Wikipedia

Leaving Meaning

Leaving Meaning (stylized as leaving meaning.) is the fifteenth studio album by American experimental band Swans. It was released October 25, 2019 on Young God and Mute.[2] A double album, Leaving Meaning's songs have been mixed separately for vinyl and CD releases, with the CD version of the album containing the original (and extended) mixes of the songs, as well as an additional track, "Some New Things".[3] As with all Swans' releases of the 2010s, Leaving Meaning was financed by a fundraiser album – in this case, What Is This? in March 2019.

Leaving Meaning
The text "leaving meaning" in red, on a yellow square with a thin red outline on a cardstock background.
Studio album by
Swans
ReleasedOctober 25, 2019 (2019-10-25)
RecordedMarch 11 – July 23, 2019
StudioCandy Bomber, Berlin, Germany; Ben Frost studio, Reykjavik, Iceland; Sonido del Norte, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Seizure's Palace, Brooklyn, NY, USA
GenreExperimental rock[1]
Length93:10 (CD version)
82:34 (vinyl version)
Label
ProducerMichael Gira
Swans chronology
What Is This?
(2019) 		Leaving Meaning
(2019) 		Is There Really a Mind?
(2022)
Singles from Leaving Meaning
  1. "It's Coming It's Real"
    Released: September 5, 2019
  2. "The Hanging Man"
    Released: October 10, 2019

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.5/10[4]
Metacritic75/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [6]
Exclaim!7/10[7]
The Line of Best Fit9/10[8]
Mojo     [9]
MusicOMH     [10]
Pitchfork7.7/10[11]
Q     [12]
Record Collector     [13]
Slant Magazine     [14]
Uncut8/10[15]

Upon its release, Leaving Meaning received mostly positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, Leaving Meaning received an average score of 75, based on 16 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[5] Andrew Perry of Mojo gave the album a favorable review, comparing it partly to The Burning World and writing, "Whatever the sonic weather, Gira's spiritual austerity remains unimpaired."[9]

Accolades

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Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
Far Out Magazine Top 50 Albums of 2019
47
[16]
Les Inrocks Top 100 Albums of 2019
98
[17]
Magnet Top 25 Albums of 2019
23
[18]
Mondo Sonoro Top 40 Albums of 2019
18
[19]
Rough Trade Top 100 Albums of 2019
19
[20]

Track listing

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CD & digital version

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All tracks are written by Michael Gira, except "Hums" by Gira, Kristof Hahn, Christopher Pravdica, Norman Westberg[21]

Disc one
No.TitleLength
1."Hums"2:00
2."Annaline"5:17
3."The Hanging Man"10:48
4."Amnesia"5:49
5."Leaving Meaning"11:21
6."Sunfucker"10:43
Total length:45:58
Disc two
No.TitleLength
7."Cathedrals of Heaven"7:49
8."The Nub"12:01
9."It's Coming It's Real"7:42
10."Some New Things"7:09
11."What Is This?"6:05
12."My Phantom Limb"6:26
Total length:47:12

Vinyl version

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All tracks are written by Michael Gira, except "Hums" by Gira, Kristof Hahn, Christopher Pravdica, Norman Westberg[21]

Vinyl version (Side A)
No.TitleLength
1."Annaline"5:17
2."The Hanging Man" (shortened mix)9:55
3."Amnesia"5:49
Total length:21:01
Vinyl version (Side B)
No.TitleLength
1."Leaving Meaning" (shortened mix)10:37
2."Sunfucker" (shortened mix)10:22
Total length:20:59
Vinyl version (Side C)
No.TitleLength
1."Hums" (shortened mix)1:46
2."Cathedrals of Heaven"7:49
3."The Nub" (shortened mix)10:59
Total length:20:34
Vinyl version (Side D)
No.TitleLength
1."It's Coming It's Real" (shortened mix)7:29
2."What Is This?"6:05
3."My Phantom Limb"6:26
Total length:20:00

Personnel

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Adapted from the official Young God Records website[2] and album liner notes:[22]

Swans

  • Michael Gira – vocals, acoustic guitar and electric guitar, production, art design
  • Kristof Hahn – lap steel guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Larry Mullins – drums, percussion, vibes, Mellotron, keyboards, synth, backing vocals
  • Yoyo Röhm – electric bass guitar, double bass, keyboards, piano, synth, backing vocals

