9. Swans - The Seer

Earlier this year rumors started spreading of a new Swans album, thirty years in the making. I've tried to limit my Swans intake over the years, hell, Michael Gira's music in general, as it is incredibly powerful and ultimately depressing. But there is no denying them, and I fully realize that there are no right amounts of words to properly convey the feeling you get when listening to their music. With The Seer, Swans have maybe transcended into something else entirely. I cannot stress this enough, The Seer demands recognition. It demands your full attention. This is an album's album (two x cd/lp!), one that rivals just about every listening experience you've (I've) ever heard. And yet it is so difficult to get through. You just can't tackle it like a normal album; it takes time and repeated listens. Swans are on another plane, and are ill concerned about traditional songwriting. These are long, drawn out excessive drone pieces for the most part. The majority of my first few listens were spent while driving to and from work. And all I can remember thinking was, what does all of this matter? This music has a dramatic effect on whatever you are doing. You just feel... small. From the opening track, where they build into that "WHAAAAAaaaaRRRUUUMMMM" and he sings over and over and over, "LUNACY, LUNACY..." you just know that everything is different now. You are changed. Swans identity has always been that of creation and destruction, darkness and light, the ugly and the beautiful, and these themes weigh heavy throughout the album, from the sweet "Song For A Warrior" (sung by Karen O,) to the crushing, pummeling and relentless one note beating on the title track. My personal favorite though is "A Piece Of The Sky," as there is just something that stands out from the rest of the album. Again, the intro of raindrops (piss?) and the way it warps and twists is astounding to me. Everything became fully realized, when, in October I got to see them live. On a sidenote, do not pass up an opportunity see them live, as you are in for a, well, I won't ruin it for you. I went by myself, and stood at the back of the bar, patiently awaiting them to play. I have to say I was nervous, as I had read about how their live shows get pretty intense. But, no, I can handle it. Well, Swans played for around two hours. They were unlike anything I had ever seen. I can remember how full the pit was at the beginning of the show, and how people kept adjusting, moving slightly further away from the band, as they showed no signs of stopping, each song building upon the last... Around the hour and a half mark, I begin to grow weary, I began to feel even sick. More people had retreated closer to the back, hugging the walls, while the faithful stayed up front, strong. It was at this moment when Michael Gira announced, "We've got a few more... if you can take it." I remember thinking, honestly, oh God, I can't take much more. I'm not a pussy by the way, but those who have seen Swans live know what I'm talking about. The loudest show I've ever been to was Mono (Japan) and Swans was at least twice as loud. They kept having problems with the sound guy, and I remember feeling sorry for him, like they weren't loud enough. The ground rumbled like thunder, I swear. When it was finally over, I was crushed. I was physically and mentally exhausted. Needless to say, I put Swans away for a couple weeks. Listening to their album now, is a true disservice to the shear power of Swans live. But again, everything now made sense. The Seer is truly one of the greatest albums I've heard in a long time. It's not for everyone, and it doesn't give a shit about whether you like it or not. But it still IS, and you cannot deny its brilliance. However, just like the light at the end of the tunnel, do not admire too long, for you just might never come back.