So, I've decided to start with post-rock. As the name of the genre states, it is a style of music that has developed "beyond" rock music, and just like with modernism and postmodernism, post-rock has to a large extent developed as a contrast to rock music, while still keeping something in common with rock music.
Post-rock music is characterized by rock instruments (drums, guitars, and bass guitars), without conforming to typical rock standards. Songs are often instrumental, almost orchestral, with long build-ups, subtle and intricate melodies, and raging choruses. Listening to post-rock always reminds me of listening to classical music made by rock instruments.
When there are vocals in post-rock, the vocals are rarely the focus of the music, but serve more as an added instrument. The music can be both soothing and challenging at the same time, and is often quite progressive.
1.Red Sparowes - Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun
Track Listing
The Great Leap Forward Poured Down Upon Us One Day Like a Mighty Storm, Suddenly and Furiously Blinding Our Senses. We Stood Transfixed in Blank Devotion as Our Leader Spoke to Us, Looking Down On Our Mute Faces With a Great, Raging, and Unseeing Eye. Like the Howling Glory of the Darkest Winds, This Voice Was Thunderous and the Words Holy, Tangling Their Way Around Our Hearts and Clutching Our Innocent Awe. A Message of Avarice Rained Down Upon Us and Carried Us Away Into False Dreams of Endless Riches. 'Annihilate the Sparrow, That Stealer of Seed, and Our Harvests Will Abound; We Will Watch Our Wealth Flood In.' And by Our Own Hand Did Every Last Bird Lie Silent in Their Puddles, the Air Barren of Song as the Clouds Drifted Away. For Killing Their Greatest Enemy, the Locusts Noisily Thanked Us and Turned Their Jaws Toward Our Crops, Swallowing Our Greed Whole. Millions Starved and We Became Skinnier and Skinnier, While Our Leaders Became Fatter and Fatter. Finally, as That Blazing Sun Shone Down Upon Us, Did We Know That True Enemy Was the Voice of Blind Idolatry; and Only Then Did We Begin to Think for Ourselves.
To me, this is the greatest post-rock album ever. From the very first song on the track the music lifts you up and takes you on an incredible journey. After years of listening to rock music you'll be amazed at the diversity of sounds that can still be made using the same instruments.
"Every Red Heart" is a concept album about the great leap forward and specifically the great sparrow campaign aimed at stopping the sparrow plague of the time. Unfortunately, with the eradication of all the sparrows, there was nothing to curb the locust population, so the sparrow plague was followed by a great locust plague that led to the starvation of 38 million people.
The first track ("The Great Leap Forward Poured Down Upon Us One Day Like a Mighty Storm, Suddenly and Furiously Blinding Our Senses") perfectly conveys both the promise of the great leap forward, as well as the metaphorical storm of the title. However, the music grows more silent and desolate throughout the album until the second last song ("Millions Starved ... ") which is almost dirge-like. Only in the last song is there redemption, as the population realises the "the true enemy was the voice of blind idolatry", and they learn to think for themselves.
"Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun" is not an easy album to listen to. It is very dark, and very dense. However, the music is always interesting, and the album tells its story with such power that, to me, it's the pinnacle of its genre.
2. Mogwai - Rock Action
Track Listing
"Sine Wave" Take Me Somewhere Nice O I Sleep Dial: Revenge You Don't Know Jesus Robot Chant 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong
This album is very different from the Red Sparowes album. The music, while not upbeat, always seems to be on the verge of being happy. The album reminds me somewhat of a very mellow trip, or that feeling you get when you're somewhere sociable, slightly drunk, and you just enter your own world. There's an album called "Soundtrack to Your Life", and whenever I listen to Rock Action, I feel like that should have been the title of this album.
The most prominent instrument on the album is an acoustic guitar, which moves the album along comfortably, without ever making itself too present. However, the whole album doesn't just pass by in a blur of niceness. Other than the almost clinical coldness hidden beneath each song, the inability for the music to get truly passionate, there are a few songs that change their tone from a happy daze to something close to anger, such as track five "You Don't Know Jesus".
All in all then, the album is a beautiful piece of composition which allows you to live alongside it most of the time, but every now and again reminds you that you are still listening to music. It's a stunningly beautiful album.
3. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Track Listing
Storm Static Sleep Antennas to Heaven
Godspeed's Lift Your Skinny Fists is the first ever post-rock album I listened to. It's a double disc, with each disc containing two tracks. Each track is then subdivided into between three and seven movements. Thus, from the outset it is clear that the album intends to be an orchestral masterpiece. The tracks are all roughly 20 minutes long.
The songs are slow, but very dynamic. Listening to this album is something like reading a Tom Clancy novel. There is a very long build-up, which, although interesting, is clearly leading up to something. However, once the song reaches its climax it will keep you there for at least as long as the build-up was. This might sound strange, but it works out beautifully. With each bar the album draws you in more, and by the end the album will leave you exhausted but pleased.
The slight sexual analogy above wasn't really intended, but it's surprisingly fitting. In the end, this album is hard work but well worth the ride.
