SOUND BITES

Swans' 14th record (and last to feature the current lineup) closes out a trilogy of epics that began with The Seer in 2012. The Glowing Man is certainly the least manic of the three, but its subdued nature in comparison to what preceded it doesn't necessarily make it less impressive an experience. It's on this record that the band really stretches out and, while the same sense of urgency that filled every second of To Be Kind (my 2014 Album of the Year) isn't, well, quite as urgent, this makes for a more intimate and immersive affair. Like the last two records, though, The Glowing Man requires patience and proper mindset. Its eight songs fly by in just under two hours (including three songs that break the twenty minute barrier), and yet it's a thoroughly engaging listen if you feel like getting lost in its tapestry of droning grooves and dizzying artistry. The Glowing Man wraps up this era of Swans nicely, providing a satisfying conclusion to perhaps the most...

There's something truly brave about an album that goes against the grain. Whether through fearless experimentation and exploration or through stubborn refusal to adapt to trends and focus groups, I've always respected bands that don't play by the rules (or, better, make up their own). I appreciate an album that pushes me into a dark hole, forcing me to face things I'd never experienced or even thought possible. Swans' thirteenth album doesn't simply go against the grain, it goes against the very nature of our modern society itself. In an age of instant gratification and short attention spans, the ten songs on To Be Kind shrug off the constraints of conventional album limits and stretches itself to the length of your average Hollywood blockbuster. And, just like them, To Be Kind contains plenty of twists and explosions. However, that's where the similarities end; rather than pander to its audience and appeal to lowest common denominators, Swans clutch the...