The journey of Swans as a band is absolutely unbelievable, an ever evolving and groundbreaking band but it's not for the impatient. They went from Noise Rock/No Wave through Gothic Rock/Folk Rock to Post-Rock and Ambient, broke up the band just to return 10 years later with trilogy of absolute masterpieces of Experimental and Avant-garde Rock. Pretty much everything they've done is high art imo, it might not be your cup of tea but the sheer artistic power of their work is colossal and I hope you check the band out in your own time!
I think what makes the lyricism of early Swans so terrifying and visceral is that it’s often from the perspective of a proud perpetrator. Every mental angle on victimhood and trauma you can imagine is explored in the early work - Stockholm syndrome, coping by fetishization, gaslighting, workplace abuse and bullying, self abuse and self medication, parental neglect, it’s all there. Stay Here - from the perspective of an abusive entity (the workplace/the father/whatever) , basically instructing the audience to take on a stoic attitude so that they can continue to cope and “come back for more”, another paycheck, or whatever it is abusers hold over the heads of their victim. I think he had in mind the exploitation of laborers, he was a hod carrier at the time.
Many of their early music grew out of life in New York which was a total hell hole at that time. Abandoned buildings, tons of crime, etc. You gotta check out their more recent material. They have always evolved and always ahead of the curve.
I discovered Swans via an interview with Maynard James Keenan in the early ‘00s, the song “Goddamn The Sun.” This track was pretty emblematic of that intersection of Industrial & No Wave of the era. Though you mention “chaos,” I think there is one thing, or motivator, that I think you might missed-something almost inherent in the genre-that is antagonism. Though the recommender mentioned the end of the No Wave genre, it’s pretty much still alive, through both No Wave artists who are still alive, and via the Noise/Industries genres. More on No Wave, checkout the doc, Lydia Lunch: The War Is Never Over. Blast beats, more on Grindcore, checkout the doc, Slave To The Grind. Some artists to check out: Suicide, Lydia Lunch, John Zorn & Thurston Moore, Esplendor Geométrico, Foetus/J.G. Thirwell, etc., etc.
Great interpretation. I feel like you were spot on with everything. If I could say, I feel like you only missed a few things.. The fact that they precede industrial music tells me the sound was crafted to give a cold, soulless machine of a song, much like a factory would sound even. The lyrics all lead you to lose your humanity, starting by telling you to be stoic and be strong. Eventually, you gruesomely get told to blind yourself and "come back for more"/"stay here". All of that together tells me as chaotic as it sounds, it all drives on and keeps going ad nauseum, not slowing down or losing pace, just getting more chaotic. The end of the song has you becoming the blind, mindless part of the machine of society, no humanity left, no choice but to remain for the sole purpose that the machine needs a useful cog.
I always thought the lyrics were about an employer giving directions to a worker (many of the early songs are about the exploitation of workers) and the employer gives them orders and even makes them hurt themselves (stick your hand in your eye)
I think there’s a constant theme of victims submitting to their abuse on Filth - I see stay here as a song about the abused worker, who comes back for more (puts up with back breaking labor for poor pay) manipulated into feeling it’s tied to their own masculinity and a need to prove their strength (strength meaning in actuality tolerance for abuse). As in the song is coming from the POV of a boss or authority figure and shows the true ugliness of their so called “leadership” and “inspiration” - could be similar to a track like too many puppies by primus as well, which explores how men are conditioned to be unthinking and aggressive for the purpose of war/creating ideal soldiers. So you could plug a lot of specific scenarios into it but I think it’s really just the experience of being underneath that kind of aggressive propaganda/authority, receiving the directive
While I enjoy most of Swans later output (from about White Light onward) I've never been able to get into their early work. Too much of it sounds like noise for noise's sake, and while sometimes they're pretty interesting noises I still prefer how they took their penchant for "sonorism" as you call it and blended it with a more psychedelic, post-rock/post-punk, art-rock style with their later works. They basically learned how to let the sound breathe a bit, rather than being this kind of constant, mechanical barrage that I find draining after a while. Still, they're a fascinating band with an extraordinary musical evolution.
