Swans (thing)

Swans have rereleased selections from their oeuvre over the past few years on Young God Records. Michael Gira has used the opportunity to put the work in what he calls "final definitive form", including edits and expunging things he doesn't like, so these discs are not for collectors. Nevertheless they should be enough Swans for the casual fan and are certainly easier to find than the original releases.

In addition to The great annihilator (1994) and their brilliant final double-album Soundtracks for the blind (1997), what's now in print includes

• Children of god/World of skin (1986-87), a double containing Children of god and selections from the two LPs released by the World of skin side project;
• Swans are dead (1995/1997), a double with live selections from the Swans' last two tours;
• Cop/Young god/Greed/Holy money (1983-85), a double containing most of these four discs (the brutal sludge-punk PikeWake mentions above);
• Various failures (1988-92), a double with songs from The burning world, White light from the mouth of infinity and Love of life. Highly recommended.

Some earlier stuff is also still available but these five cardboard-case doubles, together with The great annihilator, constitute the "essential Swans" for people like me who aren't picky about history.