New Mother

New Mother is the debut studio album by American folk music act Angels of Light. It was released on April 5, 1999 via frontman Michael Gira's own record label Young God Records, immediately after Michael Gira disbanded his previous band, Swans. The album features contributions from various musicians, including violinist Hahn Rowe, Rasputina band cellist Julia Kent, drummer Thor Harris, composer Joe McGinty and ex-Swans members Bill Rieflin, Phil Puleo and Bill Bronson.[3]

New Mother
Studio album by
Angels of Light
ReleasedApril 5, 1999[1]
StudioEthel Sound/Triclops (Atlanta, Georgia)
King Mattress (Atlanta, Georgia)
B.C. Studios (Brooklyn, New York)
Spa Recording (New York City, New York)
Length71:22
LabelYoung God
ProducerMichael Gira
Angels of Light chronology
New Mother
(1999)		 How I Loved You
(2001)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]

The album contains versions of some songs that were performed live during Swans final tour, including "The Man With the Silver Tongue" and "Not Alone". The Michael Gira solo album Solo Recording at Home contains an outtake from the recordings session for this album, on the song "God's Servant".

Critical reception

Ned Raggett of Allmusic gave the album a positive review, stating: "No less than 19 musicians participated in the creation of New Mother, and the fact that Gira was able to synthesize their efforts and create such a powerful debut bodes well for his future efforts in this vein." He also wrote that the record "draws on a juxtaposition of lush '60s American and European pop orchestration."[2] Jordan N. Mamone of CMJ also praised the album, writing: "While many of the Swans' attempts at levity sounded forced and gothic, the Angels of Light shine naturally, with poise and stunning clarity."[4] He subsequently included the album in his "Top Ten Picks" list.[5]

Track listing
Side One
No.TitleLength
1."Fragment"0:31
2."Praise Your Name"4:48
3."New Mother"4:35
4."Angels of Light"6:53
Total length:16:47
Side Two
No.TitleLength
5."Inner Female"4:47
6."This Is Mine"4:17
7."Shame"4:10
8."Intermission"1:14
9."The Man With the Silver Tongue"4:13
Total length:18:41
Side Three
No.TitleLength
10."Real Person"5:09
11."Forever Yours"5:16
12."How We End"3:25
13."The Garden Hides the Jewel"5:21
Total length:19:11
Side Four
No.TitleLength
14."Not Alone"4:33
15."Song for My Father"3:41
16."His Entropic Highness"5:33
17."Fear of Death"2:56
Total length:16:43 (71:22)

Personnel
Angels of Light
  • Michael Gira – vocals, composition, production, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Additional musicians
  • Bill Rieflin – piano, bass guitar, Farfisa organ, B3 organ, analog synthesizer, acoustic guitar, backingvocals
  • Christoph Hahn – lap steel, classical and electric guitar, Cassio organ, backing vocals
  • Larry Mullins – vibraphone, timpani, tabla, percussion, backing vocals
  • Thor Harris – hand drums, percussion, glockenspiel, backing vocals, water bowls
  • Phil Puleo – percussion, melodica, organ, mouth harp
  • Julia Kent – cello
  • Bill Bronson – bass guitar
  • Joe McGinty – upright piano
  • Michele Amar – backing vocals
  • Hahn Rowe – violin
  • Birgit Staudt – accordion
  • Thomas Dodd – Irish harp
  • Martin Bisi – organ, backing vocals, engineering, mixing
  • Chris Griffin – banjo, dobro, dulcimer, mandolin
Other personnel
  • Hillary Johnson – assistant engineering, engineering
  • Michael Moore – engineering

Chart positions
Chart (1999) Peak
position
CMJ Radio 200[6] 74

References
  1. "SWANS NEWS". Archived from the original on April 23, 1999. Retrieved August 9, 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. Raggett, Ned. "Angels of Light - New Mother". Allmusic. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  3. Gira, Michael. ""New Mother" on Young God Records". Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  4. Mamone, Jordan N. (May 1999). "Angels of Light _ New Mother". CMJ. 58 (617): 3. ISSN 0890-0795.
  5. Mamone, Jordan N. (January 2000). "Staff Top Ten Picks". CMJ. 61 (649): 33. ISSN 0890-0795.
  6. Cmj Network, Inc (September 1999). "CMJ Radio 200". CMJ. 59 (634): 17. ISSN 0890-0795.
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