4. 65daysofstatic - The Fall of Math
Track Listing
Another Code Against the Gone Install a Beak in the Heart That Clucks Time in Arabic Retreat! Retreat! Default This I Swallowed Hard, Like I Understood The Fall of Math This Cat is a Landmine The Last Home Recording Hole Fix the Sky a Little Aren't We All Running?
The Fall of Math is a strange album. The tracks are shorter than your typical post-rock tracks, and there are few build-ups, and very few songs that pulls the listener along with them. In fact, the tracks almost seem like snippets from other post-rock tracks. Some of the snippets are from the climax, others are from the build-up, but they are all interesting.
65daysofstatic also use breakbeats and glitches in their music, something that is not completely unknown in post-rock, but is also not common. However, rather than detracting from the music, this simply adds to it. The music of 65daysofstatic is a more dynamic than almost any post-rock band out there, and the tracks somehow seem to trick the listener into believing that they are just as "epic" as other post-rock tracks.
Basically, 65daysofstatic delivers the goods without taking you on the journey, which is not necessarily a bad thing. And when you pull it off as well as they do, you create an album that becomes an instant classic. "The Fall of Math" is one of the most entertaining and accessible post-rock albums out there, and if I want to listen to a great post-rock track quickly, I always choose one from this album.
The last spot on my list had to go to Pelican. Pelican is something between a post-rock and metal band. Or rather, they produce post-rock music with a metal sound. The bass is heavier, the songs are noisier, and everything is just a touch more passionate.
Their album "Australasia" was their debut album, and according to them not as polished as they would have wanted it to be. And it's true, if try some of their later albums, like "City of Echoes" for instance, you'll find the music much more accessible. However, music shouldn't always be accessible, or perfectly polished. Listening to Pelican is like looking at a Francis Bacon portrait - it's raw and brutal, but that's what makes it so powerful.
Everyone should have an album like this to listen to on days when a bit of raw power is needed. It's beautifully composed and beautifully performed, just not in the way we usually perceive beauty. I love it.
Other Albums
Mono - One Step More and You Die - Just a very good, powerful, post-rock album. Nothing unique, but great quality.
Tenhi - Kauan - Actually considered neofolk, Tenhi creates some of the most surreal and beautiful melodies with contemporary rock instruments.
Explosions in the Sky - Friday Night Lights OST - It's not often you find someone willing to use something experimental in a mainstream product, but it worked out perfectly for the director of Friday Night Lights.
I hope you have all enjoyed the first installment of this series. Unfortunately I'm not allowed to post links to these albums as that would be against the rules of TL. However, I implore you to find these albums on your own and give them a try. Also, feel free to give me your opinions on post-rock, and tell me which albums you think should be on the list!
I've been a pretty big post rock fan for several years and I still haven't listened to Red Sparowes or much of Mogwai, so thanks for reminding me to check them out. 65dos is great, but for whatever reason I like 'One Time for All Time' better than ' The Fall of Math.' Awesome thread idea though and great list!
Here's some other picks from me, no album arts because I am a lazy :
Yndi Halda - Enjoy Eternal Bliss Probably the best post-rock album to come out in recent years. Harkens back to the glory days of GY!BE, yet retains a fresh and exciting sound. Highly, highly recommend this!
Sigur Ros - ( ) A 'classic' of the genre, and classic for a reason: it's awesome. Very beautiful album; sad yet upifting. Interesting to note that none of the tracks are titled.
Do Make Say Think - Winter Hymn, Country Hymn, Secret Hymn Quite different from other post-rock in that it's kinda upbeat and folky. Violin, trumpet, saxophone, keyboard all make appearances, but the music is basically guitar driven. The songs linger on the shortish side (for post rock anyway), so this album is much easier to listen to than some others. Also highly recommended.
The Mercury Program - A Data Learn the Language A softer album, more relaxing and ambient. There's none of the slow intense buildup/crescendo to be found here, the music is more minimalist. The unique instrument here is the vibraphone (the lineup is guitar, bass, vibraphone, drums). Really tight drumming too. This is a nice, relaxing album, I like to listen to it to unwind after work.
I dont mean to hijack your thread or something daigomi, but I felt like I love this stuff so much that I had to contribute
Thanks for the recommendations, I considered putting a Sigur Ros in, but decided against it in the end. They're just too diverse for me to consider them post-rock. I'll almost certainly have one of their albums in my "Guide to Music - Miscelaneous" though. Do Make Say Think was also a close call for my Other Albums section, but I decided to put Mono in above them.
I haven't heard anything by Yndi Halda yet, so I'll definitely give that a try. I also haven't listened to Mercury Program yet, although I was on the verge of getting some at one point. Will need to get that too. Also need to look into Choirs of the Eye, it sounds promising!
As to album art being ugly... Haha, I quite like some of those, while others are obviously slightly low budget, for which you can't really blame the artists. Still, I pretty much like all of these covers.
I agree with you on Sigur Ros, their style is really hard place and many of their songs are just not post-rock in the least (although a majority are).
Rock action is a great album, but as always when you promote albums and not the entire discography of a band you get people shouting about the other great works of the same artist, which is exactly what I will do now: Come on die young and Happy songs for happy people! Have you heard them? Also great albums.
