| Cop | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1984 | |||
| Recorded | Feb–May 1984 | |||
| Studio | Vanguard Studios in New York City and Platinum in Zürich, Switzerland | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 40:48 | |||
| Label | K.422 | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Swans chronology | ||||
| ||||
Cop is the second studio album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1984 through record label K.422.
On Cop, Swans took the style of their previous LP, 1983's Filth , and intensified it, utilizing slower tempos, more tape loops, and even more abrasive musical textures. [2] The lyrics are again concerned with ambiguous themes like physical, often sexual domination and occasionally submission. Some publications recognize Cop as Swans' darkest, most brutal release. [3]
In 1984, Cop was released through K.422 as Swans' second album. [4] Initially, the album was only available as an LP. Throughout the band's history, though, Cop has been reissued within a number of different compilations. It was remastered by band leader Michael Gira in 1992 for release on CD along with the Young God EP (1984) appended as bonus tracks. The 1999 double disc reissue Cop/Young God / Greed/Holy Money combines Cop and Young God with the compilation Greed/Holy Money (itself compiled from the albums Greed (1986) and Holy Money (1986)). The packaging for all issues states that the recording is "designed to be played at maximum volume". [4]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 6/10 [5] |
AllMusic critic Ned Raggett wrote of the album, "Ugly, compelling and overpowering, Cop remains the pinnacle of Swans' brutal early days", calling it "quite possibly one of the darkest recordings ever done." [2] Later writing for The Quietus , Raggett continued praising Cop, recognizing it as the source of other bands like Godflesh and The Young Gods. [6] Aaron Lariviere of Stereogum added Neurosis to the list of bands that Cop helped influence. [3] Miranda Yardley of Terrorizer wrote, "Michael Gira and co. make music that generates its own gravity well, never more so than here." [7] Jonathan Gold of the Los Angeles Times listed Cop as one of the ten most essential industrial albums. [1]
| Year | Publication | Country | Accolade | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Terrorizer | United Kingdom | "The Heaviest Albums Ever" | 4 | [7] |
| "*" denotes an unordered list. | |||||
All lyrics are written by Michael Gira; all music is composed by Swans
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Half Life" | 4:18 |
| 2. | "Job" | 4:46 |
| 3. | "Why Hide" | 5:50 |
| 4. | "Clay Man" | 5:05 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Your Property" | 4:48 |
| 6. | "Cop" | 6:47 |
| 7. | "Butcher" | 4:02 |
| 8. | "Thug" | 5:12 |
| Total length: | 40:48 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 9. | "I Crawled" | 5:40 |
| 10. | "Raping a Slave" | 6:22 |
| 11. | "Young God" | 7:03 |
| 12. | "This Is Mine" | 5:24 |
| Total length: | 65:17 | |
Swans
Additional personnel
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Indie Chart [8] | 12 |
Swans are an American experimental rock band formed in 1982 by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. One of the few acts to emerge from the New York City-based no wave scene and stay intact into the next decade, Swans have become recognized for an ever-changing sound, exploring genres such as noise rock, post-punk, industrial and post-rock. Initially, their music was known for its sonic brutality and misanthropic lyrics. Following the addition of singer, songwriter and keyboardist Jarboe in 1986, Swans began to incorporate melody and intricacy into their music. Jarboe remained the band's only constant member except Gira and semi-constant guitarist Norman Westberg until their dissolution in 1997.
Filth is the debut studio album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1983 through Neutral Records, following the release of the band's self-titled debut EP in 1982. Though it did not receive much contemporary attention, Filth has since been recognized as ahead of its time and significant to heavy genres of music.
Young God is the second EP by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1984, through record label K.422. It is also referred to as "Raping a Slave" and "I Crawled", but is officially referred to as Young God by the band. As with Cop, the cover art includes a notice that the record is "designed to be played at maximum volume."
Greed is the third studio album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1986, through record label K.422. Greed marks the slow turning point for Swans away from the harsh, brutal noise rock of prior releases, and is also the first Swans album to contain contributions from Jarboe.
