| | Full Review | Ratings (337) |
Give your Rating |
| 2.5 average | INTERNATIONAL POPSTAR STEVEN WILSON | October 20th 19 |
I personally hope Zak is still around to post the exact same sound off for the third time when
Swans drop the exact same album for the fifth time on his 100th birthday next year
16 Bumps | Bump |
| 0.0 | zakalwe | October 20th 19 |
The way absolute fuck all happens for 1 and a half hours other than a continuous scratching of the head makes
me think that if I 5 it I can act all supercilious and look down on people who only 1 it cos they?re right but I want
to look like I know what I?m talking about cos I?ve got fuck all taste. AOTY!!!!!!
11 Bumps | Bump |
| 2.5 average | doofy | October 25th 19 |
'Leaving Meaning' meaning it's time to leave, bye
5 Bumps | Bump |
| 2.5 average | Xenophanes EMERITUS | September 9th 19 |
In 2017 we were left with the tantalizing prospect of ?Swans 3.0.? Leaving Meaning, though, feels very ?2010s Swans? albeit with less teeth. Songs like ?What is this?? are some of the most beautiful in their discography, but the more plodding and languid stretches of post-post-punk freak-folk hypnosis had me reaching for the skip button.
4 Bumps | Bump |
| 2.5 average | hesperus | October 28th 19 |
"nothing happens for 2 hours" has been a common criticism of Swans ever since The Seer, but this is the first time i felt like it actually held merit. and this album isn't even 2 hours long
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 2.0 poor | tenderscum | October 25th 19 |
Skip-button masterpiece. Everybody liking this because it's Swans and it's respectable.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.2 good | Benjamin Kuettel EMERITUS | September 8th 19 |
They really ran out of ideas this time, but I shouldn't be surprised given the indications that the second disc of The Glowing Man gave. The more subdued and droney approach is an interesting avenue to take, but too much feels like a chore to get through. There seems to be a lack of inspiration and the album even seems formulaic in places. There're some rewarding songs here, but it could've been really good if they cut at least 20 minutes and deemphasized Gira's voice at times.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | TheWatchman71 | June 21st 20 |
Despite expecting a disappointing album based on the review and comments I actually found this very meditative and calming, and quite a rewarding listen albeit in a very subtle and understated way. Its slow swell, its tribal rhythms and ritualistic vocal delivery all converge to bury their way into your subconscious. Maybe lacking in some excitement and variation, but it is also a refreshing change from the pattern established with the previous three albums, with no 20+ minute epics to endure. I think this will likely only get better for me.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.5 great | zaruyache | October 28th 19 |
I like it and it's pleasing but in this part of their career Swans does ring like a band
that gets accolades for basically just doing krautrock at a time when people don't know
what krautrock is, and see Swans as absolutely unique and sonically genius when
realistically they are the opposite. A band whose cult acclaim saw a resurgence during
their revival and now leads people to believe they're more different than they really
are.
Sonically Leaving Meaning is just Gira mumbling and repeating lines that bumble along to
equally repetitive and tranquil drum lines that slowly evolve over their typically 7-
minute runtimes. There are nuances of folk and other experimental stuff woven in there,
but artistically that's what krautrock always was anyway--repetitive, fairly chill,
experimental rock. And Swans is exactly that. And while I believe that modern Swans is
good, the amount of acclaim they get feels rather odd, and feels as if most people
applauding them might have little other knowledge regarding the style of music they
actually now play.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | UnderTheNorthernScar | October 25th 19 |
Classic Swans. A gigantic record filled with twisting chambers of hypnotic, beautiful, and powerful sounds. It’s still
dark
as hell at times, but also has a certain bliss and optimism to it that is rarely heard from Gira and co. Repetitive yet
complex, bleak yet optimistic, menacing yet amiable. Leaving meaning indeed.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.5 great | BrushedRed | October 20th 19 |
I will admit, I have never been a Swans fan, but damn. These two singles released so far are some of the most drab, boring, meandering songs in their discography. I will give this a shot, nonetheless, but my expectations are extremely low, even for a Swans album. Edit: Well how fucking weird; it?s like the only Swans album I enjoy.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.5 great | Doublez38 | December 11th 19 |
Personally, I didn't like Leaving Meaning. I have the impression that some things that he had managed to do in the previous albums are missing. But given his talent and his attempts at experimentation, the good moments save my note here.
