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Last Active 01-03-11 5:56 pm
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| Wilecha0te's Definitive Guide To Swans
When I started listening to SWANS they quickly filled a void in my rmusical world that i didn't even know existed. They have become my favourite band of all time over the last couple of years and I want to offer my take and be your guide on their discography and associated side-projects. Hope you find something to get into here! | | 1 |  | Swans
Filth
The first official studio release and the first to feature near-constant
member Norman Westberg on guitar. Driven by dissonant, ringing guitars,
pulsing bass lines and two drummers Filth is one of SWANS most difficult
releases to penetrate. Each track pummels you into submission while
Michael Gira howls vitriolic nihilism over the whole affair. As was common
with SWANS early albums, the lyrics explore themes of power, submission,
freedom (or lack thereof) and identity. Gira presents the lyrics in a way that
is blunt, impersonal and confrontational. An approach that would be almost
entirely left behind on SWANS later releases. This is an excellent album for
newcomers to explore if they are interested in the bands' suffocating
beginnings. It's a difficult listen but downright melodic compared to the
unrivaled depravity of their next few studio efforts...
Fans of Godflesh's "Streetcleaner" album will immediately recognize why
early SWANS is often listed as such a big influence.
Choice Tracks: Stay Here, Big Strong Boss, Weakling | | 2 |  | Swans
Cop
Filth may have put SWANS on the map both in New York and the
experimental music scene of the mid-80's, but Cop, and its follow up sister
EP Young God, solidified them as legendary. Cop features the sonic and
lyrical ideas that were presented on Filth taken to their logical extreme.
There are not guitar 'lines' as much as there are immensely distorted
thrusts of discordant strums scattered around haphazardly. Gone are the
pulsing bass lines in favor of a raw pummeling serving to complement the
plodding percussion. The whole thing is played at about 1/3 the tempo of
Filth (which was not an "uptempo" album to begin with...) and Gira's
shouting has become more of a dirge-like, droning wail. He delivers lyrical
blunt force trauma with such an angle of disgust and self-loathing that
you'll be reaching for your black metal albums in the hopes that they will
cheer you up. "No one rapes them, like a cop, with a club, in jail..."
Choice Tracks: Half Life, Why Hide, Clay Man, Cop | | 3 |  | Swans
Young God
Young God (as mentioned above) is considered to be the sister EP to Cop.
The sound is similar as is the approach to the song-writing and many of
lyrical themes explored on Cop are still present. Notably different is a more
melodic droning from Gira and the eponymous title track, "Young God",
written from the perspective of Ed Gein, giving the lyrical delivery a more
personal feel. This was as confrontationally dark and unpleasant as SWANS
were ever to be. The last of the 'First Phase' of their discography, this
release is absolutely essential for anyone hoping to take in the full SWANS
experience.
Choice Tracks: Young God, I Crawled, Raping a Slave, This is Mine | | 4 |  | Swans
Greed
Both released in 1986, Greed and Holy Money marked the first in a number
of metamorphoses SWANS would undergo over the course of their career.
Greed/Holy Money saw the band experimenting with more melodic
approaches to song writing utilizing piano, synthesizer and, on some
tracks, drum machine. Sometimes incorrectly considered to be their
"Industrial Rock" phase, these albums, other than some slight influence
exercise, share about as much in common with Industrial as Filth shared
with "No-Wave". The themes explored remain familiar but they are
delivered with an almost sardonic, black humour rather than with the self-
deprecating bleakness of Cop or Young God. "Time is Money (Bastard)" is a
prime example as Gira delivers lyrics such as "Someone less privileged than
you should use you... someone weaker than you should rape you..." over
an undeniably danceable drum-machine driven rhythm. The power dynamic
is still present, but in this track it is the weak and powerless subjugating
and abusing the authority figure.
Choice Tracks: Time is Money (Bastard), Money is Flesh | | 5 |  | Swans
Holy Money
Similar in many ways to Greed but distinguished by the first time, front-line
presence of Jarboe both in a compositional and vocal role. Her presence at
the writers' table contributed enormously to SWANS trying to break out
from the niche they created and this album features her first "solo"
performance on an early version of "Blackmail". She is also credited on
Greed but this is the first album where she is featured in such a frontline
role. The Gira/Jarboe dynamic would become a common theme through
most of the bands' career from this point on. Gira still contributes almost all
of the lyrical writing throughout the bands' career but there are many
songs written specifically for Jarboe to perform. The previous 4 albums are
available on the outstanding two disc collection "Cop/Young
God/Greed/Holy Money". It's an excellent way to own everything you need
from the early part of SWANS' career.
