/swans/ - trilogy edition

So now that the trilogy has been completed and we had enough time to process it all...

1) What's the meaning behind these three albums? Is there some sort of message which goes through all of them and we have to put puzzle pieces in place? Why are they a trilogy?
2) How did you find them? Which one was your favorite and why? Favorite songs?
3) Do you like 2010's Swans more than 80'-90's Swans or vice versa and why? What do you think of 2010's line-up? Do you miss Jarboe?
4) What's the future for Swans/Gira? Considering they're now on their last tour with this line-up. What kind of future would like to see? What do you think is realistic?
5) Any additional Swans thoughts, inputs, live concert experiences, merchandise, questions, comments...

(you don't have to answer all the questions lol, it was just a little help notice to start the discussion)

1)
>the seer
hell
>to be kind
earth
>the glowing man
heaven

2) I actually like the glowing man the most. For some reason it didn't bore me as much as the others, and was more subtle and atmospheric. I hate to be kind, does the least to justify its length.

3) Haven't listened to old swans yet.

4) I hope they get even more atmospheric, the sensitive side of their work is the best imo

5) I think its interesting how the album covers in the trilogy look like shit in digital form, but look amazing on cd/vinyl.

>1
I agree with the Apocalypse theory

>2
a.)Through Sup Forums
b.)To Be Kind because it had the best tracks
c.)Lunacy, A Little God In My Hands, The Glowing Man

>3
80s-90s swans because there was more material. However, I still like new swans.

>4
Swans will release their next album in 2019. It'll probably only slightly more experimental and critics won't like it.
I'd like to see some more neo-psychedelia like there was on Love Of Life


>5
No.

"The Seer", as in the title of the album, just comes from Gira shouting "I see it all, I see it all" during some live show because he though it sounded cool and in theme and feel of the song they were playing. The sound of the album was also shaped based on the band not wanting to do something that sounded anything like Angels of Light like their previous release. I mean, maybe there are some overarching themes, but it's certainly not a concept album.

>the sensitive side of their work is their best

Have you listened to Angels of Light?
Check out Everything is Good Here/Please Come Home and We Are Him

How is The Glowing Man heaven? It has songs about drug addiction and sexual abuse

1) 2) The Apostate, Screen Shot, She Loves Us
3) 1991-1996 Swans is GOAT
4) Angels Of Light, Gira's solo stuff
5) Never

15:36

>1
I don't think there's any strict meaning - there are consistent themes and ideas, and each album pulls in its own direction, but it doesn't feel like there's an overarching plan.

>2
Found them through Sup Forums, first album I listened to was Soundtracks, then The Seer and To Be Kind when it came out. Honestly for me it's perfectly split three ways. The Seer is chaotic and creepy, To Be Kind is explosive and catchy, and The Glowing Man is beautiful and introspective. Favourite songs would again be split three ways between the three half-hour tracks.

>3
This is my favourite era of Swans, but every era has its own beauty. Soundtracks is my favourite single album, but I'm a big fan of Filth and Public Castration. The Body Haters is great too.

>4
I saw them a couple of weeks ago performing about an hour of new material but it's way to early to tell what form it'll take. It sounds like The Knot evolved out of the intro to Frankie M but is quite shapeless at the moment. The Man Who Refused To Be Unhappy (?) is a bit more like The World Looks Black, quite upbeat and funky. I'd like them to take a more atmospheric route since Gira's vocal style from TGM is getting a little stale now, but who knows really.

>5
They're probably my favourite band of all time after The Who, so I can't wait for what they do next - I don't care if it lives up to the standard set by the trilogy, I just hope they try something completely different. Also I'm pissed that the official artwork for TGM is that shitty cardboard scan/photoshop and not the one with the white background.

That sounds like Gira's definition of heaven.

But how do you separate the fact that he's a rapist?

kek

I love 80's Swans because of the raw feeling on each album. The trilogy is too polished for me, I don't enjoy the atmosphere and I dislike how there was no experimenting as the trilogy was going on. I'm not saying that it's bad, but I dislike it, they took the repeating one note too far, in my opinion.

Hey /swans/, I'm new to this band and I'd like to get into them. I want to start with some of their newer stuff such as the trilogy this thread is centered around, but I don't know if I should. Any reccomended ways of getting into this band?

The Man Who Refused To Be Unhappy was so good, can't wait to see if it or some version of it makes its way to a record

This trilogy is really good and a good place to start. But also different Swans eras sound very different. Have a chart!

1.I don't really know how they're related either. I think The seer had more in common with their 2010 release than the other 2 in the trilogy.

2.I like all of them equalyFavorite songs are The seer, the glowing man, Frankie M and bring the sun/the other track. The 30 minute tracks are always the best.

3.I've only listened to filth outside their new music and I liked it just as much even when they're so different.

Thanks!

