Swans recently gave an interview to Pitchfork magazine in which they revealed details about their still-unnamed album to be released in May, and today we learned the 20-minute-plus compositions on the album will heavily feature the exciting addition of Bill Cosby on backing vocals.
Speaking to EIASC, Swans front man Michael Gira revealed that “Bill and me have a lot in common, and believe it or not we go way back. We would always talk about blending the volatile moodiness of midcentury free jazz and the melancholy of punk rock, and since this is our last album we figured, well, fuck it!” According to sources Mr. Cosby has appeared as a saxophonist on numerous unnamed but prominent jazz and R&B albums since the 1970s, but sees this album as “the opportunity of a lifetime, hopefully we can get away with it.” The album title cited by Consequence of Sound: “An Angel Sleeps In My Lap” was reported to be erroneous reporting by Gira, who quipped that “You won’t know what it’s really called til May, but it’s about something we’ve both been doing for decades!”
Swans never cease to update their sound, and for this new record we hopefully see some sly old dogs getting caught in old tricks, but something completely new. Knowing these wily pranksters, Gira is already predetermined to be guilty in the court of public opinion.