Video: The Black Swans "Where Are You Tonight?" (Official Video)

Pitchfork: Words Are Stupid by The Black Swans review (2010)

Pitchfork: Words Are Stupid by The Black Swans review
April 29, 2010

When I say the Black Swans' new songs are "haunted," I mean that as literally as the word can be interpreted. After the Columbus, Ohio, band finished recording its second album Change!, violinist Noel Sayre died suddenly in a swimming pool accident in July 2008. He left a laptop full of recordings-- some incidental music, some snippets of melody-- which singer-songwriter Jerry DeCicca incorporated into the Black Swans' follow-up, Words Are Stupid. That's Sayre setting the scene on opener "Blurk", adding dramatic eddies of violin to "Open Sky", and kazooing on "Kazood". He remains only a glimmer at the edges of the music-- present and pointedly not present-- but it's not the tragedy of his death that makes this strange, smart, soulful album resonate so darkly. His playing has always been crucial to the band's sound, adding a dusky ambiance to DeCicca's world-weary croak and bluesy, brainy lyrics. Why wouldn't these found sounds do the same?

New Additions: Occasion For Song album by The Black Swans

Though they were around when I was an active participant in the Columbus music scene, I didn't quite get The Black Swans back then. But as my ears have changed, I've come to appreciate the subtle, low-key approach of the band while crafting tunes that can fall in between beautiful and haunting, like on the 2012 album Occasion For Song that I picked up in the winter.

Know Yer Band: The Black Swans

Band: The Black Swans

Members
Vocals/Guitar - Jerry DeCicca
Guitar - Milan Karcic / Chris Forbes
Bass - Matt Surgeson / Canaan Faulkner
Drums - Jovan Karcic / Keith Hanlon
Violin/Viola - Noel Sayre
Keyboards - Jon Beard
Banjo - Tyler Evans

Releases
2004 - Who Will Walk In The Darkness With You? album (Delmore Recording Society)
2006 - Sex Brain EP (Bwatue Records)
2007 - Change! album (The Listening Party)
2009 - Split single w/Alina Simone (Sunken Treasure Records)
2010 - Split single w/Bonnie "Prince" Billy (LJW)
2010 - Words Are Stupid album (St. Ives)
2011 - Blue Bayou/Joe Tex 7" single (Scioto Records)
2011 - Don't Blame The Stars album (Misra)
2011 - Split single w/The Fisherman Three (Shelved Records)
2011 - Split single w/Ed Askew (Scioto Records)
2012 - Occasion For Song album (Misra)
2012 - Split single w/The Malefactors Of Great Wealth (Not On Label)
2012 - Singles 2003 - 2012 compilation album (Scioto Records)