Public Castration Is a Good Idea cover

Public Castration Is a Good Idea

Released

The majority of this double LP, originally released independently by the band, was recorded at a legendary March 1986 gig at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts. Swans performed at absolutely punishing volume in this era — eyewitnesses have compared the experience to sticking one’s head in a jet engine — and stretched their songs to mind-warping length. The opening “Money Is Flesh” is 12 minutes long, and the first four minutes of that are just a pounding beat and clanging bass/guitar chords, so slow it’s like being struck by a pile-driver over and over and over. More of a purgative ritual than a live album; when you really do need to be crushed under and obliterated by music, nothing else will do the job like this.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Phenobarb Bambalam cover

Phenobarb Bambalam

Chris Connelly
Paradise Discotheque cover

Paradise Discotheque

Crime & the City Solution
Songs to Learn and Sing cover

Songs to Learn and Sing

Echo & the Bunnymen
Emergency & I cover

Emergency & I

The Dismemberment Plan
Heaven Up Here cover

Heaven Up Here

Echo & the Bunnymen
Anxious cover

Anxious

Rødhåd
Mutiny! cover

Mutiny!

The Birthday Party