Search - For Against :: In The Marshes (Reis) (Dig)

IN THE MARSHES is Minneapolis record label WORDS ON MUSIC s third in a series of album reissues by Lincoln, Nebraska s post-punk pioneers FOR AGAINST. The record represents the darkest and most experimental period in FOR AGAINST's nearly 25-year history. Primarily recorded on 4-track in 1986 during a break from the recording sessions of their debut album ECHELONS, six songs were eventually culled together to comprise the EP later released by Independent Project Records in 1990 for their 10-inch Archive series. Two exclusive bonus tracks are included on this CD reissue. IN THE MARSHES is awash with faraway vocals, heavy coats of reverb, and Jeff Runnings' angular, growling bass to which Harry Dingman's Factory meets 4AD Records guitar noise is anchored. 'Tibet' begins the record with a pulsating echo unit noise that ties Runnings non-syllabic hymnal to Dingman s delay-laden DURUTTI COLUMN-esque guitars. The song is a gentle prelude to the anthemic 'Amnesia,' which harnesses increasing levels of electricity from its feverish bass and guitar harmonics. 'The Purgatory Salesman' is perhaps the darkest song on the record, with Dingman's guitar feedback howling intermittently from low bends to high shrieks. The song, especially with its pounding drums and incorporation of sparse noises, would fit in quite nicely with NEW ORDER s classic MOVEMENT LP. Fan favorite 'Amen Yves' centers on Runnings' infectious synth-work and Dingman's brilliant display of how well-placed guitar harmonics can carry a melody all by itself. 'Amen Yves' today remains a darkwave club staple in Europe, with Runnings' icy vocals mesmerizing audiences. 'In The Marshes' closes the original EP with Dingman and Hill sharing vocal duties the only song in FOR AGAINST's catalog not featuring Runnings as the lead singer. The first half of the song is a black and white etching, with its minor keys and opaque lyrics, only to transition into a stark watercolor on canvas. For more than a minute, FOR AGAINST segues into the essence of dream pop, a flirtation from across the ocean with contemporary COCTEAU TWINS, who were beginning to explore similar themes on VICTORIALAND. Two exclusive bonus tracks are added to this CD reissue of IN THE MARHSES both reworkings of songs off the EP. On 'Amnesia' (studio version), Greg Hill pounds out a torrid tribal beat for the ages, as Dingman matches him with muted yet propulsive guitar riffs. This studio version embodies the post-punk ferocity that defines the FOR AGAINST live experience. Also included is an early, 1984 recording of 'Amen Yves.' IN THE MARSHES is reissued in a six-panel digipack designed by two-time Grammy nominee BRUCE LICHER (SCENIC, SAVAGE REPUBLIC).