Swans - Soundtracks For The Blind (+ Die Tür ist zu) [Reissue]

  Quote

Soundtracks for the Blind is finished and is in the pipeline. It's taken forever to figure out the packaging and to master it properly. It will be available as a 4xVinyl set, as well as a 3xCD (the 3rd CD is the long out of print Die Tur Ist Zu). Release for Soundtracks will be in May. Die Tur Ist Zu will also be available soon as a limited 3 sided vinyl release, the 4th side being an etched graphic. It will be available for Record Store Day, April 21st in North America (Mute to release at a later date).

 

Later in the year, we'll also be putting together a live Swans album of material from this recent, now past formidable line up. We did a great deal of live recordings. I'm still sifting through it...

 

And more Swans catalog rereleases of course along the way...

oh shit been wondering when this was gonna appear

Fantastic.

Whoops.  I tried looking for this but wound up creating a thread of my own.

https://www.normanrecords.com/records/113740-swans-soundtracks-for-blind

https://younggodrecords.com/collections/frontpage/products/soundtracks-2018

Up on Mute too with the Die Tür Ist Zu reissue:

http://mute.com/swans/soundtracks-for-the-blind

https://www.instagram.com/p/BldsJcmHB_3

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmMABohnWUQ

This thing's been out for a while. Just listened not long ago, definitely feels more like a comp of random odds and ends in a bad way more than like a proper album, though at the same time it does feel coherent all the way through in some sense. That said, a great album still

This is the only reissue I've not picked up so far

1. Soundtracks for the Blind is the greatest thing Swans ever did, by far. In fact, it's one of the greatest examples of the album medium, period.

2. Why would they include Die tur ist Zu instead of Swans are Dead? I get it, Swans are Dead has been remastered already. But Die Tur ist Zu was more associated with The Great Annihilator, Swans are Dead was specific to the Soundtracks for the Blind tour (and frankly, is the best Swans live album anyway).

3. It's a shame, but I will never enjoy either of these. I believe the accusations against Gira and it's really ruined my appreciation for Swans (and all other Gira stuff). 

wasn't it widely agreed on the allegations were bs?

Nope, https://pitchfork.com/news/63799-swans-michael-gira-issues-statement-on-rape-accusations-larkin-grimm-responds/

From "A Slanderous Lie" to "An Awkward Mistake" is not a good look at all.

Also, to be frank: I've read The Consumer multiple times. Listened to "The Somniloquist" multiple times. While some will be quick to defend him by separating art from artist. After these specific works I referenced, I cannot shake the notion that Gira's got some very warped views on women, sex and control.