To Be Kind
Reviews
DJ Muscat
Reviewed 2014-05-08
Reviewed 2014-05-08
Genre: the earth's core, lawrence of arabia, nietzsche's übermensch
This isn't an album. I don't know what they've told you, but it isn't. "To Be Kind" gnashes up newspaper headers that pair together the words 'art' and 'leisure' and opens up a world of its own. It renders adjectives and five star rating scales useless. Let this record consume you. Let it pull you into its immense gravity. Breathe. Listen. This isn't an album. This is Swans.
Others: If only.
Favorites: All. FCCs: 1- 5, 2-1
Disc 1
1. (8:05) Begins as bare jerky bass groove but slowly builds in intensity. Phenomenal, hypnotic opening track. Noisy last ~2 minutes.
2. (12:40) Atmospheric, folk influenced intro with minimalist drumming. Gira's vocals sit back in the mix. Relatively subdued for first 5 minutes before wonderfully sinister laughter comes in and Gira's voice becomes progressively more warped. Shifts back and forth between this ominous vibe and noisier outbursts.
3. (7:08) Swaggering, almost funk feel yet instantly marked by noisy escalations and Gira's bloody-mouthed vocals. Background female vox.
4. (34:05) Immediate massive Swans mayhem then drone then plodding post-rock dirge then huge group vocals that build into a glorious climax. 16:00-19:00 sample of sawing wood and other found sounds. Transitions into more structured rock song over which Gira yells "Toussaint L'Ouverture!" and "Liberté, égalité, fraternité". Noisy finale.
5. (5:09) FCC "fuck" (obscene). Beautiful string plucks accompanied by Gira's voice.
Disc 2
1. (17:01) FCC "fuck" Phenomenal drumming and deranged guitar riff. Group chanting. Noisy middle third then emerges as a fantastic rock groove. Amazing song, but unfortunately repeatedly barks "fuck". Not obscene though, so probably alright for safe harbor.
2. (10:33) Ambient intro. Gira in a low speak-sing with backing female vox. Really moving and beautiful. Midway through bass and drums enter. Steadily builds into a wordless, screeching finish. Jaw-dropping.
3. (7:59) OH YES. Swans at their most immediate. Dirty bluesy riff and one of Gira's most all consuming vocal performances. I can't get enough.
4. (10:15) Swirling voices and whirring textures. French accented woman's voice sample of dance instruction it sounds like. ~3:50 bursts into tremendous rock song. Last ~1:00 quiet folk.
5. (8:23) Gentle guitar, piano, Gira's voice, and ambient backdrop. Twisted lullaby quality. Midway through gains volume and intensity. Pummeling finish to a monstrous album.
This isn't an album. I don't know what they've told you, but it isn't. "To Be Kind" gnashes up newspaper headers that pair together the words 'art' and 'leisure' and opens up a world of its own. It renders adjectives and five star rating scales useless. Let this record consume you. Let it pull you into its immense gravity. Breathe. Listen. This isn't an album. This is Swans.
Others: If only.
Favorites: All. FCCs: 1- 5, 2-1
Disc 1
1. (8:05) Begins as bare jerky bass groove but slowly builds in intensity. Phenomenal, hypnotic opening track. Noisy last ~2 minutes.
2. (12:40) Atmospheric, folk influenced intro with minimalist drumming. Gira's vocals sit back in the mix. Relatively subdued for first 5 minutes before wonderfully sinister laughter comes in and Gira's voice becomes progressively more warped. Shifts back and forth between this ominous vibe and noisier outbursts.
3. (7:08) Swaggering, almost funk feel yet instantly marked by noisy escalations and Gira's bloody-mouthed vocals. Background female vox.
4. (34:05) Immediate massive Swans mayhem then drone then plodding post-rock dirge then huge group vocals that build into a glorious climax. 16:00-19:00 sample of sawing wood and other found sounds. Transitions into more structured rock song over which Gira yells "Toussaint L'Ouverture!" and "Liberté, égalité, fraternité". Noisy finale.
5. (5:09) FCC "fuck" (obscene). Beautiful string plucks accompanied by Gira's voice.
Disc 2
1. (17:01) FCC "fuck" Phenomenal drumming and deranged guitar riff. Group chanting. Noisy middle third then emerges as a fantastic rock groove. Amazing song, but unfortunately repeatedly barks "fuck". Not obscene though, so probably alright for safe harbor.
2. (10:33) Ambient intro. Gira in a low speak-sing with backing female vox. Really moving and beautiful. Midway through bass and drums enter. Steadily builds into a wordless, screeching finish. Jaw-dropping.
3. (7:59) OH YES. Swans at their most immediate. Dirty bluesy riff and one of Gira's most all consuming vocal performances. I can't get enough.
4. (10:15) Swirling voices and whirring textures. French accented woman's voice sample of dance instruction it sounds like. ~3:50 bursts into tremendous rock song. Last ~1:00 quiet folk.
5. (8:23) Gentle guitar, piano, Gira's voice, and ambient backdrop. Twisted lullaby quality. Midway through gains volume and intensity. Pummeling finish to a monstrous album.
Recent airplay
A Little God In My Hands
Funhouse — Feb 28, 2022
Screen Shot
trainin — Feb 05, 2022
Screen Shot
Training Lunch — Oct 07, 2021
Bring The Sun/Toussaint L'ouverture
on the warpath — Jul 20, 2019
Nathalie Neal
Sound and Solidarity — May 25, 2017
A Little God In My Hands
a strange pursuit — Aug 24, 2016
Charting
2014-05-09 — 2014-07-11
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Jul 13 | 2 |
| Jul 6 | 3 |
| Jun 29 | 6 |
| Jun 22 | 2 |
| Jun 15 | 4 |
| Jun 8 | 3 |
| Jun 1 | 7 |
| May 25 | 4 |
Track listing
| 1. | Screen Shot | ||
| 2. | Just A Little Boy (For Chester Burnett) | ||
| 3. | A Little God In My Hands | ||
| 4. | Bring The Sun/Toussaint L'ouverture | ||
| 5. | Some Things We Do | ||
| 6. | She Loves Us! | ||
| 7. | Kirsten Supine | ||
| 8. | Oxygen | ||
| 9. | Nathalie Neal | ||
| 10. | To Be Kind |