To Be Kind | ||||
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![]() Standard cover art for the album, digital editions of the album feature the same baby's face, slightly enlarged, in the middle of a white background | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 12, 2014 | |||
Recorded | 2013 | |||
Studio | Sonic Ranch (Tornillo, Texas) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 121:12 | |||
Language | English | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
Swans chronology | ||||
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Singles from To Be Kind | ||||
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To Be Kind is the thirteenth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans, released on May 12, 2014. It was released as a triple LP, a double CD, and a two-CD deluxe edition that includes a live DVD of performances from Hellfest Open Air Festival, Pitchfork Music Festival and Primavera Sound Festival, as well as a digital download. [5] [6] [7] Critical reception of the album was very positive, continuing a string of well-received albums from the band. The album peaked at number 37 on US Billboard 200, and debuted at number 38 on the UK Albums Chart. Both are the highest chartings that Swans had ever achieved on a studio album and it is the first time that the band cracked the top 40 in both countries. [8] [9]
To Be Kind was produced by frontman Michael Gira and recorded by John Congleton at Sonic Ranch and at Congleton's studio in Dallas. Rehearsing commenced at Sonic Ranch in October 2013 and recording began soon after. Mixing was completed with Congleton in December in Dallas. Most of the music was developed while touring in 2012 and 2013. The album features special guests St. Vincent, Cold Specks, Little Annie and Bill Rieflin. [10] [11] On March 21, the song "A Little God in My Hands" as well as the album artwork were revealed. Six images of babies' heads, created by Bob Biggs c. 1976, were used for the album art. [12]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 8.6/10 [13] |
Metacritic | 88/100 [14] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The A.V. Club | A− [2] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mojo | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 9/10 [19] |
Pitchfork | 9.2/10 [20] |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 9/10 [23] |
To Be Kind was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 88, based on 35 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [14] Mark Deming of AllMusic gave the album a positive review, stating:,"Michael Gira is a man unafraid to follow his muse wherever it may take him and To Be Kind is another example of his singular vision writ large without compromise." [15] Anna Wilson of Clash praised the album, describing it as "Karlheinz Stockhausen’s jarring classicism, Captain Beefheart's twisted blues, and the industrialism of Einstürzende Neubauten coalescing into a swirling musical miasma." She also stated that the album is "near perfection." [24] Benjamin Bland of Drowned in Sound gave the album a 10/10 score and stated, "This is an album that emphasises rather than establishes Swans' reconfirmed position at the top of the experimental rock tree, but that doesn’t make it any less of a thrill." He further commented, "Now that this mission has been completed there is space for To Be Kind, and future Swans records to affirm, rather than prove, that Swans are, and perhaps always have been, the greatest rock group on the face of the planet." [1] Writing for Rolling Stone , Kory Grow compared the album to The Seer, as well as the 1996 effort Soundtracks for the Blind , noting how "Swans' sound has evolved so that they "don't just crush—they hypnotize". [22]
Ross Horton of musicOMH gave the album a 5-star score, commenting, "Gira shows that the Swans resurgence isn’t a fluke." [25] Stuart Berman of Pitchfork praised Gira's efforts on the album, stating, "He's responded in the best way possible: by producing a record that, in structure and scale, is every bit The Seer's equal, yet possessed by a peculiar energy and spirit that proves all the more alluring in its dark majesty." [20] Rory Gibb of The Quietus wrote, "By this point they've further coalesced into an inseparable entity. On To Be Kind we experience Swans as totality, all seething ebb and flow crafting music that seems to breathe of its own volition." He also stated that the album's songs "feel more fluid and open-ended than before, expressive and rich in possibility." [26] Colm McAuliffe of The Skinny also gave the album a positive review, stating, "Despite the two-hour plus running time, Swans appear to be – gasp! – enjoying themselves; they’re still staring into the abyss but the abyss is no longer staring back." He also noted that the album: "displays much more diversity than its immediate predecessors." [27] Louis Pattison of Uncut wrote, "Yet as the name suggests To Be Kind does feature a quality hitherto rare in Swans: that of tenderness." He also further stated, "Michael Gira is not only still moving forward but making some of the finest albums of his career." [28]
To Be Kind received a "perfect 10" from Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop , one of only seven contemporary albums to have ever received such a score to date. [29] [30] [lower-alpha 1]
While the album's reception was overwhelmingly positive, some reviews were more mixed. Jon Dennis of The Guardian described the album as "uncompromising to the point of overindulgence" and felt that the lengthy track "Bring the Sun / Toussaint L'Ouverture" was "like The Doors playing "The End" for ever only without the easygoing bonhomie." [16]
All lyrics are written by Michael Gira
