SWANS - Leaving Meaning

https://www.normanrecords.com/records/178204-swans-leaving-meaning?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Tuesday Update 29th October 2019&utm_content=Tuesday Update 29th October 2019+CID_38326ce3bb72b19b4242f7b807e3653a&utm_source=EmailMarketingSoftware&utm_term=leaving meaning SWANS

Stream:

https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2019/10/23/exclusive-stream-the-new-swans-album-leaving-meaning/

I'm interested in this but haven't listened to any of their post-reunion albums (save for a random track here and there) so I don't think this should be my starting point. 

I first listened to Swans in the mid 90s when I picked up The Great Annihilator and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't my favorite style at the time so I didn't bother with anything else. In the past few years I became interested again, appreciate that album a lot more, and have spent varying amounts of time with Filth, White Light From the Mouth of Infinity, Soundtracks for the Blind, Holy Money, Greed, and Children of God – in that order – as well as Shame, Humility, Revenge and Ten Songs for Another World under the Skin alias. It's almost time to dive into some newer stuff.

The new one kind of just drifted by on my first listen but really grabbed me on the second. It’s definitely a slow and cathartic record. The last three have been absolutely massive and I don’t disagree with dismantling that line up and trying something new. Gira did keep most of that lineup anyway and there are a ton of guests in this one but it doesn’t really sound like it. It sounds like Swans but not much like the trilogy that led up to this. I’d say you should start with the seer and work your way back up to this or I doubt it will grab you too much. That said - the seer, to be kind and glowing man are pretty big commitments but you would get why this sounds the way it does. I really do like the tone of this one. While still a double album, it’s more concise and easier to digest. I’m not sure his voice has ever sounded better and as instrumental. It’s moody as fuck and fits the grey gloom of the northeast right now. I’ll be exploring this for a while for sure. 

  On 10/30/2019 at 4:49 AM, jules said:

I’d say you should start with the seer and work your way back up to this or I doubt it will grab you too much. That said - the seer, to be kind and glowing man are pretty big commitments but you would get why this sounds the way it does. 

Yeah I think since they are all double albums it will be a while before I get to Leaving Meaning. I thought about just going chronologically and trying My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky first, but it's less raved about and it's not like I've listened to all prior albums anyway.

Maybe just a revisit of Soundtracks for the Blind, since I've only played it once and that was a pretty difficult one, before I dive into The Seer.

I should have purchased this by now.

Big Swans fan here.

Will grab it soon.

It's ok.

Never mind! This might be my first non electronic album I'm going to be buying in recent memory

haha. it sneaks up on you after a listen or two...

  On 10/31/2019 at 5:27 PM, jules said:

haha. it sneaks up on you after a listen or two...

Yes that happened to me today as well

I usually hate rock music or whatever but I'll make an exception for swans, tool, battles etc.

I hated the second half at first.  But now, I think it makes a lot of sense, and it's a natural follow up (or new beginning) from The Glowing Man.

It was weird not having the crescendo build-ups at first, but I think this is the most focused album they've done in a long time compared to the sprawling nature of the trilogy albums released before this one.  And that's no criticism to those albums, they're fantastic, but it's nice to hear Gira achieving more than he did on White Light... and Love of Life.

The Necks are superb too (title track and The Nub).

Giving this another spin today, and I really like it.

My Phantom Limb has become a bit of a standout.  It's weirdly different from previous Swans in a long way, but still obviously their sound.