Jarboe Releases Sightings, Her 33rd Solo Album

Jarboe’s Sightings is her 33rd solo album and 55th album overall. She found inspiration for its creation after recording the sound of a red-eyed vireo she encountered in her garden. Thor Harris and members of Father Murphy contributed strings, guitar, percussion and wind instruments to the album.

Vireo Serenade was followed by Choir And Night Fox, The Holy Waters Sangha and Francesca Sun. Jarboe wrote Francesca Sun for painter Francesca Sundsten. On Sightings, she focused on combining field recordings with analog sounds and integrating them with digital sounds.

Jarboe described her musical approach as bringing different worlds together without adhering to a distinct style. She prepared the 1984 cassette Walls using effects units and an old reel-to-reel recorder. Michael Gira invited her to join Swans as a vocalist and keyboardist, and she said her choral singing and musical training changed the group’s musical direction.

Jarboe remained an integral member of Swans until its first breakup in 1997. She has said that she considers David Gilmour a genius and admires his production work.