Choice Tracks: A Screw (Holy Money), Blackmail, A Hanging | | 6 |  | Swans
Children of God
A landmark release in SWANS career and arguably the one that took me the
longest to appreciate. This massive, 2 LP album features the most obvious
experimentation in the bands' discography. Keyboards and synthesizer play
a much larger role alongside Gira and Westberg's droning guitar lines and
the percussion is notably flashier featuring almost tribal tom work and
triplet fills. Michael's voice has moved away from the confrontational
hollering that marked the earlier releases and into the melodic, pastoral
baritone that will become the trademark of their latter career.
The lyrical delivery is almost comically morose at times and sonically, this
album is more inviting than its predecessors with its emphasis on
atmosphere rather than alienating brutality. By this time Gira had become
distanced from the bands' reputation as "The loudest band ever" and with
Jarboe's influence was steering SWANS into new territories lyrically and
sonically. This album focuses almost entirely on religious themes, not
necessarily to be an indictment of religion, but to expose its hypocrisies, its
power dynamics and, at times, its 'beauty'. Gira has stated he was
fascinated with evangelical preachers and their ability to captivate an
audience and his lyrical delivery in many of the tracks mirrors the approach
of the Fire n' Brimstone preachers of the deep south. This was also the first
album to feature a number of solo vocal performances from Jarboe, her
angelic and operatic voice meant as a foil against Gira's bluesy baritone.
These tracks make this album for many people... For me, they took it down
a few pegs. With the exception of "Blackmail" from this album, I found
Jarboe solo tracks unfortunately skippable until the mammoth "Great
Annihilator" record...
Choice Tracks: New Mind, Beautiful Child, Blackmail, Trust Me, You?re Not
Real, Children of God | | 7 |  | Swans
The Burning World
SWANS first and only experience with a major label, The Burning World is
often maligned by fans and openly disliked by Michael Gira himself. Their
approach is notably softer featuring much more emphasis on acoustic
instrumentation and storied ballads. Gira (and many critics) have called this
a "compromised" SWANS album due to the label's insistence that Bill
Laswell take over production duties during recording. Gira has stated that
while he enjoys Laswell's work in general, they were at odds with their
vision for the album and as a result the final cut was buried in world music
influences the band was not interested in pursuing on their own. What is
often overlooked is the fact that this is still an excellent album! It's
downright easy listening, especially when compared to their earlier work,
but it shows Gira developing as a songwriter on career gems like "Let it
Come Down" and "God Damn the Sun" which practically out-Cohens Mr.
Leonard Cohen himself. I listened to this one last and expected to hate it,
but I absolutely do not. Not my favorite, but always a go-to when I want
something a little easier out of the bands' canon. This album could be
considered a forefather to Gira's work with his "Angels of Light" project...
Choice Tracks: Let it Come Down, Saved, God Damn the Sun | | 8 |  | Swans
White Light from the Mouth of Infinity
The first release from the almost forgotten 'Bunny Period' so named for the
Deryk Thomas bunny paintings that adorn the album covers. This album
came after the dissolution of SWANS major label contract following the
critical and commercial flop of "The Burning World". This album begins to
concisely bring together the elements that made both their early and mid-
career work so captivating. The pounding bass and huge dissonant guitar
riffs are back, when necessary, but they are juxtaposed with acoustic,
pastoral sections to provide much more diversity across the songs than had
previously been heard. There is a clear return to form here for Gira with his
deep baritone sounding more confident than ever and the lyrics taking on a
much more abstract and personal tone.
With tracks like "Better than You", "Failure" and "Love Will Save You" I
would argue that White Light From the Mouth of Infinity is one of the
unsung gems of SWANS' career. It is a shame that this album has been out
of print for so long... I was lucky enough to find a copy at a local used shop
and it has been on constant rotation since.
