If you are a Swans fan, then chances are you are already a fan of Jarboe's "post-graduate" work; and likewise, there's a good chance you are already a fan of, or at least familiar with, progressive hardcore gods Neurosis. The two come together beautifully in this self-titled release, melding Jarboe's angellic, sometimes abrasive, vocal stylings with Neurosis's artsy hardcore and tribal drumming.

Fans of Swans/Jarboe should love this, with very few exceptions; people looking for this to be a new Neurosis album may be disappointed (though the band's unique approach to music is thoroughly represented). However, Neurosis fans generally seem to like dark, experimental, and droney work, and this definitely is that, accompanied by the distinct, if muffled, wall-of-sound Neurosis guitars and (as always) stellar drumming from Jason Roeder, possibly the best drummer currently working. The toned down feel of the record seems to follow both artists' current directions; though mellower than expected, Neurosis & Jarboe creates an undeniable mood reminiscent of early sludge-guitar Swans, or perhaps late 80's Coil (a couple of the tracks definitely made me think of Annie Anxiety's guest spots in Coil works, though not in a derivative way). Lyrically, it is exactly what one might expect from Jarboe; erratically innocent and dark, raw and refined, exemplified by the album's opening, Jarboe's drawl-laden spoken lyric "I tell you, if god wants to take me he will" repeated continually over droning guitars and tribal-esque drums. From there the album just grows, lyrically, vocally, and musically, to a crushing crescendo, simultaneously overwhelming and nurturing.

My only real gripe is the engineering--it is very low end heavy, which gets annoying after a while (especially considering Neurosis is a band who lives in the mids). I personally think it could have benefited from the same mixing that regular Neurosis albums have received as, instead of being an even mix between the two artists, the record ends up with too much emphasis on Jarboe. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, as Jarboe truly shines, but a more osmotic meshing of sounds might have resulted in a better overall feel, and might have brought forward the subtle brilliance of keyboard and synth rhythms, which are far too buried. That said, the two artists' styles mesh surprisingly well, and overall, though it may not be contender for record of the year, it is a strong, thoroughly enjoyable record.

-Todd Berry