Stay Down

• Artist: Two Lone Swordsmen
• Rating:
• Release Date: October 19, 1998
• Genre: Electronica

Review

Two Lone Swordsmen is another project involving Andrew Weatherall, who has consistently proven himself equally talented with production and composition; Stay Down is not as rock-oriented as much of his work, taking its cues instead from dub and ambient soundscapes, but without abandoning Weatherall's C-86 and Manchester house roots. Stay Down's fusion of all four influences is nothing short of amazing, taking largely electronic sounds into areas far more composed than the typically repetitive club-oriented releases that dominate some areas of the genre -- rather than leading electronic sounds down the path of their own conventions, the album shapes them into compositions that could just as easily be performed on organic instruments, meaning that the use of intricate production and sound manipulation is really just the texture of the recording, rather than its raison d'etre. It's an approach that's not used as often as many listeners might wish -- and as Stay Down once again demonstrates, it's an approach that typically makes for excellent albums. ~ Nitsuh Abebe, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Hope We Never Surface	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(2:22)
The Big Clapper	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(3:16)
Ivy and Lead	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(2:48)
We Change the Frequency	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(4:06)
No Red Stopping	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(6:02)
Spine Bubbles	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(4:40)
Mr. Paris's Monster	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(3:47)
Light the Last Flare	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(3:46)
We Discordians (Must Stick Apart)	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(2:01)
Alpha School	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(3:30)
As Worldly Pleasures Wave Goodbye...	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(6:07)
Sticky	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(6:17)
Gay Spunk	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(6:53)
Last of the Fumes	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(8:31)
Electric 4 Bird	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(6:09)
Black Commandments	Two Lone Swordsmen	Two Lone Swordsmen	(3:37)

Credits

Michael Powers (?), Two Lone Swordsmen (Producer), Two Lone Swordsmen (Main Performer), Frank Arkwright (Mastering), Chip Rascal (Drums), Bob Dubray (Guitar), Autistic Bongo Novices (Live Sound)