Album Rating: 3.0

lol, sorry. Your review just didn't do a very good job explaining why, other than the fact that it is "more focused," which I really can't agree with, especially when you also say that it is an amalgamation of all their previous sounds.

Swans have finally managed to carve out an identity.

""Little Mouth" could be misconstrued for ending My Father with a whimper"

misconstrued as

"They would eventually release an album that really did everything, and then everything else would just seem minor in comparison. There wouldn't even be need for any other bands, for any other music, if Swans could just do it all. It'd all just be irrelevant, because Swans exist. And they can do everything."

i'm not sure this is facetious or whatever but it doesnt sit well with me either way. go figure.

"Not that My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky isn't everything, because it's almost everything."

which one is it?

"It's certainly an all-encompassing, monolithic piece of work, an album that'll make a bunch of people suddenly relieved that there's another Swans album, in a we've missed you kind of way."

the two parts of this sentence dont really relate. i get that it's all-encompassing (a point that you were reaching with your "it's almost everything" statement), but then the second part "make a bunch of people suddenly..." just seems thrown out there and not explained--maybe if you added a sort of sense of quality to the first part-- like, "a great album" or whatever--then we'd see the reason for people to be relieved that theyre back. but being monolithic alone doesnt explain that.

"It's just more focused, more direct."

than what? than an album that would encompass everything? (still a silly concept of course but not keeping that in mind)

"Swans have effective whittled down their approach,"

effectively*

"By taking influence from mostly themselves -- the first track, for example, mixes the aggressive and distorted sounds of Filth with the gloomy and prolonged sensibilities of White Light... -- Swans have finally managed to carve out an identity."

in a way this seems sort of strange, because you imply their earlier albums/songs take lots of influence from places, and then you say this album takes influence from THOSE albums--which would imply, yes, they're taking "influences from themselves", but still via other bands. idk

". Also acting as justification is the general quality of the material here."

this is just personal preference but "also justifying this release is", or something like "the general quality of the material here also justifies this release". just something about "also acting as justification" rubs me the wrong way.

"Needless to say, they're disturbing"

i dont think thats needless to say, considering many of us dont know that "michael gira's mind" or "swans' discography" is "disturbing" (at least that's what i think is being implied there. i mean i know it's just a figure of speech but still

robertsonarampage

hate it when he makes dem long comments

these are all pretty nitpicky too but whatever might as well

So they finally carved out an identity for themselves by... taking influences mostly from themselves.

and some of those i don't necessarily agree with robertsona but i'll change the more glaring stuff i spose

one small qualm I have is that you're not the best at providing background info about the band. like the review was well-written and described, but what genre are they or rather what were their sound? idk maybe i just didn't read thoroughly enough

Album Rating: 3.0

They've done different shit yeah, but it was a natural progression over the course of like 25 years. Their albums all have a very distinct sound to them, hence the "eras" that people like to categorize them in.



It's not like you can look at any one particular album and be like "ok this is all over the place," except for Soundtracks for the Blind, which was sort of a collection of all their previous sounds. So while I agree that this album can be looked upon as a more focused, direct version of Soundtracks, I disagree in regards to pretty much everything else they've released.

Album Rating: 3.5

i'll disagree, i think Swans have had a defining sound throughout their career. their albums are different in sound in the sense that radiohead albums are different in sound. still when you listen to the album, you still know it's swans (this being for those who have listened to swans before)

Album Rating: 3.5

not with you skyler but above.

I would disagree with the "natural progression" claim, even disregarding soundtracks for the blind. it's hard for me anyways to see that, since they went from noise rock to post-industrial (sorta) to gothic rock to more post-industrial to fuck it everything sticks

My first paragraph only references soundtracks for the blind for the latter

I guess i'm trying to say this is a more focused direct sampling of their entire career, i don't really say, besides for soundtracks for the blind, that any of their albums have an all over the place feel

But i might just rewrite this whole review because i am also bothered that i didn't really give much background info here and i don't really see a way to fit it in

Album Rating: 3.5

joshuatree,

i thought it was a good review! yes you could have added a bit more about their history, but that can always be sought out on one's own free time. You perfectly describe the album... or at least to me you do. solid review though.

Album Rating: 4.0

Can't wait to listen to this!

thanks dominics

Why have I not heard of this? It sounds like something I would definitely like.

because most of their albums just aren't that great

Album Rating: 4.5

Good Review.



I doubt anything will surpass this. AOTY for me.

too many long comments

CONFUSING