Soundtracks for the Blind is the tenth studio album by Swans. It was released as a double CD on October 22, 1996, through Young God Records. Soundtracks for the Blind was intended, as suggested by the title, to function as a "soundtrack for a non-existent film." Upon its release, it received critical acclaim, but was the last studio album released by the band until 2010's My Father Will Guide Me up a Rope to the Sky. A reissue of the album was released on July 20, 2018, marking the first time Soundtracks for the Blind was released on vinyl.
Swans is the first EP by the experimental rock band Swans. Their first project, it was released in 1982 on Labor.
The Burning World is the sixth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1989, through record label Uni Records, the band's only major-label release. Co-produced by Bill Laswell and band leader Michael Gira, the album features a major stylistic shift from their past releases, being very tuneful and accessible compared to the bleak, industrialized sound from their past records. It received a mixed reception and was a commercial disappointment; the band was dropped from the record label following its poor performance.
White Light from the Mouth of Infinity is the seventh album by the American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1991, through the record label Young God. The band supported the album with a North American tour.
"Time Is Money (Bastard)" is a song by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released as a 12-inch single in 1986, through record label K.422. The single is notable for the first official appearance of vocalist Jarboe.
A Screw is the third EP by the New York City experimental rock group Swans. The EP's three songs were later appended as bonus tracks to the CD release of Holy Money.
Holy Money is the fourth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in March 1986, through record label K.422. The album was recorded in the same sessions as "Time Is Money (Bastard)", "A Screw", and Greed.
Feel Good Now is the second live album by the New York City no wave band Swans. It was recorded on a Sony Professional Walkman on their 1987 Children of God tour in Europe. A remaster of the album, along with the studio album Children of God, was released on November 13, 2020.
Body to Body, Job to Job is the third compilation album by the American experimental rock band Swans. It was released simultaneously on LP, CD and audio cassette in 1991. It presents various live recordings, tape loops and previously unavailable material recorded between 1982 and 1985. The title is taken from the song "Job".
Love of Life is the eighth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1992 on Young God Records.
Jarboe Devereaux, known mononymously as Jarboe, is an American singer and musician who came to prominence as a member of the New York City experimental rock band Swans in 1985. Jarboe and Michael Gira, the founder of Swans, were the two constant members of the group until it broke up in 1997.
New Mother is the debut studio album by American folk music act Angels of Light. It was released on April 5, 1999 via frontman Michael Gira's own record label Young God Records, immediately after Michael Gira disbanded his previous band, Swans. The album features contributions from various musicians, including violinist Hahn Rowe, Rasputina band cellist Julia Kent, drummer Thor Harris, composer Joe McGinty and ex-Swans members Bill Rieflin, Phil Puleo and Bill Bronson.
My Father Will Guide Me up a Rope to the Sky is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Swans released on September 23, 2010; it was their first studio recording in 14 years. Swans founder Michael Gira funded the recording of this album by creating the limited-edition album I Am Not Insane and chose several collaborators from previous Swans line-ups as well as his side project Angels of Light to record and tour for this album. My Father Will Guide Me up a Rope to the Sky has received positive critical feedback for the return of Swans as well as the rich spiritual themes of the lyrics.
The Seer is the twelfth studio album by the American experimental rock band Swans. It was released by Young God Records on August 28, 2012. Producer and front man Michael Gira funded the recording of the album with the sales of the live double album We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head (2012).
The Body Lovers and The Body Haters were experimental music projects led by composer Michael Gira between 1998 and 1999 following the breakup of Swans in 1997. Both projects served as an outlet for Gira's loop experimentation within the drone and dark ambient genres and were compared to the compositions comprising Swans' final pre-breakup album Soundtracks for the Blind. The music was built around samples and found sounds, some of which dated as having been recorded as far back as 1980.
Drainland is the debut solo studio album by American musician Michael Gira. It was released on June 9, 1995, through Alternative Tentacles record label. Using spare arrangements recorded in August 1994 at musician Bill Rieflin's Seattle home, the album features contributions from Rieflin and Gira's Swans bandmate Jarboe.
