Filth (Swans album)
| Filth | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Swans | ||||
| Released | 1983 | |||
| Recorded | April 1983 | |||
| Studio | Vanguard Studios, New York City, United States | |||
| Genre | No wave[1] | |||
| Length | 36:49 | |||
| Label | Neutral | |||
| Producer | Michael Gira | |||
| Swans chronology | ||||
| ||||
Filth is the debut album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1983 by record label Neutral, following the release of their self-titled debut EP.
Background
Only band leader and vocalist Michael Gira and drummer Jonathan Kane remained from the original lineup of the band.
Filth is the first Swans release to feature the experimental and noisy playing style that the band's early work would become known for. The album's distinct sound is partly the product of a new lineup featuring two drummers (Roli Mosimann and Kane). It also marks the first appearance of future Swans regular Norman Westberg.
Release
Filth was released in 1983 by record label Neutral.
The 1990 CD and audio tape, released under the name Filth (L.P.#1, E.P.#1) 1982/83, featured the four tracks from Swans' first EP as bonus tracks. The order of each side of the Swans EP are reversed on this pressing. The 1990 vinyl re-release preserved the original nine-song track listing.
A double CD re-issue, Filth/Body to Body, Job to Job, was released in 2000 on Gira's label Young God Records. Paired with the B-side collection Body to Body, Job to Job), this pressing of Filth included a 1982/1983 live set from The Kitchen in New York City. This 24:18 long extra track consisted of the songs "Strip/Burn", "Red Sheet", "Blackout", "Clay Man", "Stay Here" and "Weakling". The tracks from the Swans EP were not included.
Filth was reissued on CD, vinyl and digital download formats October 28, 2014.[2] An unofficial repress of the album emerged in 2012, from the record label Neutral. Its inauthenticity has been confirmed by Gira.[3]
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[1] |
| Punknews.org | [5] |
| Pitchfork | 8.1/10[6] |
| Trouser Press | unfavorable[7] |
In a contemporary review for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau found the album "fun" and described its music as "no wave with five years of practice, too messy for mysticism and too funny for suicide."[1] In its retrospective review, AllMusic wrote, "early Swans really is like little else on the planet before or since."[4] Punknews.org noted in a similar retrospective review "the terrifying level of intense brutality" the album delivered.
Track listing
All lyrics written by Michael Gira; all music composed by Swans (Gira, Jonathan Kane, Roli Mosimann, Norman Westberg, Harry Crosby).
| Side A | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "Stay Here" | 5:44 |
| 2. | "Big Strong Boss" | 3:07 |
| 3. | "Blackout" | 3:49 |
| 4. | "Power for Power" | 6:03 |
| Side B | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "Freak" | 1:15 |
| 2. | "Right Wrong" | 4:48 |
| 3. | "Thank You" | 3:56 |
| 4. | "Weakling" | 5:30 |
| 5. | "Gang" | 3:20 |
| 1990 CD reissue bonus tracks (Filth (L.P.#1, E.P.#1) 1982/83) | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "Speak" | 4:31 |
| 2. | "Laugh" | 4:06 |
| 3. | "Sensitive Skin" | 6:16 |
| 4. | "Take Advantage" | 4:29 |
Personnel
- Michael Gira – bass guitar, vocals, tapes
- Jonathan Kane – drums, percussion
- Roli Mosimann – drums, percussion, tapes
- Norman Westberg – guitar
- Harry Crosby – bass guitar
- Sonda Andersson – "mechanicals"
- Jon Tessler - Tape Loops
- Mike Berry – engineering
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 1983 | Neutral | LP | N11 | Initial release |
| United States | 1990 | Young God | CD | YG 001-2 | Included tracks from their 1982 debut EP |
| United States | 1990 | Young God | LP | YGLP 1 | Some copies were pressed on pink vinyl |
| United States | 1991 | Young God | CS | YG 001-4 | First cassette pressing |
| United States | 2000 | Young God | CD | YG11 | Released on the double disc reissue Filth/Body to Body, Job to Job, which also came packaged with the compilation album Body to Body, Job to Job |
| United States | October 28, 2014 | Young God | LP | YGLP-11 | Comes with a double-sided poster |
| United States | May 26, 2015 | Young God, Mute | CD | YG48 | triple disc reissue that comes packaged with Body to Body, Job to Job, Swans EP, and various live recordings |
References
- 1 2 3 Christgau, Robert (March 24, 1984). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
- ↑ "Filth (Re-Mastered 2014) – Young God Records". Young God Records. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
- ↑ Gira, Michael (August 23, 2013). "Michael Gira – Norman Westberg, King of Detroit, on Guitar.". Facebook. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
- 1 2 Ned Raggett. "Filth". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- ↑ "Swans – Filth | Punknews.org". Punknews.org. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
- ↑ Heller, Jason (May 28, 2015). "Swans: Filth Album Review | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
- ↑ Leland, John; Sheridan, David; Kenny, Glenn; Frampton, Scott. "TrouserPress.com :: Swans". TrouserPress.com. Retrieved June 28, 2016.