Swan Wash

The brilliantly named Swan Wash from Bloomington, Indiana, seem to fall into the category deathrock – a genre name I have always vehemently opposed. What is its opposite, rock that is ‘alive’? That aside, they’ve made some great tunes blending goth and synth wave on recent EP The Upstairs Museum. Their sound reminds me somewhat of Bitumen, and the long opus “Tavel’s Gavel” has Pornography-era Cure drums all over it. The tape was recorded by Judah Mergl, who has previously worked with Death Valley and other Chicago Research faves, and came out on small local label Sister Cylinder.