>1) What's the meaning behind these three albums? Is there some sort of message which goes through all of them and we have to put puzzle pieces in place? Why are they a trilogy?

heck no, thye just wanted to release some music, fuck off your crywank ass symbolism behind this trilogy

>4) What's the future for Swans/Gira? Considering they're now on their last tour with this line-up. What kind of future would like to see? What do you think is realistic?

Jail

How do you go from noisy weird shit to fucking orchestral type of shit? Do they still preform old stuff?

>1
The album's are a product of Michael Gira's state of mind. This applies to the original Swans as well.

>2
Favourite album: The Glowing Man
Favourite songs: Avatar, Cloud of Unknowing, Finally, Peace

Not a fan of TBK.

>3
In some ways yes. Seeing them live just last week was ecstatic to say the least.
Old Swans have more songs that speaks to me, whereas new Swans have music that takes me to a higher place.

>4
Gira talked about it in an interview that the new guy, I forget his name, brings to the band a sort of orchestral sound. I hope it goes further in that direction.

personally, the first Swans album that I really enjoyed was To Be Kind (although I had heard The Seer a while before that, I wasn't a big fan of it until after I got into them with TBK); however, everyone will tell you to start with a different album since people like Swans for a lot of different reasons. Try listening to the three albums of the trilogy (The Seer, To Be Kind, or The Glowing Man: start with whichever one you'd like and then listen to the other two in whatever order you'd like) then try listening to Filth. If by this point you still haven't connected to any of the albums, Swans probably isnt for you; however, as a last measure, listen to Soundtracks for the Blind.

>1
v e r y s h a l l o w l i s t e n i n g

>2
I think they're really good. I agree with others - the 30m tracks are always great, plus Screen Shot, the 'Cloud of...' tracks. Need to give the Seer another listen.

>3
Both great, hard to pick. They're doing different things I think. Children of God edges it as my fave Swans of all time, and Great Annihilator and Soundtracks is a legendary pair. But I'd probably put one of these three on if I was going to pick a Swans album to listen to off the top of my head. (I do miss Jarboe, come back pls)

>4
Really interested to see where they'll go next, but I hope they get grander. Maybe even more experimental again.

>5
Saw them last month and it was incredible.

Alright, I'll start with To Be Kind, since I listened to A Little God In My Hands and enjoyed it.

>Do they still preform old stuff?
Nope

>Batman Begins
The Seer
>The Dark Knight
To Be Kind
>The Dark Knight Rises
The Glowing Man

Both consistently the same in quality and critical reception.

>tfw swans have a concert in bum fuck egypt
>you actually live there
>finally a chance to listen to one of my favourite artists
>they only play they new stuff

welp

1) I don't think they are meant to be a trilogy that has a thematic link. Sure, each album has pretty distinct atmosphere (Seer feels ritualistic and tribal, To Be Kind is very much about the Freudian id and The Glowing Man is the most meditative, religious one), but there is not some kind of a story or anything. The sound directly evolves, but the themes do not. Gira is not the guy who'd do some cheesy thematic conceptual album trilogy.
2) I found them via Sup Forums 2 years ago. My favorite are The Seer and SFTB. My favorite songs are Helpless Child, The Apostate, The Sound, Just a Little Boy, She Loves Us, Cloud of Unknowing, Final Sacrifice, I Crawled... too much to count really.
3) Yes, I do. I think current Swans, while starting to run out of ideas on TGM, are pretty much the only rock band worth paying attention to atm. Jarboe was great, though I still can't stand Yum-Yab.
4) I'd like to see Gira take a break for a year or two and then return with focus on choral and orchestral stuff, less than the electric guitar stuff. Realistic guess is something akin to his solo stuff or Angels of Light.
5) Saw them live ten days ago for the first time and will see them again in March. Pretty pumped, I think I am going to enjoy it more this time.

Is Frankie M CIA or Big guy?

1)2) I was introduced to Swans and Sup Forumscore in general a couple years ago when I saw the greentext of the guy playing The Seer for a group of friends, then a girl coming up to him and saying her favorite album was FIlth before he wakes up. I saw the song was 30 mins and I had a strange attraction to it. My favorites from the trilogy are A Piece of the Sky, She Loves Us, and Frankie M.
3) They're about equal to me, although I think the STFB era is the best
4) Everyday I hope and pray that Mikey G does a collab with GYBE
5) I wish I went to a concert of theirs, also the STFB reissue using a jewel case is pretty fucking lame, considering they used digipaks for everything else, including the original release of STFB

actual kek

yeah its a bit disappointing its jewel cased, but whatever, I bought it at their show anyway, its SFTB and I don't think there is going to be another opportunity

does anyone else prefer black hole/black eyed man to glowing man? Him saying "I'm a black hole, black hole man" just flows better than "I'm a glowing, glowing man"

