2013

It's time for an update!

We're well into the new year and I have some stuff to update you on. This post will just be a few different "shorts", and I'll hopefully have more posts in the coming days. A "best-of-2012-list" is a must as well, so expect that soon!

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Graveyard's "Lights Out" was the first album I played in 2013, on new year's day. It really is a great album and it will probably end up on that 2012-list...

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These two are probably the ones to end up on the top spots.... Swans - The Seer and Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind

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I've bought myself a new record player. It's a Pro-Ject Debut E. I'm very pleased with the Pro-Ject player I've had for a few years so I decided to get one more as I need to have record players on each floor in the appartment.

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It's been a slow month so far "record-buyin-wise". I'm trying to have a month without buying any records, and I've succeeded so far. I can't remember the last time that happened, must be some years ago. Let's see if I actually can wait until February to pick up the latest vinyls in the picture disc series from Iron Maiden for example...

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And last, but far from least... What a year we have a head of us! David Bowie AND Black Sabbath... Need I say more!?

I really love the first song of Bowie's upcoming album:

That's it for now!

Swans - The Seer

Now here's a record that demands your attention. "The Seer" spans over three records and has a total running time of over 90 minutes. It consists of eleven songs, three of which are over fifteen minutes long and one of them (the title track) is over after 32 minutes and 16 seconds. Impatient people have now been officially forwarned!

Swans are 30 years into their career and still creates brilliant and original music. There is practically no melodies at all on the first two and a half sides on this record on the first half on the D-side you can hear glimpses of it. The last song of the second record though is what is close to a singer/songwriter song (featuring Karen O, of Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs) on lead vocals, a beautiful piece that give you a breather before hell breaks lose!

I have to write a few lines about track listing, and the choice of order. The track listing on the vinyl is different from the one on the CD. I listened to "The Seer" a couple of times on Spotify before I got the vinyl, as it was delayed. On the CD (and on Spotify) probably the greatest piece on the album "Mother Of The World" is the second song on the album. On the vinyl version it is the seventh. I guess they did this because of the lengthy songs and they thought this was the best way to divide them over six sides of vinyl. I also like to think that they had the idea to put "Mother Of The World" and "Avatar" together on side D as this pair of songs form probably the best side on a vinyl record you will see this year!

The record ends with the title track spanning one and a half side and finally "The Seer Returns" ends the whole spectacle. After over 90 minutes with "The Seer" your still left with wanting more and that in itself is proof of the greatness of the album. This is without a doubt the most rewarding album of the year!

If you're a fan of monotone and repetitive music you're in for a real treat! Set some time aside, pour yourself a glass of wine and get lost in the soundscape of Michael Gira's creation!

I ordered my copy from the Young God Records' webstore and got it signed by Mr Swans himself!

A beautiful triple gatefold cover including a poster as well.