We Are Him
by Angels of Light

Album details

US: 28 August 2007 on Young God
UK: 27 August 2007 on Young God

Michael Gira’s fifth Angels of Light album includes collaborations with members of Ministry, Antony and the Johnsons, and his former band Swans. Once again, Akron/Family provides much of the music on the disc.

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The critical consensus

Harp Magazine loves the album, declaring, "We Are Him exults in excess, swaggers with rhythm, dizzies with density, and stands as Gira’s best effort since Swans." All Music Guide disagrees with Harp’s findings (but not its praise), suggesting We Are Him is a "subdued" album: "Even in this mellowed state, Gira’s still never going to be a majority taste, but Angels of Light come up with a thoroughly respectable and diversely arranged vehicles for his vision on We Are Him."

Dusted approves of the album’s darker tone and concludes, "It’s nice to hear him playing to his own most obvious strengths again." Under The Radar states that "the results are staggering and more than worthy of all the praise," and The Wire praises Gira’s "superb" songs, adding, "We Are Him is the most widescreen Angels album to date without ever spilling over into the production excesses of Swans; further, it retains the freshness and immediacy that is a hallmark of Akron/Family’s work." Pitchfork, too, finds We Are Him to be Gira’s "most engaging album as Angels of Light," while The Onion calls it "one his strongest, most horrifically hypnotic works yet."

Although Tiny Mix Tapes prefers other AoL albums, they praise Gira’s "singular" vocals and note that the new disc may be his "most poignant statement to date." Stylus likes some portions of the album better than others: "The tenderfooted wandering of the We Are Him’s final third make it less compelling than its flagellating first half but have patience; Gira always gets there."

We Are Him is a blissful affair that is just as shimmering and rich as it is heartless and puzzling.

- Chris Morgan, Treble

Review roundup

Tracklisting and media

1. Black River Song
   
2. Promise Of Water
3. The Man We Left Behind
4. My Brother’s Man
5. Not Here/Not Now
6. Joseph’s Song
7. We Are Him
8. Sometimes I Dream I’m Hurting You
9. Sunflower’s Here To Stay
10. Good Bye Mary Lou
11. The Visitor
12. Star Chaser

Also on the web

• Angels of Light @ Young God Records
• Angles of Light @ MySpace