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Two 22 minute epics from 2025 from IQ and Swans

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Poll Question: If either of these are at all to your tastes, which do you prefer?
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
10 [76.92%]
3 [23.08%]
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Logan View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Two 22 minute epics from 2025 from IQ and Swans
    Posted: June 09 2025 at 11:58
While I already did a 2025 epic-length from Swans and Dream Theater each of about 19 minutes, here is another epic poll comparing two of very similar length. I would expect IQ to get considerably more votes (very popular band at PA).

Both IQ and Swans were formed in 1981. IQ's first release was in 1982, and Swans first release was in 1983. Swans has 17 studio albums to date and IQ has 16 studio albums (including that remixes album). Both have many live albums.

Birthing through the unknown door: The portal, so to speak, at the end of the birth canal when coming into this wider world might be described as an unknown door by a fairly eloquent new-born.

Again, both are apples and oranges, so to speak, stylistically. There is no both or neither option. If either of these are at all to your tastes, which do you prefer?

IQ - The Unknown Door 22:33 (Dominion)



Swans - Birthing 22:20 (Birthing)


Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cristi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 09 2025 at 12:13
IQ - The Unknown Door 22:33 (Dominion)
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Logan View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 09 2025 at 12:19
Birthing is much more my thing, but I do like that IQ track especially from about 12 minutes to about 14 minutes. At about the 13 minute mark, I could be mistaken for that being Swans. Atmospheric ambience for the win!
Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 09 2025 at 13:52
IQ
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Saperlipopette! Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 09 2025 at 15:40
I recognize IQ as quality music - quality music that I just don't care for. Swans is a differnt kind of musical expression that I genuinely do care for. "Birthing" seemed a little by numbers at first to me, but grows with each listen. Expepc for its epic length, it reminds me of the Swans I fell for in the 1990's. So no contest for me, but at least this I time I bothered to give the former epic a try.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 09 2025 at 16:11
^ It's great to see that someone else has checked out both (which is not to say that others who voted have not, but one can't tell from the votes alone or the other posts) and has a vote to join mine. I actually loved "Birthing" from first listen because it is of that Swans ilk that I love. I adore 90s Swans, and long tracks like "Helpless Child" and "The Sound" played a big part in making me a fan. I too recognise the quality of the IQ track, but it doesn't really speak to me/ resonate (other than around the 13 minute mark, I guess). Of course it's a very popular band at PA. At RYM, incidentally, currently Birthing is at number one, and at PA it is at 74 (we also do have algorithmic differences). At PA, currently the IQ is at number 5 and at RYM it is at 104. I commonly do find that my tastes do align more with RYM than PA based on the charts as I have often said.

Edited by Logan - June 09 2025 at 16:14
Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MikeEnRegalia Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 hours 60 minutes ago at 03:35
The Swans release is giving me a hard time because of the often out-of-tune main vocals. I realise that it's part of the signature style, but it is difficult to listen to for musical(ly trained) ears.

Will listen to the IQ track after lunch, but I'm leaning towards voting for Swans. Good thing you "skipped" the first two long tracks for this poll
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Saperlipopette! View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Saperlipopette! Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 hours 27 minutes ago at 04:08
^ I hear it (out-of-tune), but every once in a while, I don't mind. In similar ways as I like Leonard Cohen and Lou Reed's voices, I like the tone in Gira's voice to begin with. To me the (maybe only partly intentional) out-of-tune vocal delivery of a 71 year old man, actually suits the music. That said, I'm glad I saw them live in 1996 and in 2010 where I found his voice to be genuinely powerful and rich. I wouldn't expect that in 2025.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mormegil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 hours 58 minutes ago at 09:37
My ears dig IQ.
Welcome to the middle of the film.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 hours 33 minutes ago at 10:02
^^ & ^^^

I have become more accustomed to his vocals in this, and it's the first Swans album I have taken issue with his vocals. I would have liked more of his wife, Jennifer Gira, in this. I often like the contrast of his voice with female vocals (and still I think the Gira/Jarboe period is my favourite overall, but I do love later releases). I actually kind of feel that his older man gruff vocals give lines like "Show me an ocean and I'll fart as it boils" off "I Am a Tower" more gravitas, or actually it's more like it makes it more sour...
Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me.
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