Bands returning after a prolonged hiatus, or re-forming after a break, are rarely able to recapture the essence and/or quality of their earlier existence. When Michael Gira announced the return of Swans it seemed that it would solely be a repeat of the band's earliest style at best. My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky came … Read more
Considering that many of the group’s earliest albums were sometimes described as being unlistenable, it’s odd that Swans have garnered increasing critical acclaim and notoriety some thirty years on in their history. Led by Michael Gira, the only player remaining from the group’s earlier incarnation that was declared as “dead” following 1996’s outstanding Soundtracks for the Blind (an album I … Read more
Listen, I will fully admit that I am a hopeless Swans fan boy and might even listen to a record filled with sounds of the members defecating and giggling to each other while doing such a dirty deed; so imagine my immense surprise that not only did To Be Kind not immediately blow me away with its intense two plus … Read more
Constantly exploring and never stagnant like a mosquito-infested bird bath filled with water, Swans are constantly reevaluating, reassessing and pushing boundaries of sound exploration to heavenly proportions. Pulsating dissonance collaborating with sonic clarity enlightens aural and cognitive perception bringing all closer to the truth and a more powerful entity. Is … Read more
Swans Defy Music’s Law of Diminishing Returns Author Nick Soulsby picks nine highlights from the band’s extensive catalog. “When…When we were young. We had no history, so nothing to lose. Meant we could choose, choose what we wanted then, without any fear or thought of revenge. But then you grew … Read more
It's been another strong year for music in 2014 just gone – we've seen comebacks, unexpected debuts, strong follow-ups and soon-to-be classics from old and new bands alike. In this, our annual sitewide list, we've averaged and assembled our individual contributor's best-of-2014 lists into one superlist, amalgamating all of our … Read more
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