Choice Tracks: Better than You, Failure, Power and Sacrifice, You Know
(nothing), Love Will Save You | | 9 |  | Swans
Love of Life
Released a year after White Light, this is the album that gets repeat play
the least for me. The sound is similar to White Light with its emphasis on
guitar driven art-rock, but the tracks themselves are just not as
consistently strong as those on its predecessor. This album is notable for
beginning to feature interludes of looped found-sound recordings following
some of the tracks, an idea which was taken to its peak on the magnum
opus "Soundtracks for the Blind" several years later. This was also the only
album not to feature a guitar contribution from Norman Westberg. Excerpts
from this album, White Light and The Burning World are available on the
compilation 2 Disc set "Various Failures". The Burning World is getting a
proper re-release within the next month(!) and hopefully the Bunny Period
albums will get the same treatment.
Choice Tracks: Her, The Golden Boy that was Swallowed by the Sea,
Amnesia. | | 10 |  | Swans
The Great Annihilator
As far as I am concerned this is the zenith, the absolute jewel of SWANS
career. It is my favourite by them and one of my favourite albums of all time
by anybody. Every track on the album is incredibly strong. Dense, swirling
atmospheres, perfect guitar interplay and the best lyrics Gira has ever
written. Ranging the gamut from indictments of celebrity pop-culture on
"Celebrity Lifestyle" with its almost pop delivery, to esoteric musings on the
makeup of the universe on "Mind/Body/Light/Sound" and the title track, this
is at once an incredibly diverse and still perfectly cohesive album. As I
alluded to briefly during the Children of God section, even the Jarboe solo
tracks are outstanding on this release. Her brutal hollering on
"Mother/Father" will make your skin crawl and her angelic delivery on
"Mother?s Milk" has not been this breathtaking since "Blackmail". I can listen
to this entire album, start to finish, and then immediately want to start it all
over again. Honestly, I'm not even able to objectively review it for the
purpose of this list, I like it that much. Even people who are not able to
appreciate most of SWANS work should be able to appreciate this. A perfect
album.
Choice Tracks: She Lives, Celebrity Lifestyle, Killing for Company, Alcohol the
Seed, Mother/Father, Telepathy, Where does a Body End? | | 11 |  | Swans
Soundtracks for the Blind
This was the final studio release before SWANS 14 year hiatus. Originally
billed as the last SWANS album ever by Gira it is an absolute sonic
culmination of their career. Exhausted physically, emotionally and financially
and watching his personal relationship with Jarboe dissolve, Michael
become fed up with trying to keep the SWANS name alive and (temporarily,
thankfully) terminated the band in fine style. This is release is a mammoth 2
disc gauntlet of emotionally draining movements featuring some of the most
breathtaking moments in the bands canon. Incredible, cinematic post-rock
tracks like "Helpless Child" and "The Sound" would become direct influences
on the post-rock movement popularized by Godspeed! You Black Emperor
and Mogwai. The aforementioned "Helpless Child" features some of the
most heartbreaking lyrics Gira has ever penned without succumbing to
almost comic morbidity of some of his previous work. The explorations with
found-recordings were re-examined here on pieces like "I was a Prisoner in
Your Skull" and Michael has the band working more with cinematic drone
manipulations than arty guitar rock. This approach would be continued on
the Michael Gira side projects "The Body Lovers" and "The Body Haters".
Strangely, this is where I actually started with SWANS. I worked my way
back from there. I do not recommend this course of action for newcomers
as Soundtracks really does feel like an ending in retrospect. The death of a
band. It captures the feelings of isolation and termination so well I didn't
even realize it in its entirety until writing this while listening to "Helpless
Child".
I was also very lucky in that I did not start listening intently to SWANS until
about a year before they reformed and released a new album...
Choice Tracks: I was a Prinsoner in your Skull, Helpless Child, All Lined Up,
The Sound, The Final Sacrifice, Animus. | | 12 |  | Swans
My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
2010, after a 14 year hiatus in which Gira worked primarily on his Americana
project "The Angels of Light" as well as focusing on recording and release
the music of other artists on the Young God record label, SWANS
reconvened for an unexpected new studio album! Absent in this case is
long standing contributor Jarboe but the end product does not suffer as a
result. Most songs focus on long, crescendos of post-rock intensity but
unlike the passages from Soundtracks, which focused on subtle,
melancholic melodies, My Father is far more aggressive in its intent.
