Birthing by the Swans - Under Review

How does one write a review of the Swan's latest? You either know the Swans and what they represent or you do not. There really is no middle ground – there are those who get the Swans and those who don't. If you have never heard the Swans then I suggest you give a release or two a listen (my favorite is To Be Kind). If it doesn't connect right away, try to listen again. If it still does not click, then try and try again. And if that still does not work, then move on (but revisit after some time). Either way, the Swans are the kind of band that grows on you and even if you get one release, you might not get another. It should be emphasized repeatedly, The Swans are more than a band. This is Michael Gira's life work – his pursuit of art.

So, back to the question, how does one review a Swans album? My answer is, you don't - instead you discuss how the sound affects the listener and perhaps a spotlight on the band's evolution from the previous release/incarnation. To be honest, the last couple of Swan releases have not entirely connected with me. I truly do enjoy them but they aren't getting repeat listens like other Swans albums I own.

With that in mind, lets backtrack to when I first discovered the Swans. Actually, discovered is not the correct word – as I knew about them but they had no appeal. To be fair, I had no idea how they sounded – just what I had heard/read from others: loud angry noise. While I do enjoy industrial and similar genres, noise has never been my thing (though recently, I realized that perhaps I have been listening to noise music but not seeing it as such – but that is for another post). So I avoided but in the back of my head, I was curious about why some folks were really into them. That is another thing to note – folks are either way into the Swans or they are not.

The Swans album, To Be Kind, was released in 2014 with a lot of hype (well, a lot of hype for the experimental music world) and it was this hype that finally got me to check out (begrudgingly) the Swans and it was not what I expected at all. I suppose I thought that it would be a wall of noise and screaming about things for shock value – I was way off. What I found was very astute/emotional lyrics, a singing style that had more to do with folk/country interlaced with post punk/no wave stylings then screaming and music that was hallucinatory/fever dream inducing. The sounds incorporated all my favorite things: drone, Krautrock, country type guitar motifs, metal, experimental electronics, soundscapes and pretty much everything under the sun. In a word, the album was a catharsis. I could hear the pain, joy, longing etc from Michael Gira's voice and I could truly empathize with it – causing me to examine some of my same feelings around trauma/triumphs/failings/depression etc. Creating empathetic music that is both confrontational and hypnotic is quite the feat. The Swans may be the only band that can accomplish this.

From there, I started following the Swans – picking up subsequent releases and making my way through the back catalog. The back catalog is different than To Be Kind and the aforementioned subsequent releases but the same foundations/artistic approach is there. However, from my point of view, the older releases are not as mature. Definitely not shock for shock value but also not as deep as later Swans.

Which brings me to why I think the Swans clicked with me – they had matured/aged and my mind state was ready for them. With a band like the Swans, you need common ground. Swans are one of those bands, that I will buy sight unseen – regardless, you know it will be worth it in some form or factor. Which means of course, not every Swans album is a 10 (this one is). As I said, the previous album, leaving meaning, left me wanting (though the live album, Live Rope, that came out shortly before Birthing is stellar). Leaving Meaning wasn't by the numbers but I could see with the right nudge or misstep the Swans could go down the path of producing the same album over and over. Surprisingly, Michael Gira in a recent interview said something similar:

I’m also aware that to continue in the present mode could lead to self-parody and I’m too vain to expose myself to that publicly. So we’ll continue as we are until the coming tours are completed and put everything we have into the performances as usual, but after that I have to rethink things, and most of all, simplify - Michael Gira

Worth noting is that Gira might be taking a piss when he is saying this – as at times, it seems like Gira provides non answers or antagonistic responses in the interview. But maybe that is his humor.

With all this in mind, Birthing concludes The Swans To Be Kind period. Others might argue that this current incarnation of the Swans started with The Glowing Man but I don't think you can get here without To Be Kind. For me Birthing is firmly rooted in the Swans’ current incarnation but also provides a transition to whatever is next. Overall, the sound is more subdued and less testosterone fueled. At times I would even say there are "pop" motifs (well, as far as the Swans could ever do pop). However, that does not mean that they do not bring the noise and their maximalist approach to the music. It is there too but purposely changed. For example, there is lot of discussion on Reddit in regards to the track, The Merge. Folks bring up the punishing noise at the start and the heavy use of electronics to point out how the Swans have not really changed – even at Gira's advanced age he can deliver. But I think something is being missed or overlooked. Right after this sonic assault, the track shifts into what I can only call an early industrial beat which eventually merges with what can only be described as the Swans sound. However, at around the 12 min mark, the vocals come in. They are quiet, intimate and subdued – even ending in chorus that is reminiscent of holiday carol. And in turn provides the perfect ending for the song. As what could have come across as a colossal wall of noise etc, instead comes off smaller and more intimate while still providing a punch. I think this is where the Swans are headed. And like almost any transitional album, Birthing is a masterpiece and deserve the attention/expense.

Essential.

Photo by Daniel De Los Santos, Matagorda Bay Nature Park TX