Leaving Meaning

Leaving Meaning
Leaving Meaning
Studio album by Swans
Released	October 25, 2019
Length	93:10 (CD version); 82:34 (vinyl version)
Label	Young God; Mute;
Producer	Michael Gira
Swans chronology
Singles from Leaving Meaning
	"It's Coming It's Real"; Released: September 5, 2019; "The Hanging Man"; Released: October 10, 2019;

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.^[1] 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".^[2] 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.

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.5/10^[3]
Metacritic	75/100^[4]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[5]
Exclaim!	7/10^[6]
The Line of Best Fit	9/10^[7]
Mojo	^[8]
MusicOMH	^[9]
Pitchfork	7.7/10^[10]
Q	^[11]
Record Collector	^[12]
Slant Magazine	^[13]
Uncut	8/10^[14]

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".^[4] 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."^[8]

Accolades[]

Publication	Accolade	Rank	Ref.
Far Out Magazine	Top 50 Albums of 2019	47	^[15]
Les Inrocks	Top 100 Albums of 2019	98	^[16]
Magnet	Top 25 Albums of 2019	23	^[17]
Mondo Sonoro	Top 40 Albums of 2019	18	^[18]
Rough Trade	Top 100 Albums of 2019	19	^[19]

Track listing[]

CD & digital version[]

All tracks are written by Michael Gira, except where noted.

Disc one
No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Hums"		2:00
2.	"Annaline"		5:17
3.	"The Hanging Man"		10:48
4.	"Amnesia"		5:49
5.	"Leaving Meaning"	The Necks	11:21
6.	"Sunfucker"		10:43
Total length:			45:58

Disc two
No.	Title	Music	Length
7.	"Cathedrals of Heaven"		7:49
8.	"The Nub"	The Necks	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[]

All tracks are written by Michael Gira, except where noted.

Vinyl version (Side A)
No.	Title	Length
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.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Leaving Meaning" (shortened mix)	The Necks	10:37
2.	"Sunfucker" (shortened mix)		10:22
Total length:			20:59

Vinyl version (Side C)
No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Hums" (shortened mix)		1:46
2.	"Cathedrals of Heaven"		7:49
3.	"The Nub" (shortened mix)	The Necks	10:59
Total length:			20:34

Vinyl version (Side D)
No.	Title	Length
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[]

Adapted from the official Young God Records website:^[1]

Swans

Michael Gira – vocals, electric and acoustic guitar
Kristof Hahn – lap steel guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
Larry Mullins – drums, Mellotron, percussion, vibes, vocals
Yoyo Röhm – bass guitar, double bass, keyboards, vocals

Previous Swans

Thor Harris – percussion, trumpet, clarinet, gizmos, vibes and bells
Christopher Pravdica – bass guitar
Phil Puleo – hammered dulcimer ("Amnesia")
Norman Westberg – electric guitar, vocals
Paul Wallfisch – piano

Guests

Chris Abrahams – piano, organ ("The Nub", "Leaving Meaning")
Tony Buck – drums, percussion ("The Nub", "Leaving Meaning", "Some New Things")
Lloyd Swanton – double bass ("The Nub", "Leaving Meaning")
Anna von Hausswolff – choral vocals
Maria von Hausswolff – choral vocals
Ben Frost – electric guitar, vocals, synth
Baby Dee – lead vocal ("The Nub")
Fay Christen – vocals ("The Nub")
Ida Albertje Michels – vocals ("The Nub")
Jennifer Gira – vocals
Jeremy Barnes – santur, hi-hat, fiddlesticks, accordion, engineering
Heather Trost – violin, viola, fiddlesticks, engineering
Dana Schechter – bass
Cassis Staudt – accordion, harmonium

Other contributors^[20]

Ingo Krauss
Peter Wright
Daniel Miller
Francesco Fabris
Howard Wuelfing
John Allen
Brandon Perry
Todd Cole
Paul A. Taylor
Jason LaFarge

Charts[]

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[21]	73
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[22]	93
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[23]	156
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[24]	58
Scottish Albums (OCC)^[25]	34
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)^[26]	70
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[27]	77

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "leaving meaning". YOUNG GOD RECORDS.
^ Bank, Mute. "Swans - leaving meaning. - Double Vinyl". Mute Bank.
^ "Leaving Meaning. by Swans reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Leaving Meaning. by Swans Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
^ Simpson, Paul. "leaving meaning. – Swans". AllMusic. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
^ Morin, Max (October 30, 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
^ 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.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Perry, Andrew (November 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Mojo. No. 312. p. 89.
^ Shepherd, Sam (October 25, 2019). "Swans – Leaving Meaning". MusicOMH. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
^ Sherburne, Philip (November 13, 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
^ Mongredien, Phil (January 2020). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Q. No. 406. p. 114.
^ Hamnett, Alun (December 2019). "Swans – Leaving Meaning". Record Collector. No. 499. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
^ Wilson, Seth (October 20, 2019). "Review: Swans's Leaving Meaning Depicts a Grim and Unrelenting Hellscape". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
^ Wallace, Wyndham (December 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Uncut. No. 271. p. 32.
^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". Far Out Magazine. December 24, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
^ "Notre Top 100 des meilleurs albums de 2019" (in French). December 11, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
^ "Magnet's Top 25 Albums of 2019". Magnet. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
^ "Los mejores discos internacionales de 2019 para Mondo Sonoro" (in Spanish). MondoSonoro. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
^ "Albums of the Year". Rough Trade. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
^ https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0397/1609/products/Various_Personnel_Swans_Leaving_Meaning_grande.jpg?v=1567525545
^ "Austriancharts.at – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
^ "Ultratop.be – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
^ "Ultratop.be – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
^ "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 44: del 25.10.2019 al 31.10.2019" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
^ "Swisscharts.com – Swans – Leaving Meaning". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 6, 2019.

