Cop is the second album by Swans

Swans (band)

Swans are an influential American post-punk band initially active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in...

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On Cop, Swans took the style of their previous LP, 1983's Filth, and intensified it, utilising slower tempos, more tape loops, and even more abrasive musical textures. The lyrics are again concerned with ambiguous themes like physical, often sexual domination and/or submission.

It was remastered by Michael Gira in 1992 for release on CD along with the Young God EP. The currently available edition combines Cop and Young God with the albums Greed and Holy Money

Holy Money

Holy Money is the fourth studio album by the New York No Wave band Swans. The album was recorded in the same sessions as A Screw and Greed. It was later reissued on CD with the 3 tracks from the A Screw and then again with Greed and then once again with Greed, Cop, and Young God...

. The packaging for all issues states that the recording is "designed to be played at maximum volume".

According to Jarboe

Jarboe

Jarboe is an American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist.Jarboe is a solo artist who came to prominence in the mid-1980s with the New York City based group Swans. With founder Michael Gira, the duo was the core of Swans until the group broke up in 1998...

, who first met the band shortly after this album was recorded, the photograph on the cover is the profile of a morbidly obese woman.

Track listing

1. "Half Life" – 4:18
2. "Job" – 4:46
3. "Why Hide" – 5:50
4. "Clay Man" – 5:05
5. "Your Property" – 4:48
6. "Cop" – 6:47
7. "Butcher" – 4:02
8. "Thug" – 5:12

Personnel

• Michael Gira
  Michael Gira
  Michael Rolfe Gira is an American musician, author, and artist. He is the main force behind the recently reformed New York City musical group Swans and fronts the Angels of Light...
  
   - vocals, tapes
• Harry Crosby - bass
• Norman Westberg
  Norman Westberg
  Norman Westberg is a New York City guitarist best known for his work with Swans. Present through almost the entirety of the band's existence, Westberg was brought on for Swans' debut album Filth and appeared on every album through 1991s White Light From the Mouth of Infinity...
  
   - guitar
• Roli Mosimann
  Roli Mosimann
  Roli Mosimann is a drummer, electronic musician and record producer who has worked in genres ranging from industrial to pop. Originally from Switzerland, Mosimann first came to attention with the New York City no wave band Swans and later collaborated with Foetus leader J. G...
  
  - drums, tapes