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    New Black Swans Album Honors Lost Friend

    We all know what it feels like to be misunderstood. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to find the right words, they just crumble before us. This is the focus of Columbus band The Black Swans’ third LP Words Are Stupid, which will be released on April 27 by St. Ives Records. Led by singer-songwriter Jerry DeCicca, the band formed in 2000 and features Canaan Faulkner on bass, Chris Forbes on guitar, and Keith Hanlon on drums. Banjo player Tyler Evans and organist Jon Beard lend their talents to the new record, but perhaps the most memorable contribution comes from someone who is no longer alive. Former bandmate and cherished friend Noel Sayre drowned in a pool two years ago. Jerry gathered violin, guitar, and kazoo recordings from Noel’s computer and used them to shape the album. “Noel’s death affects me every day,” Jerry said. “And so with this record, he lives on.”

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    The Black Swans continually evolve their sound but always rely on earnest lyrics pulled through strains of folk, country, and blues. Unlike previous releases, Words Are Stupid offers more nontraditional song structures, open-tuned guitars, and narrative writing. Its songs were recorded on four-tracks and computers in kitchens, basements, and living rooms — all conveying the theme of failed language and crossed signals. “Mary Price” follows a wife who commits suicide because she misinterprets unspoken words for an unloving marriage.

    Words Are Stupid also has a sense of humor. “I don’t think I knew how to write humorous songs when I was younger,” said Jerry, who credits John Prine and Shel Silverstein with sparking his sonic whimsy. “Funny Papers” studies the artificial resilience of newspaper comic strip characters that endure sticky mishaps but quickly recover when the next strip is printed. “I never thought I’d write a song that mentioned Opus and Marmaduke,” Jerry laughed. He also never thought he’d make animal sounds, but he does just that on several tracks. “When you no longer have words to express yourself, all you can do is cock-a-doodle-doo.”

    Jerry is proud of the bands’ metamorphosing creativity and devotion to content above popularity. “We’re not making the same record over and over again,” he said. “If we wanted more people to like our music, we’d write different songs.”

    The Black Swans will host a pre-CD release show this Saturday evening at Rumba Café. Mike Shiflet and Tommy Jay and The General will open. Doors are at 10:00 and the cover is $5. Jerry will perform solo shows at Rumba Café on April 8 and April 22. For more information, visit theblackswans.com and myspace.com/theblackswans.

    Alexandra Kelley writes about music for Columbus Underground and can be reached at alexandra477.com.

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    Alexandra Kelley Fox
    Alexandra Kelley Foxhttp://www.alexandra477.com
    Alexandra Kelley Fox is a featured writer for Columbus Underground.
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