Opening track "No Words/No Thoughts" defines this approach with a
grinding, repetition through its opening section before settling into a calmer
vocal driven passage, before bursting into a crescendo of tribal noise
reminiscent of their early career but with much more concern give to
melody. The fabulously titled "You Fucking People Make me Sick" and
"Reeling the Liars In" maintain a quieter approach musically while being as
vicious and biting lyrically as SWANS have ever been. The former features a
guest vocal by Devendra Banhart (in his only listenable performance imo?)
before dissolving into a cacophony of pounding percussion and wailing
brass.
My Father, as what could be called a 'comeback' album of sorts, proves that
Gira's wish to reform SWANS was not an effort to try to cash in on the name
but rather is an exceptionally strong release filled with energy and
intensity. If it is any indication of the future, this year's "The Seer" should
be something to watch for!
Choice Tracks: No Words/No Thoughts, Eden Prison, You Fucking People
Make Me Sick | | 13 | | Swans
Live Releases
SWANS live shows are legendary for their incredible volumes and
enveloping, ritualistic atmospheres. Gira has a habit of changing the
composition of the setlist from show to show and as a result no two
performances are alike. Seven minute songs on an album can become 30
minute epics during a live show. I am sad to say I have not had the
pleasure of seeing them live but I certainly hope I can make it happen
before they disappear into the shadows again. | | 14 | | Swans
Body to Body/Job to Job
Ultra lo-fi live release that can be picked up on the "Filth, Body to Body/Job
to Job" compilation release. Intense and visceral, it is a must listen for
completionists, but not necessary for new fans. | | 15 |  | Swans
Public Castration is a Good Idea
Absolutely ferocious document of live SWANS during their early years. For
many people this is the live SWANS equivalent to Mayhem's "Live in
Leipzig". This, at times, can be even more suffocating than even the studio
releases from the same time period and show the band at their most
viscerally nihilistic. Recommended! The version of "Money is Flesh" on this
release makes the original look downright radio friendly! | | 16 |  | Swans
Swans Are Dead
This, after Soundtracks, was to be the final document. The last tour before
the termination of the band. It is a beautiful, epic 2 disc set with over 2
hours of SWANS at their live best. This has some stunning alternative
arrangements of earlier SWANS tracks but is mostly culled from
Soundtracks. | | 17 |  | Swans
We Rose from your Bed with the Sun in Our Head
Released in a limited number through the Young God website in an effort to
raise money for the recording of "The Seer". This is made up of one live disc
featuring songs that are being developed for the new record as well as re-
workings of some older tracks. The second disc, while not a traditional live
disc, features Gira presenting skeletal, acoustic outlines of tracks that will
appear on the new release. It has my excitement level for the new album
piqued!
There are many more live releases that I have not covered here that you
can track down if you are interested but I feel that these selections provide
a good representation of the live side of SWANS. | | 18 | | Swans
Side Projects and Notable Diversions
Over the course of the life of SWANS there have been a number of side
projects that have sprung up as an aside to the SWANS canon. Some are
great, some not so much but for the most part they do succeed in showing
different sides of SWANS' key players. | | 19 |  | Angels of Light
New Mother
Arguably the most well-known of Gira's other projects, The Angels of Light
operate primarily within an Americana or Southern Gothic paradigm. They
are much less noisy with a greater emphasis placed on Gira's lyrical story
telling and acoustic guitar. Some albums, notably "Everything is Good Here,
Please Come Home" and "We are Him" do incorporate some moments of
claustrophobic noise, but for the most part these releases have more in
common with Americana outfits like Lambchop, or SWANS' "The Burning
World". This was Gira's main musical outlet between 1997 and 2010's "My
Father" and they have generated a very dedicated following and mostly
strong critical reviews. I do have a few Angels of Light albums and I do
enjoy them, but in the end I do not find them as transcendental as most of
Gira's work with SWANS. | | 20 | | The Body Lovers/The Body Haters
Body Lovers
A logical extension of the atmospheres explored on Soundtracks for the
