On their second full-length album
They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons,
the Swirlies show again why they're so aptly named. From "In Her Many New Found Freedom" to "The Vehicle Is Invisible," the band's songs float, hover, threaten to fall apart, and, yes, swirl. Though much of
the Swirlies' lineup changed between this album and their excellent 1992 debut album,
Blonder Tongue Audio Baton, their trademark mix of samples, sweet vocals, and noisy drums and guitars remains pretty much intact. While songs like "Sounds of Sebring," "San Cristobal de las Casas," and "Two Girls Kissing" present their more focused, accessible side, "No Identifier," "You Can't Be Told It, You Must Behold It," and "Boys, Protect Yourselves from Aliens" use plenty of buzzing synths, loops, and Speak & Spells to make more experimental noise. A noisy, sonically interesting album,
They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons may not be straightforward, but the eddies and dips in
the Swirlies' sound are more than worth a listen. ~ Heather Phares