I took this whole album, in context with some of Gira's other work from around this time and his writing, to be the narrative of a man whose indoctrination into how to be a masculine man was so heavily intertwined with suffering and trauma and dehumanization, that in the end he just loses his mind.
I’m really digging your channel so far, I’m a newcomer to it, but I like the deep dives you take into analyzing tracks. They’re always thoughtful and well put together. I wanted to drop a suggestion, seeing as you’ve covered Cult of Luna and seem to be slowly warming to them. They just dropped a new album and it is simply amazing. If I had to pick one track, I’d love to see ya dive into Blood Upon Stone. It’s gotta be the best thing I’ve heard them release since Dark City Dead Man, my previous fav song by them. I never thought they would top it, but somehow they did - for me, anyway. I can’t recommend Blood Upon Stone enough, it would give you a lot to talk about and dig into. Take care!
the reason you didnt hear bass is because you thought it was guitar. theres 2 bassists, left and right, just slamming the same dissonant chords the whole time
The toxic masculinity message is valid & true, but the lyrics have always felt a lot more general- about just Any stability in your life feeling performative. We can try living the persona that we need to be in order to have a meaningful life, but it's all just us being "strong" or "hard", resisting the temptation of falling apart. "Flex your muscles" feels less literal, and more like unmasking the idea of stability as the cartoonish & futile display that it is
@@MountainMetalI think you're misinterpreting toxic masculinity as defining ALL masculinity as toxic, which is simply untrue. It's about a very specific kind of masculinity.
@@MountainMetal it becomes toxic when it starts to say that men shouldn't show any emotion other than happiness or anger, otherwise they aren't men, or that men that struggle with depression aren't real men. Or that men bad at sports aren't real men. Or that needing help somehow makes you not a real man. Stuff like that. Good masculinity is one that shows honor, integrity, and respect for others. Being tough when you need to, but allowing yourself and respecting others for expressing their emotions.
A most uncompromising band. Extremely influential, having brought us extremes of beauty and compelling ugliness as few acts have ever equaled, and definitely not for un-adventerous ears.
Well for the second time u review swans and for the second time the one who suggest tracks give you the shitty era of swans, If you want to experience swans advise listen to tracks like The Seer, Frankie M, The Apostate , To Be Kind, The World Look Red, The Glowing Man , Cloud of the unknown, Cloud Of forgotten .. instead of dig in they 80s sound because its feels like u listen to different band
The best way to appreciate something is to understand it fully. While this might not be your favorite style of Swans, it is a part of their history and I enjoyed hearing it, especially in contrast to their later works. I look forward to checking out more from Swans regardless of what era the song is from.
bro swans pre 2010s will always be the best not saying i dont like like the post 2010 albums but cmon how can you beat young gira going crazy or of course jarboe even though she isnt on this
Snob. Who still expresses their *opinion* of anything like this as if it was subjective truth? Musical preference is about the most subjective thing in the human experience, and if that is still lost on you...
The journey of Swans as a band is absolutely unbelievable, an ever evolving and groundbreaking band but it's not for the impatient. They went from Noise Rock/No Wave through Gothic Rock/Folk Rock to Post-Rock and Ambient, broke up the band just to return 10 years later with trilogy of absolute masterpieces of Experimental and Avant-garde Rock. Pretty much everything they've done is high art imo, it might not be your cup of tea but the sheer artistic power of their work is colossal and I hope you check the band out in your own time!
One of the most diverse bands ever. Some of their stuff now you'd never know came from this.
