Yet another quite experimental in its own sense record from Swans. Leaving Meaning is musically much less aggressive than majority of Swans’ previous records. From “Hums” to the very end of “My Phantom Limb” Leaving Meaning is folk sounding oddity, with all the ambience for which Swans are sort of known for

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“While first two tracks, that are “Hums” and “Annaline”, hold close to none tension within them, being these calm set-ups, it all picks up at “The Hanging Man”, which while not being the most typical Swans song, is this tense and menacing and atmospheric piece. Amnesia demonstrates folk style of this record, with surprise of a loud chorus consisting of only one word. Amnesia. An interesting and gloomy critique of modern lifestyle and politics, which the album is too. “Leaving Meaning”, the title track of the album, picks up where “Amnesia” left of, with the folk texture and acoustic guitar. A fine song, that is once again, very calm without any sudden musical turns. And then “Sunfucker” comes in to turn from preaching speech sounding song into groovy very rock-like track. Last track on the record, “My Phantom Limb”, sets listener into manic atmosphere, in which Michael Gira talks from perspective of a character(?) who helps him with writing songs, Joseph. These are the songs that are good to be highlighted, but all of the tracks on the record are similarly amazing.

 

The record lyrically feels somewhat cryptic and musically it’s easier to get into than some of Swans’ previous records and definitely their early stuff.