The Triffids "Black Swan" 1989The subtle quirkiness of The Triffids is all too easily overshadowed by the self-professed otherness of bands like The Birthday Party. But don't be fooled: this Australian band offers one of the most haunting and outlandish listens around. The Black Swan (the title of a short story by Thomas Mann), produced by Smiths producer Stephen Street, takes you on a melancholy tour around Australia's darker underbelly. The atmosphere is dreamy yet unsettling, with superb lyrics to match the music. The cast of characters includes drunken hobos, sad clowns, or a magician turning butterflies into worms. There are also Jill Birt's acidic pseudo-pop songs. Somewhere between fairytale and nightmare, The Black Swan's outback cabaret is an overlooked masterpiece. - Reviever: Anat Pick (Tel Aviv)The Triffids:
David McComb (lead vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards), Alsy McDonald (drums, percussion, vocals), Robert McComb (violin, guitar, backing vocals), Martin P. Casey (bass), Jill Birt (keyboards, vocals), 'Evil' Graham Lee (pedal steel, lap steel, vocals, guitar)

trax:
1. Too Hot To Move, Too Hot To Think 2. American Sailors 3. Falling Over You 4. Goodbye Little Boy 5. Bottle of Love 6. The Spinning Top Song 7. Butterflies Into Worms 8. The Clown Prince 9. Good Fortune Road 10. New Year's Greetings 11. One Mechanic Town 12. Blackeyed Susan 13. Fairytale Love