
Fundraiser albums	I Am Not Insane We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head Not Here / Not Now The Gate What Is This?
Live albums	Public Castration Is a Good Idea Feel Good Now Anonymous Bodies in an Empty Room Real Love Omniscience Kill the Child Swans Are Dead We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head Not Here / Not Now The Gate Deliquescence
Compilation albums	Body to Body, Job to Job Children of God/World of Skin Various Failures Filth/Body to Body, Job to Job Cop/Young God Greed/Holy Money Forever Burned
EPs	Swans Young God Love Will Tear Us Apart Die Tür ist zu Oxygen
Singles	"A Screw" "Time Is Money (Bastard)" "New Mind" "Can't Find My Way Home" "Saved" "Celebrity Lifestyle"
Related articles	Discography Young God Records Angels of Light The Body Lovers / The Body Haters Cop Shoot Cop Of Cabbages and Kings Prong Sulfur Unsane World of Skin Where Does a Body End?