Credit: Sam Horn - http://www.samuelhorn.co.uk
Swans are one of those bands you’re ‘expected’ to like when you’re in my line of journalism, and music appreciation. “You like SUNN O)), Fantomas, and Earth? You MUST like Swans then right?”.
In short, I like what I’ve heard. I’ve always meant to get really into Swans, but I’ve somehow always fallen short of actually taking the plunge.
It’s not like TOOL, Coil, or Radiohead, three bands people are often shocked to hear I don’t listen to. I don’t listen to them because I think they are either terrible, or have a crap singer. I really just haven’t had the opportunity to really dig into their discography, that is all.
So, when it popped up in my email box that they were playing, I decided this would be a good oppurtuity to get a good sample of their music.
The band open with, what can only be described as, an ‘annoying squeal’…for about 15 minutes. This put me straight into ‘post-rock-self-defence-mode’, and I wandered off to get a drink. When I returned, the squeal was suddenly accompanied by a man playing what looked like a lap-steel guitar with an array of effects pedals, which was quite therapeutic after the lingering squeal.
Finally the band all get on stage, and we’re treated to a very slow, but pleasing, build up of darkness. The song peaked into an amazing crescendo of discordance, and then stops suddenly. So far, so good.
Judging by the audience reactions, the following (very good) tunes are all ‘classics’. Swans seem to specialise in root darkness. By this I mean, over the years they have perfected the sound of bleakness, it’s quite impressive.
The show itself is good, but I have one complaint. The root darkness I mentioned before, gets a bit tired. To me at least – a non-Swans-obsessive-heathen – a lot of the material they are playing tonight sounds very ‘rinse and repeat’. They have a formula, and by god they are sticking to it tonight.
I’m not saying this is a bad thing, it just left me wishing I’d listened to all of their records before coming tonight, as I think I would have enjoyed the show so much more if I had.
If the set was a little shorter (it ran in at about 90 minutes total tonight), and a bit more varied, this would have been a spectacular show. Instead, it was thoroughly enjoyable for the most part, which isn’t bad going for my first real experience of the band.
Anyway, I’m off to buy some Swans records…any suggestions?
Ken Eakins
I’ve always associated them with that neofolk post-genre scene. They are not that much connected with the bands you’ve mentioned in the first paragraph.
Body to body job to job is a great album.
Also Tool is both terrible and with a crap singer; I agree with you even though that’s not exactly what you said.
i’m sure we’re all in agreement that ken’s absurd lumping in of coil with those other bands is either a joke or a comical insight into a malnourished musical lexicon.
actually it was there to point out the type of fanbase, not the musical genre.
If you like Fantomas, there is a high chance that you also like Tool, at least in my experience. People don’t understand when you say you think they suck.
I just used those three bands randomnly to make a point really.
Coil are overated IMO.
Long live John Zorn, haha.
…and also, my lexicon is well nourished thanks.
“Also Tool is both terrible and with a crap singer”
Did Maynard upset you at some point Paul ?
Music is a strictly subjective subject people. Which means if you think that Brokencyde are the bset band in the world, then for you they are.
That said, I would actually like to introduce a qualitative system for judging music so we can end all this doubt. Any suggestions ?
yes, just let me be the judge and then everybody accept my statements as unwavering fact.
Like a sort of musical Judge Dredd ?
yes, exactly. except i’d make all of my decisions known through the oft unappreciated art of tap.
Naked ?
i meant tap dancing, not shopping for video games online or whatever you thought i meant.
Naked tap dancing is what I was after.