Bump |
| 2.0 poor | capes | November 3rd 19 |
The focus has shifted far away from sound and song structure experimenting, which implies more of a lyrical focus. Which... I don't consider to be Gira's strong suit. With The Angels of Light, yes, it works fine. But, it's been over a decade since the last album of theirs, and Gira's poetic tongue has weakened majorly since then. The moody instrumentals are fine, but nowhere near enough to hold up a 90 minute album.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | qwenta | October 29th 19 |
Worst Swans album? NO. I would have eliminated some tracks (The nub, Some new things and My phantom limb) to make it shorter but still has a vibe that I enjoy. the first half of the album is awesome.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Sine | October 29th 19 |
A more minimal, but very enchanting record. Twisted and meditative. Love Chris Abrahams piano contribution from The Necks. Like the way Swans continue to build upon explorations from past material, even reaching as far back as their industrial era on the final track.
Bump |
| 3.7 great | Erwann S. STAFF | October 28th 19 |
Sure, it might be their weakest since the reunion. But it's still an engaging experimental rock record, with some the band's most soothing and mellow moments. Sonically, this sounds more like My Father than the other 2010s records.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Lani | January 31st 24 |
| 3.5 great | shioaz | September 21st 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | unkle | August 17th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Lucman | June 30th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | bSmith | May 31st 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kit | May 14th 23 |
| 3.5 great | Aurora | January 5th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Samuel | October 24th 22 |
| 3.0 good | MvdW | October 16th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | yinei007 | September 14th 22 |
| 3.5 great | Kinski | September 12th 22 |
| 1.5 very poor | Elynna | March 31st 22 |
| 2.5 average | ZIG | February 19th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Artax36 | January 15th 22 |
| 2.5 average | Luminol | January 14th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lvxfra | October 22nd 21 |
| 3.0 good | btati | September 8th 21 |
| 2.5 average | Roidv | August 7th 21 |
| 2.5 average | xlev | August 5th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Zakusz | June 28th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Mad. | March 19th 21 |
| 3.5 great | iGuter | March 1st 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | jhop | February 24th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | Mandy | February 8th 21 |
| 3.0 good | Juuso | February 7th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | bloaf38 | December 27th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | CalinD | December 13th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Oobaloo | December 7th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Mactopus | September 30th 20 |
| 3.5 great | zschab | September 22nd 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gazham | August 12th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Jade | July 6th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Yep321 | June 21st 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tib | June 21st 20 |
| 3.0 good | Sowing STAFF | June 10th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Eva | May 7th 20 |
| 3.5 great | A.R.O. STAFF | March 18th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Djang0 | January 29th 20 |
| 1.5 very poor | gschwen | January 22nd 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gueero | January 18th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | progsun | January 17th 20 |
| 2.5 average | Lelle | December 23rd 19 |
| 3.5 great | BeeRyan | December 19th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Emily | December 18th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Cormano | December 18th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Zeuzo | December 16th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Tobmast | December 11th 19 |
| 3.0 good | Hyndez | December 9th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Thor | December 7th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Bobshat | November 28th 19 |
| 3.5 great | neikos | November 25th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | P003htb | November 19th 19 |
| 1.5 very poor | Michael | November 17th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | ian b | November 17th 19 |
| 2.5 average | Pangea | November 16th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Wolfe | November 14th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Juanpa | November 13th 19 |
| 3.0 good | Smevin | November 13th 19 |
| 3.5 great | gilly | November 12th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Turns13 | November 10th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Luisito | November 8th 19 |
| 3.5 great | hsb | November 7th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jordan M. EMERITUS | November 5th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | P0laris | November 4th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Wizard | November 4th 19 |
| 3.5 great | JS19 | November 3rd 19 |
| 5.0 classic | loulou | November 3rd 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | bobby72 | November 1st 19 |
| 3.5 great | ARDCWE | October 31st 19 |
| 3.5 great | chris. | October 31st 19 |
| 3.0 good | jmh886 | October 31st 19 |
| 2.5 average | Corney | October 30th 19 |
| 3.0 good | Risodo | October 30th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | junyi15 | October 30th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jekub | October 29th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Moge | October 29th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Teo | October 29th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Xavier | October 28th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jan555 | October 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | JOK | October 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | wg98 | October 25th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Amry | October 25th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | furpa | October 25th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Veldin | October 19th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Miguee7 | October 19th 19 |
| 2.5 average | Trey STAFF | October 14th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nate | September 18th 19 |
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