1. I think people read too much into the albums. There isnt any sort of overarching concept between them: after doing The Seer, Gira felt comfortable with the format (2 hours long, 2 CDS) and made two more similar albums. They're a trilogy only in format.
2. Listened to To Be Kind and fell in love instantly from the first track
3. Probably 2010s because it just feels like they know what they're doing a lot more, plus there's a bit more creative energy; however, post-reunion Swans is also fantastic, just a bit difficult to get into. I've only recently started enjoying Jarboe's work with Swans but I still wouldnt say that I miss her. I was at the Swans concert in Atlanta where she performed Blood on Your Hands and there was kind of a weird tension, Gira just sorta stepped to the side of the stage and stared at her with that Gira-grin of his that makes you terrified while she performed. A couple of the band members actually left the stage during the song (although probably just to take a breather, since Christoph Hahn was the only member playing an instrument)
4. Realistically we're probably going to hear a bit of silence from Gira for a bit after this tour is over. I think after a while he may do some sort of collaboration album with different artists. The sound will probably be pretty experimental, atmospheric, and maybe a bit ambient. Another possibility though is a melodic album (somewhat akin to Angels of Light but not quite) with some female guest singers

I agree, Black Hole Man sounded a lot more powerful

1) There's a review of The Glowing Man on RYM which gives a pretty solid perspective on the trilogy, and Swans' discography as a whole. I think the timeline from SftB to TGM is the strongest bit, though. StfB can be seen as the slow death of a mortal, "My Father..." is the soul's journey to the "other side," The Seer *is* the other side, TBK is the beginning of the next reincarnation process, and TGM is the mortal's total rebirth as something transcendental and completely unearthly.
While I don't quite believe Gira had any of that in mind, I think it fits and sounds purdy rad.

2) About mid-2015 I started with The Seer, which I couldn't get through. Tried SftB; same deal. Put on To Be Kind and sat in complete disbelief for two hours. Everything clicked soon after, but To Be Kind remains my favorite, and my #3 of all time. What Gira achieved with rhythm on that album is unbelievable. Perhaps the zenith of music. Where do we go after it?
>Favorite Songs:
A Piece of the Sky, The Apostate, Bring the Sun/Touissant L'Ouverture, She Loves Us!, Cloud of Unknowing, Frankie M

3) Gotta' go with the modern-era. We have classic Gira songwriting with palpable+visceral sonic atmospheres that just create all too moving pieces. But--I love older Swans work and am beyond impressed how consistent it was over so many genres. Love the lineup, such a cast of characters / talented musicians. Never cared much for Jarboe but I appreciate her contributions to The Seer.

4) I am entirely content with things actually ending here. If any member continues to work elsewhere, I will of course check 'em out. I trust Gira won't force or rush anything after this, which is perfect.

5) Saw them in San Fran this year (my first ever concert; again, where do I go after that?). Talked with Gira and Westberg. Incredibly humble and kind. I know this whole post is total cheese. Just really dig those dudes.

>I agree with the Apocalypse theory
Can you elaborate?

1. If there is a message, it’s not something that’s going to be “put” together in the same way a jigsaw puzzle is constructed. Gira’s comments about writing Swans lyrics mixed with the organic process that the band engages with in order to create these songs suggests that there really is not some overarching telos that the records are driving at. Instead, the material is made to be open to interpretation and dissection by the audience. So, I think the fact that there is a trilogy of these grandiose records has more to do with happenstance than an intended artistic direction, since each records was built from reworking various songs from immediately preceding material. Ultimately, it seems like any ultimate idea guiding everything is going to be found in tracing the centerpiece of each album. That’s because the title track to The Seer was the basis for Toussaint L’Overture and then Bring the Sun/Toussaint L’Overture was the starting point for the title track on The Glowing Man.
2. Heard about them in high school when I discovered Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Sunn O))), but I didn’t really dive into their work until To Be Kind came out. To Be Kind is probably my favorite, with The Glowing Man in close second. I think the title track from The Glowing Man is my favorite song, along with Frankie M, Just a Little Boy, To Be Kind, 93 Ave. Blues, A Piece of the Sky, Nathalie Neal, Blind Love, Clay Man, Blood Promise, She Lives, and Coward.
3. I enjoy the 2010’s incarnation compared to the 80’s and 90’s stuff. The last three albums seem to have just about everything good from the older eras, just on a greater scale and with better recording tech. I’ve liked Jarboe as a standalone artists, but a lot of her work with Swans seemed to be an odd match in my opinion.

4. I have no clue given how they went from the My Father sounds to what they’re doing now, so I won’t attempt to predict what the project will be like in the future. I’d just like to seem them to continue making great music and continually developing their sound.
5. I’ve seen them twice and both times were fantastic. Gira is an interesting person to talk to and I like how sincere he comes across when discussing the goals of Swans.