Album Rating: 3.0

TBK > Seer > Glowing Man >>>>> Birthing >>>>>> Beggar = leaving meaning

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

I too, LOVE The Glowing Man, and don’t doubt that it’s all calculated, but for some reason, I’ve always found it to FEEL the longest of all their records, which has kept me from revisiting as often (personal problem). The title track The Glowing Man is outstanding and one of my favorites though. I also love The Beggar and am saddened that reception was pretty mid here for it. However, I can see people who didn’t enjoy Leaving Meaning or The Beggar as much, enjoying Birthing more.

I think Birthing was the wrong Swans album for me to start with LMAO

A lot of repetition with little buildup so it's tough for me to stay engaged in between the explosive moments. But holy fuck it can be creepy as hell

Aww yeah Swans can be quite unsettling. Try To Be Kind next. It's a bit more melodic.

Album Rating: 4.0

Loving th new one

Album Rating: 3.0

'I think Birthing was the wrong Swans album for me to start with LMAO



A lot of repetition with little buildup so it's tough for me to stay engaged in between the explosive moments. But holy fuck it can be creepy as hell'



I read this as "I like/enjoy the creepiness but don't like the extended monolithic/repetitive buildups."



If yes, try listening to Filth or Cop. Creepy, in an entirely different way. And no extended droning. Straight to the point. Get in, fuck you up, get out.

Tectac's spot on. I'll check those albums out sometime!

Album Rating: 4.0

90s Swans is probably the easiest way to get into them tbh

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

New one has grown on me a bit. It's still no Seer, but it's probably in my top 3-4 post-hiatus Swans.

Album Rating: 4.0

Birthing feels like a warped, limitless, fucked up, mutated expansion of basically everything they've done since 2010. It's probably most reminiscent of The Glowing Man but it is very much its own entity.



I really appreciate how much they've pushed themselves, sometimes seemingly to the brink on this one. The freakouts on The Healers and The Merge particularly come to mind.

I’ve never listened to this band so may need to start with thier new one and work backwards

Album Rating: 4.0

I don't think there's a definitive starting point for getting into Swans, you might get more out of The Beggar and Birthing if you've had time to absorb at least their 90s and 2010s stuff but that's not a hard and fast rule.



Maybe The Great Annihilator?

Looks like it’s going to be a hell of an undertaking

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

We just had a similar discussion in the staff forum, and the consensus seems to be that the two best entry points are either Soundtracks for the Blind (pre-hiatus) or The Seer (post-hiatus). I'd personally recommend The Seer though. It's so captivating and creepy from the onset and never lets go.

Album Rating: 4.0

SFTB seems like a dodgy starting point. It's my personal favourite but, like Birthing, it's another album which plays as a culmination of a decade plus of buildup and benefits from the listener absorbing the preceding material. It's also 140 minutes long, so hearing some of the 'shorter' Swans albums and working up to it isn't a bad idea.



For what it's worth, my entry point was White Light. The Seer is a great shout as the first 'big' album of the modern era (no disrespect to My Father, it's a wonderful record).

Album Rating: 3.0

Start with Cop you cowards

Album Rating: 4.0

I mean if you like sludge and punishing industrial gubbins, Cop is a great entry. It's basically proto-Godflesh.

Filth is better than Cop though!

Justice for Children of God

Album Rating: 4.0

CoG is the first 'big' Swans album, beautifully gothic, some of Jarboe's finest moments. I do miss her.