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Screen Shot" | Michael Gira | 8:04 |
2. | "Just a Little Boy (For Chester Burnett)" | 12:39 | |
3. | "A Little God in My Hands" | Gira | 7:08 |
4. | "Bring the Sun / Toussaint L'Ouverture" |
| 34:05 |
5. | "Some Things We Do" | Gira | 5:09 |
Total length: | 67:05 |
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "She Loves Us" |
| 17:00 |
2. | "Kirsten Supine" | Gira | 10:32 |
3. | "Oxygen" | Gira | 7:58 |
4. | "Nathalie Neal" | Gira | 10:14 |
5. | "To Be Kind" |
| 8:23 |
Total length: | 54:07 |
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "To Be Kind" |
| 20:41 |
2. | "Just a Little Boy (For Chester Burnett)" |
| 10:46 |
3. | "Coward" |
| 8:36 |
4. | "She Loves Us" |
| 18:17 |
5. | "Oxygen" | Gira | 7:17 |
6. | "The Seer / Toussaint L'Ouverture" |
| 45:35 |
Total length: | 111:10 |
Adapted from the official Young God Records website: [11]
Swans
Guest musicians
More musicians
Technical
Chart (2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [33] | 51 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [34] | 39 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [35] | 106 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [36] | 75 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [37] | 56 |
UK Albums (OCC) [9] | 38 |
US Billboard 200 [8] | 37 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [38] | 5 |
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard) [39] | 7 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [40] | 10 |
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Worldwide (except North America) [10] | May 12, 2014 | 2CD, 2CD+DVD, 3LP, digital download | Mute Records |
North America [5] | May 13, 2014 | Young God Records |
Swans is 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.
Paper Monsters is the debut solo studio album by English singer Dave Gahan. It was released on 2 June 2003 in the United Kingdom by Mute Records and the following day in North America by Reprise Records.
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." It 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.
White Light from the Mouth of Infinity is a studio 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.
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.
The Angels of Light Sing 'Other People' is the fourth studio album by Angels of Light. Produced by band leader Michael Gira, it was released on March 21, 2005, via Gira's own record label, Young God Records. It is the band's first album to feature extensive contributions from American folk music outfit Akron/Family, who played on every song of the album.
Secret, Profane & Sugarcane is the 2009 studio album by Elvis Costello. It was recorded in Nashville with American songwriter and producer T Bone Burnett, and released on 9 June 2009 on the Hear Music label. The album features bluegrass, Americana and country music along with Costello's familiar garrulous lyrics.
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.
God Is Able is the twentieth album in the live contemporary worship series by Hillsong Church. It was recorded at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in Australia by Reuben Morgan, Darlene Zschech and the Hillsong Worship Team on 7 November 2010. The songwriters include Reuben Morgan, Ben Fielding and Dylan Thomas, Darlene Zschech, Joel Houston, Harrison Wood, Jill McCloghry, Sam Knock, Joel Davies, Jason Ingram and Chris Tomlin. God Is Able debuted at number three on the ARIA Albums Chart. It was nominated at the 43rd GMA Dove Awards for Inspirational Album of the Year. The DVD was recognized at the 2012 ARIA No.1 Chart Awards for spending one week at number one on the Australian chart.
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The Seer is the twelfth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans and was released on August 28, 2012 by Gira's own record label Young God Records. Producer and frontman Michael Gira funded the recording of the album with the sales of We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head.
Not Here / Not Now is a limited-edition double live album by American post-punk band, Swans. It was announced for sale on October 14, 2013, via Young God Records. The profits earned from this album were used to fund the band's subsequent album, To Be Kind.
Oxygen is an EP by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released digitally on November 25, 2014 through frontman Michael Gira's own label, Young God Records.
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.
The Glowing Man is the fourteenth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans, released on June 17, 2016 on Young God and Mute. It is considered the third and final part of a three-album "trilogy", the other two parts being The Seer and To Be Kind.
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Leaving Meaning is the fifteenth studio album by American experimental band Swans. It was released October 25, 2019 on Young God and Mute. 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 mixes of the songs, as well as an additional track, "Some New Things". 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.
Raise the Roof is the second collaborative studio album by British singer-songwriter Robert Plant and American bluegrass-country singer and violinist Alison Krauss. The album was released on November 19, 2021, by Rounder Records and Concord Records in the United States and Warner Music for the rest of the world. The album was nominated for three Grammy Awards at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, including Best Americana Album, Best American Roots Song for "High and Lonesome," and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Going Where the Lonely Go".
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