Greed (Swans album)
1986 album by Swans
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Greed is the third studio album by American experimental rock band Swans.[1][2] It was released in 1986, through record label K.422.[3] Greed marks the slow turning point for Swans away from the harsh, brutal noise rock of prior releases,[4] and is also the first Swans album to contain contributions from Jarboe.[5]
_cover.jpg)
| Greed | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 28, 1986 | |||
| Recorded | June–August 1985 | |||
| Studio | Intergalactic, New York City, United States | |||
| Genre | Industrial | |||
| Length | 37:34 | |||
| Label | PVC (US) K.422 (International) | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Swans chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
Certain tracks utilize drum machines instead of conventional drumming. The lead instrument on "Fool" is a grand piano. "Money Is Flesh" uses a synthesizer.
The first CD issue contained the "Time Is Money (Bastard)" single as bonus tracks. A later compilation released in 1992, Greed / Holy Money, combined Greed (barring "Fool" and "Money Is Flesh", however "Fool (#2)" and "Money Is Flesh (#2)" were listed as these, respectively) and Holy Money (barring "A Screw (Holy Money)", though "A Screw (Holy Money) (Mix)" was listed as this), as well as the entirety of the A Screw EP and an abridged version of "Time Is Money (Bastard) (Mix)" (listed as "Time Is Money (Bastard)") from the "Time Is Money (Bastard)" single. This compilation, with its entirely re-organized track list, saw re-issue in 1999 in the double-disc set Cop/Young God / Greed/Holy Money, which included the Cop album and Young God EP.[6]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [7] |
| Ondarock | 6.5/10[8] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [9] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 7/10[10] |
The New York Times wrote that "some [songs] are dominated by the hammer-on-anvil chording of the guitarist Norman Westberg, while others feature a welter of chanting voices and sound like some sinister religious ritual."[11] Trouser Press called Greed the album "where everything finally jells," writing that "each track is a complete work in itself, enthralling and narcotizing."[12] The Quietus deemed it "intense bleakness with power plant rhythms, tougher than concrete wrapped in leather."[13]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Michael Gira; all music is composed by Swans.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fool" | 5:23 |
| 2. | "Anything for You" | 4:32 |
| 3. | "Nobody" | 4:49 |
| 4. | "Stupid Child" | 5:19 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Greed" | 6:17 |
| 2. | "Heaven" | 4:54 |
| 3. | "Money Is Flesh" | 6:20 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 8. | "Time Is Money (Bastard)" | 5:40 |
| 9. | "Sealed in Skin" | 6:09 |
| 10. | "Time Is Money (Bastard) (Mix)" | 7:05 |
Personnel
- Michael Gira – vocals, samples, tape operation, piano, bass guitar, production, album cover design
- Jarboe – backing vocals
- Norman Westberg – guitar
- Harry Crosby – bass guitar
- Ronaldo Gonzalez – drums; piano on “Fool”
- Ted Parsons – drums
- Ivan Nahem – drums
- Technical
- Estabon – production assistance
- Jorgé Estabon – engineering
- P. White – album cover artwork
Charts
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Indie Chart[14] | 6 |