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9.0
134430
9.0 |
Beats Per Minute
By imagining a future without himself, Michel Gira has opened up an eternity of possibilities. He’s let the light shine in – and that is deeply moving. He’s found peace
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8.0
134331
8.0 |
The Arts Desk
There is plenty that is new and interesting on The Beggar
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8.0
134338
8.0 |
musicOMH
Sinister bass grooves, slave-gallery drums and portentous bleakness: Michael Gira and co are back
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8.0
134354
8.0 |
Uncut
What sometimes seems like attrition - "Paradise Is Mine's" relentless hammering, "Ebbing's" pounding 11 minutes - can, nevertheless, deliver ritualistic euphoria. Print edition only
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8.0
134368
8.0 |
The Guardian
Written during lockdown, the band’s 16th album is full of claustrophobic unease as Michael Gira contemplates life, mortality and the end of existence
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8.0
134405
8.0 |
Spectrum Culture
While Gira's lyrics are as apocalyptic, cryptic and uncomfortable as they've ever been, The Beggar is Swans at their loveliest, sounding earthy and ethereal rather than crushingly oppressive
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7.4
134407
7.4 |
Sputnik Music (staff)
The Beggar is definitely flawed as a front-to-back experience, but it's also the most engaging release that Swans have put out since To Be Kind
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7.0
134346
7.0 |
Slant Magazine
The album is defined by the quality, craftsmanship, and epic-ness we've come to expect
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6.0
134332
6.0 |
The Skinny
Swans continue to tone back the aggression on The Beggar, feeling like a band once again developing a new identity, one that’s still coalescing into its full shape
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