Swan Lake's Beast Moans
By and large, Canada has never been seen, in the eyes of the world, as quite the bastion of excess that the United States is. But until relatively recently, the world had not seen the spectacle of the Canadian indie scene. A tradition of ridiculous extravagance, borderline nepotistic chumminess, and overlapping personnel in the style of European royalty or American boards of directors is proudly continued in Beast Moans, the outstanding debut from Swan Lake.
Like many of Canada’s finest, Swan Lake straddles the line between super-group and side project with surprisingly effective results. The band is comprised of Daniel Bejar (Destroyer, New Pornographers), Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown), and Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes). The album, like it’s personnel, is an eclectic affair. Evidence of all three members’ other projects is constantly present, to varying degrees. “The Freedom” sounds like it is straight off the b-side of a New Pornographers single, while “The Pollenated Girls” is a beautifully muddled combination of all three members’ stylistic contributions. The band shows its greatest potential, however, in the wonderfully tight and melodic “A Venue Called Rubella.” Here the band develops a sound all its own, setting it apart not only from its sister projects, but from its peers in general. If the members of Swan Lake opt to pursue the project and expand on that sound, we will eagerly await their next release.