I think what makes the lyricism of early Swans so terrifying and visceral is that it’s often from the perspective of a proud perpetrator. Every mental angle on victimhood and trauma you can imagine is explored in the early work - Stockholm syndrome, coping by fetishization, gaslighting, workplace abuse and bullying, self abuse and self medication, parental neglect, it’s all there. Stay Here - from the perspective of an abusive entity (the workplace/the father/whatever) , basically instructing the audience to take on a stoic attitude so that they can continue to cope and “come back for more”, another paycheck, or whatever it is abusers hold over the heads of their victim. I think he had in mind the exploitation of laborers, he was a hod carrier at the time.
Michael Gira is so sweet for a guy who writes about antagonizing people 90% of the time. :(
Many of their early music grew out of life in New York which was a total hell hole at that time. Abandoned buildings, tons of crime, etc. You gotta check out their more recent material. They have always evolved and always ahead of the curve.
I discovered Swans via an interview with Maynard James Keenan in the early ‘00s, the song “Goddamn The Sun.”
This track was pretty emblematic of that intersection of Industrial & No Wave of the era.
Though you mention “chaos,” I think there is one thing, or motivator, that I think you might missed-something almost inherent in the genre-that is antagonism.
Though the recommender mentioned the end of the No Wave genre, it’s pretty much still alive, through both No Wave artists who are still alive, and via the Noise/Industries genres.
More on No Wave, checkout the doc, Lydia Lunch: The War Is Never Over.
Blast beats, more on Grindcore, checkout the doc, Slave To The Grind.
Some artists to check out: Suicide, Lydia Lunch, John Zorn & Thurston Moore, Esplendor Geométrico, Foetus/J.G. Thirwell, etc., etc.
May be coincidental, but I read that Weakling took its name from a song by Swans, so they were probably an important source of inspiration.
Great interpretation. I feel like you were spot on with everything.
If I could say, I feel like you only missed a few things.. The fact that they precede industrial music tells me the sound was crafted to give a cold, soulless machine of a song, much like a factory would sound even. The lyrics all lead you to lose your humanity, starting by telling you to be stoic and be strong. Eventually, you gruesomely get told to blind yourself and "come back for more"/"stay here". All of that together tells me as chaotic as it sounds, it all drives on and keeps going ad nauseum, not slowing down or losing pace, just getting more chaotic. The end of the song has you becoming the blind, mindless part of the machine of society, no humanity left, no choice but to remain for the sole purpose that the machine needs a useful cog.
world needs more Swans reactions
You GOTTA do more Swans. So under rated. Insane talant.
nice and honest reaction, at least youre one of the few channels that react sthis type of music
I always thought the lyrics were about an employer giving directions to a worker (many of the early songs are about the exploitation of workers) and the employer gives them orders and even makes them hurt themselves (stick your hand in your eye)
I think there’s a constant theme of victims submitting to their abuse on Filth - I see stay here as a song about the abused worker, who comes back for more (puts up with back breaking labor for poor pay) manipulated into feeling it’s tied to their own masculinity and a need to prove their strength (strength meaning in actuality tolerance for abuse). As in the song is coming from the POV of a boss or authority figure and shows the true ugliness of their so called “leadership” and “inspiration” - could be similar to a track like too many puppies by primus as well, which explores how men are conditioned to be unthinking and aggressive for the purpose of war/creating ideal soldiers. So you could plug a lot of specific scenarios into it but I think it’s really just the experience of being underneath that kind of aggressive propaganda/authority, receiving the directive
Without Swans we would not have 🤔 Well 🙄 Many bands potentially would not be.... Godflesh to name one possibly
Godflesh!! Yes the heaviest metal band in milky way
While I enjoy most of Swans later output (from about White Light onward) I've never been able to get into their early work. Too much of it sounds like noise for noise's sake, and while sometimes they're pretty interesting noises I still prefer how they took their penchant for "sonorism" as you call it and blended it with a more psychedelic, post-rock/post-punk, art-rock style with their later works. They basically learned how to let the sound breathe a bit, rather than being this kind of constant, mechanical barrage that I find draining after a while. Still, they're a fascinating band with an extraordinary musical evolution.