Blind. The Body Lovers focuses primarily on long instrumental build-ups
combined with taped voice recordings and is generally melancholic and
rather relaxing. The Body Haters is one long track of noisy feedback and
aggression with more in common with standard Noise music. Interesting
releases but they don't get a great deal of replay from me. I would imagine
most people will genuinely enjoy The Body Lovers disc though but I
recommend it for completionists primarily. | | 21 |  | Michael Gira
Drainland
Michael Gira has released a few solo albums that technically do not fit with
either the Angels of Light or the SWANS concept. Drainland is my favorite
solo release. It features the heart rending "You See Through Me" which is
made up of swirling melancholy played against a back drop tape Jarboe
made while she was arguing with a very drunk, very belligerent Gira. It
offers a rare look into their tumultuous relationship and is more directly
personal that most of their work with SWANS. Also worth checking out is
the original recording of "All Lined Up" later featured on the Soundtracks
album. | | 22 | | The World of Skin
Ten Songs from Another World
Skin and World of Skin were collaborative projects between Gira and Jarboe
with a softer and folkier approach. It bears greatest similarity to the quieter
moments on the Children of God album. While I do find some of it very
interesting, a lot of it feels like weak SWANS b-sides and it does not hold
my interest consistently. | | 23 |  | Jarboe
Sacrificial Cake
Jarboe has carved out a very successful solo career after since her
departure from SWANS. She has appeared in guest spots alongside many
notable artists such as Justin Broderick, Neurosis and Cobalt as well as
putting out a string of critically praised solo records. I do not know these
records very well but if you like her contributions to SWANS then you will
find something to like among her solo work. "Yab Yum Killers" from the
Soundtracks album is featured on the Sacrificial Cake Jarboe album. | |
WileyCha0te
05.02.12 | I feel accomplished now... Hope you guys like this! | drewcordova
05.02.12 | Fucking sweet user name. Great list, this took some thought... | Deviant.
05.02.12 | I didn't read this, but featured! | macadoolahicky
05.02.12 | Good to know that you put good thought into what gets featured here. | Deviant.
05.02.12 | Good to see you approve guy
I do it all for you | Sowing
05.02.12 | lol | paxman
05.02.12 | 1-23 suck balls | paxman
05.02.12 | Just kidding, I've never heard any of their stuff. But
now I want to so list = success | WileyCha0te
05.02.12 | I need to proof-read more...
Thanks for the feature Dev!
Paxman- if you prefer heavier stuff start with the early albums. "Great Annihilator" is the easiest to get into overall though. | AGuyIsWatchingYou
05.02.12 | Excellent list, I've always preferred their earlier/noisier stuff. Been meaning to get into The Angels of Light more though. | porch
05.02.12 | used to love this band but i kinda burned out on them aside from a couple of albums
nice list, cool to see someone put some effort in | auberginedreams
05.02.12 | cool list but how are you gonna misspell your own name? | AtavanHalen
05.02.12 | this is incredible
great read
i have filth and cop but haven't investigated further yet | BallsToTheWall
05.03.12 | Rules. | WileyCha0te
05.03.12 | Finished the list while drinking... and tired... misspelled my own name.
These things happen.
Too busy focusing on incidentals like content. In the jarboe section i also say: "...carved out a successful solo career after since her departure...". Again, proof-reading... | WileyCha0te
05.03.12 | Thanks Atavan/Balls! | DoubtGin
05.03.12 | band rules hard | boogs
05.03.12 | So.... where to start with them? | WileyCha0te
05.03.12 | Depends on your tastes really... If you like heavier music then probably filth/cop/young god.. If heavy isn't really your thing (those albums are fucking heavy!) then i'd try 'White Light...' and 'The Great Annihilator'.. I'd say they are the easiest to jump right into. | Inveigh
05.04.12 | i'm gonna be honest, i only clicked on this to make sure it didn't say Wilecha0te's Definitive Guide To Swing Music | gabethepiratesquid
05.04.12 | "i have filth and cop but haven't investigated further yet"
You only have their noisier days? tsk tsk.
I basically adore all of their albums except for Holy Money/Greed. I guess the kind of industrial-ish rock sound got old by then for me. | Graveyard
05.13.12 | bookmarked hard |
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