Previous Swans

Guests

  • Chris Abrahams (The Necks) – piano, organ ("The Nub", "Leaving Meaning")
  • Tony Buck (The Necks) – drums, percussion ("The Nub", "Leaving Meaning", "Some New Things")
  • Lloyd Swanton (The Necks) – double bass ("The Nub", "Leaving Meaning")
  • Baby Dee – lead vocal ("The Nub")
  • Fay Christen – backing vocals ("The Nub")
  • Ida Albertje Michels – backing vocals ("The Nub")
  • Cassis Staudt – accordion, harmonium (on various songs)
  • Anna von Hausswolff – choral/backing vocals ("Sunfucker", "Amnesia", "It's Coming Real")
  • Maria von Hausswolff – choral/backing vocals ("Sunfucker", "Amnesia", "It's Coming Real")
  • Ben Frost – guitar, synths, sound manipulations (throughout), engineer
  • Jennifer Gira – various backing vocals (throughout), cameo vocal ("Sunfucker")
  • Jeremy Barnes (A Hawk and a Hacksaw) – santur, hi-hat, fiddlesticks, accordion, engineering
  • Heather Trost (A Hawk and a Hacksaw) – Stroh violin, violin, viola, fiddlesticks, engineering
  • Dana Schechter – bass ("Some New Things"), sounds
  • Mika Bajinksi – additional backing vocals
  • Marie-Claire Schlameus – additional backing vocals
  • Swan Gira – laughter
  • Saoirse Gira – laughter
  • Tatiana Hahn – host

Other contributors[23]

  • Ingo Krauss – engineer on basic tracks at Candy Bomber Studio, Berlin; mixing
  • Jason LaFarge – engineer at Seizure's Palace, Brooklyn, NY
  • Francesco Fabris – assistant engineer at Ben Frost studio, Reykjavik
  • Sander Stuer – assistant engineer at Ben Frost studio, Reykjavik
  • Doug Henderson – mastering
  • Paul A. Taylor – art layout and execution
  • Peter Wright – label admin and artist management
  • John Allen – artist management
  • Brandon Perry – artist management
  • Miguel Gallego – artist management
  • Daniel Miller – artist management
  • Howard Wuelfing – publicity in USA, Canada
  • Zoë Miller – publicity in the UK
  • Todd Cole – booking

Charts

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Chart (2019) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[24] 73
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[25] 93
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[26] 156
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[27] 58
Scottish Albums (OCC)[28] 34
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[29] 70
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] 77

References

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  1. ^ "Swans' Leaving Meaning is a customarily monolithic work of experimental rock". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "leaving meaning". YOUNG GOD RECORDS.
  3. ^ "Swans - leaving meaning. - Double Vinyl". Mute Bank.
  4. ^ "Leaving Meaning. by Swans reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Leaving Meaning. by Swans Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  6. ^ Simpson, Paul. "leaving meaning. – Swans". AllMusic. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  7. ^ Morin, Max (October 30, 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  8. ^ Lilly, Evan (October 31, 2019). "Swans' Leaving Meaning is a customarily monolithic work of experimental rock". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Perry, Andrew (November 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Mojo. No. 312. p. 89.
  10. ^ Shepherd, Sam (October 25, 2019). "Swans – Leaving Meaning". MusicOMH. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  11. ^ Sherburne, Philip (November 13, 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  12. ^ Mongredien, Phil (January 2020). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Q. No. 406. p. 114.
  13. ^ Hamnett, Alun (December 2019). "Swans – Leaving Meaning". Record Collector. No. 499. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  14. ^ Wilson, Seth (October 20, 2019). "Review: Swans's Leaving Meaning Depicts a Grim and Unrelenting Hellscape". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  15. ^ Wallace, Wyndham (December 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Uncut. No. 271. p. 32.
  16. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". Far Out Magazine. December 24, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  17. ^ "Notre Top 100 des meilleurs albums de 2019" (in French). December 11, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  18. ^ "Magnet's Top 25 Albums of 2019". Magnet. December 23, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  19. ^ "Los mejores discos internacionales de 2019 para Mondo Sonoro" (in Spanish). MondoSonoro. December 3, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  20. ^ "Albums of the Year". Rough Trade. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  21. ^ a b "ACE Repertory". ASCAP. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  22. ^ "Swans – Leaving Meaning. (2019, CD)". Discogs. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  23. ^ https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0397/1609/products/Various_Personnel_Swans_Leaving_Meaning_grande.jpg?v=1567525545 [bare URL image file]
  24. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  25. ^ "Ultratop.be – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  26. ^ "Ultratop.be – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  27. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  28. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  29. ^ "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 44: del 25.10.2019 al 31.10.2019" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  30. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Swans – Leaving Meaning". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
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