I took this whole album, in context with some of Gira's other work from around this time and his writing, to be the narrative of a man whose indoctrination into how to be a masculine man was so heavily intertwined with suffering and trauma and dehumanization, that in the end he just loses his mind.
I’m really digging your channel so far, I’m a newcomer to it, but I like the deep dives you take into analyzing tracks. They’re always thoughtful and well put together. I wanted to drop a suggestion, seeing as you’ve covered Cult of Luna and seem to be slowly warming to them. They just dropped a new album and it is simply amazing. If I had to pick one track, I’d love to see ya dive into Blood Upon Stone. It’s gotta be the best thing I’ve heard them release since Dark City Dead Man, my previous fav song by them. I never thought they would top it, but somehow they did - for me, anyway. I can’t recommend Blood Upon Stone enough, it would give you a lot to talk about and dig into. Take care!
You gotta hear Godflesh
It would be awesome if you reacted to something off To Be Kind. She Loves Us off that record is one of their greatest songs imo.
One day I won't stand the temptation and request a song from their 2010's albums. but also Children of God (1987).
and I'll have to give a listen to their... filthy early albums.
Dude I'd absolutely love to see him react to stuff like The Glowing Man or Lunacy
@@moma026able Or She Loves Us!
Love this band
the reason you didnt hear bass is because you thought it was guitar. theres 2 bassists, left and right, just slamming the same dissonant chords the whole time
i was trying to find something between this (83) and godflesh (1990)
STIGAHAAA IYAEYYYEEE
They were two bass guitars
Absolutely bizarre band.. amazing...
Oxygen is one of thier best.
But there's soooo many songs they have that are good👍
The toxic masculinity message is valid & true, but the lyrics have always felt a lot more general- about just Any stability in your life feeling performative. We can try living the persona that we need to be in order to have a meaningful life, but it's all just us being "strong" or "hard", resisting the temptation of falling apart. "Flex your muscles" feels less literal, and more like unmasking the idea of stability as the cartoonish & futile display that it is
Toxic what? LOL! You cannot be serious. Good lord, I pity some people.
@@MountainMetalI think you're misinterpreting toxic masculinity as defining ALL masculinity as toxic, which is simply untrue. It's about a very specific kind of masculinity.
@@ColombianThunder And what kind is that? At what point does masculinity become toxic?
@@MountainMetal it becomes toxic when it starts to say that men shouldn't show any emotion other than happiness or anger, otherwise they aren't men, or that men that struggle with depression aren't real men. Or that men bad at sports aren't real men. Or that needing help somehow makes you not a real man. Stuff like that. Good masculinity is one that shows honor, integrity, and respect for others. Being tough when you need to, but allowing yourself and respecting others for expressing their emotions.
A most uncompromising band. Extremely influential, having brought us extremes of beauty and compelling ugliness as few acts have ever equaled, and definitely not for un-adventerous ears.
Well for the second time u review swans and for the second time the one who suggest tracks give you the shitty era of swans, If you want to experience swans advise listen to tracks like The Seer, Frankie M, The Apostate , To Be Kind, The World Look Red, The Glowing Man , Cloud of the unknown, Cloud Of forgotten .. instead of dig in they 80s sound because its feels like u listen to different band
This is not a shitty era. It's not my favorite but it's arguably their most influential
The best way to appreciate something is to understand it fully. While this might not be your favorite style of Swans, it is a part of their history and I enjoyed hearing it, especially in contrast to their later works. I look forward to checking out more from Swans regardless of what era the song is from.
bro swans pre 2010s will always be the best not saying i dont like like the post 2010 albums but cmon how can you beat young gira going crazy or of course jarboe even though she isnt on this
reform swans is dogshit self indulgent nonsense.
Snob. Who still expresses their *opinion* of anything like this as if it was subjective truth? Musical preference is about the most subjective thing in the human experience, and if that is still lost on you...