External links[]

Young God Records official website

[auto-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b "leaving meaning". YOUNG GOD RECORDS.

[2] Bank, Mute. "Swans - leaving meaning. - Double Vinyl". Mute Bank.

[3] "Leaving Meaning. by Swans reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved November 28, 2019.

[metacritic1-4] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Leaving Meaning. by Swans Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved October 25, 2019.

[5] Simpson, Paul. "leaving meaning. – Swans". AllMusic. Retrieved November 28, 2019.

[6] Morin, Max (October 30, 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 30, 2019.

[7] 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.

[Mojo-8] Jump up to: ^a ^b Perry, Andrew (November 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Mojo. No. 312. p. 89.

[9] Shepherd, Sam (October 25, 2019). "Swans – Leaving Meaning". MusicOMH. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[10] Sherburne, Philip (November 13, 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 14, 2019.

[Q-11] Mongredien, Phil (January 2020). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Q. No. 406. p. 114.

[Record_Collector-12] Hamnett, Alun (December 2019). "Swans – Leaving Meaning". Record Collector. No. 499. Retrieved November 28, 2019.

[13] Wilson, Seth (October 20, 2019). "Review: Swans's Leaving Meaning Depicts a Grim and Unrelenting Hellscape". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 28, 2019.

[Uncut-14] Wallace, Wyndham (December 2019). "Swans: Leaving Meaning". Uncut. No. 271. p. 32.

[15] "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". Far Out Magazine. December 24, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2020.

[16] "Notre Top 100 des meilleurs albums de 2019" (in French). December 11, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2020.

[17] "Magnet's Top 25 Albums of 2019". Magnet. Retrieved May 10, 2020.

[18] "Los mejores discos internacionales de 2019 para Mondo Sonoro" (in Spanish). MondoSonoro. Retrieved May 10, 2020.

[19] "Albums of the Year". Rough Trade. Retrieved May 10, 2020.

[20] ttps://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0397/1609/products/Various_Personnel_Swans_Leaving_Meaning_grande.jpg?v=1567525545

[ac_Austria_Swans-21] "Austriancharts.at – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 7, 2019.

[ac_Flanders_Swans-22] "Ultratop.be – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2019.

[ac_Wallonia_Swans-23] "Ultratop.be – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2019.

[ac_Germany4_Swans-24] "Offiziellecharts.de – Swans – Leaving Meaning" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 31, 2019.

[ac_Scotland_-25] "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2019.

[26] "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 44: del 25.10.2019 al 31.10.2019" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved November 6, 2019.

[ac_Switzerland_Swans-27] "Swisscharts.com – Swans – Leaving Meaning". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 6, 2019.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

show v t Swans
Michael Gira Jarboe Algis Kizys Ted Parsons Thurston Moore Roli Mosimann Vincent Signorelli Bill Rieflin Toby Dammit Jonathan Kane Thor Harris Christopher Pravdica Phil Puleo Paul Wallfisch Norman Westberg
Studio albums	Filth Cop Greed Holy Money Children of God The Burning World White Light from the Mouth of Infinity Love of Life The Great Annihilator Soundtracks for the Blind My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky The Seer To Be Kind The Glowing Man Leaving Meaning
Fundraiser albums	I Am Not Insane We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head Not Here / Not Now The Gate What Is This?
Live albums	Public Castration Is a Good Idea Feel Good Now Anonymous Bodies in an Empty Room Real Love Omniscience Kill the Child Swans Are Dead We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head Not Here / Not Now The Gate Deliquescence
Compilation albums	Body to Body, Job to Job Children of God/World of Skin Various Failures Filth/Body to Body, Job to Job Cop/Young God Greed/Holy Money Forever Burned
EPs	Swans Young God Love Will Tear Us Apart Die Tür ist zu Oxygen
Singles	"A Screw" "Time Is Money (Bastard)" "New Mind" "Can't Find My Way Home" "Saved" "Celebrity Lifestyle"
Related articles	Discography Young God Records Angels of Light The Body Lovers / The Body Haters Cop Shoot Cop Of Cabbages and Kings Prong Sulfur Unsane World of Skin Where Does a Body End?