Btw, I have to get that Red Sparowes album, sounds awesome.
Haha, I have the Ratatat album, I love it. Also love and have all the Mogwai albums, Rock Action is just my favourite. Keep the recommendations coming though! Love to hear of new music!
So I checked a few of the songs out on youtube, and I don't know if it's the video or the music or a combination of them but I get a sort of "emo" feeling about it.
There is a few songs I like however, thanks for some good tips.
On August 25 2008 02:18 Daigomi wrote: Haha, I have the Ratatat album, I love it. Also love and have all the Mogwai albums, Rock Action is just my favourite. Keep the recommendations coming though! Love to hear of new music!
After years of listening to rock music you'll be amazed at the diversity of sounds that can still be made using the same instruments.
I really wasn't.
In my opinion this music has to be used as a sort of white noise while you do something else. It's difficult to enjoy when I concentrate on it, because it's so slow and repetitive. I imagine liking it in a movie, or while playing a game though. Comparing it to classical music is kind of an insult, because although it is completely instrumental, classical music is so evolved you could never get away with something so simple. "Post-rock" will come as a comforting surprise to people who hate having words to their music though... Which makes it easier to adapt the music to whatever mood you're in (IE You can pace to it while thinking, without it telling you what to think)... I've found listening to foreign music to have the same effect, where the vocals feel more like an instrument because I don't know what they mean.
I'm just listening to a song or two on youtube as I write this, and it's growing on my more and more... Probably because my focus is split between writing this post and the music.
On August 25 2008 03:11 PsycHOTemplar wrote: Comparing it to classical music is kind of an insult, because although it is completely instrumental, classical music is so evolved you could never get away with something so simple.
The similarity between classical music isn't because both are instrumental, it's because both have a theme that they build on. The thing with classical music is that we only hear snippets of it mostly. Rarely do we listen to a full piece, for instance, "Ode to Joy" is only the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth symphony. And about it being too simple and repetitive, if you listen to something like Bach's Goldberg Variations, you'll find similar repetitions that change subtly with each play, and similar simplicity (although not on the middle movements).
With that said, I do enjoy post-rock especially as background music. I do listen to it on its own as well, but nothing beats if for background music. The purpose of all music isn't to be listened to with intent, and not having that quality doesn't detract from the quality of music in my opinion.
Like I said in the introductionary post, I think most genres of music can be appreciated, if not necessarily enjoyed by all people. The purpose of the blog is to give people that do not listen to a genre the background knowledge to appreciate the music. For that, my reviews are necessary.
Anyway, I'm glad to hear you are starting to enjoy it more. It's really an interesting genre with lots of depth to it.
The similarity between classical music isn't because both are instrumental, it's because both have a theme that they build on. The thing with classical music is that we only hear snippets of it mostly. Rarely do we listen to a full piece, for instance, "Ode to Joy" is only the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth symphony. And about it being too simple and repetitive, if you listen to something like Bach's Goldberg Variations, you'll find similar repetitions that change subtly with each play, and similar simplicity (although not on the middle movements).
With that said, I do enjoy post-rock especially as background music. I do listen to it on its own as well, but nothing beats if for background music. The purpose of all music isn't to be listened to with intent, and not having that quality doesn't detract from the quality of music in my opinion.
Like I said in the introductionary post, I think most genres of music can be appreciated, if not necessarily enjoyed by all people. The purpose of the blog is to give people that do not listen to a genre the background knowledge to appreciate the music. For that, my reviews are necessary.
Anyway, I'm glad to hear you are starting to enjoy it more. It's really an interesting genre with lots of depth to it.
You're absolutely right, I take back what I said about classical music I'd never heard this genre before, so it took a little bit to get into, but you've made a fan out of me. Once I found some higher quality versions (youtube sound quality really doesn't cut it for this genre) I've began to enjoy this immensely. It's very good writing music, and I'm going to share it with a friend of mine who writes stories. Normally I like either silence or classical music when writing/studying, but this will be added among those.
I really disagree with the label "post-rock." There is so much diversity in the bands that are said to be post-rock.
Still, using the terminology....
I'm quite taken by Mum, an icelandic electronica/postrock group. I recommend the album "And Finally We are No One." Beautiful nearly whispered female vocals, and nice electronic music that is nothing like techno, but sometimes similar to old nintendo type music (final fantasy music lovers might like this).
I love Set Fire To Flames, and recommend "Sings Reign Rebuilder." This is SIMILAR to Godspeed (and shares members), but the avant garde/experimental/noise aspects are emphasized greatly. This album is full of angst, sadness, and dark beauty.
I dig Polmo Polpo. This music features slide guitar and loops. The album Like Hearts Swelling is particularly good - the first track, Romeo Heart, is painfully beautiful - someone said they couldn't tell if it was like ascending to heaven or descending to hell.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor, as far as I am concerned, is the best of this genre (if you choose to think of it as a genre). I especially love the albums F# A# (Infinity) and Yanqui UXO.
On August 26 2008 00:29 nA.Inky wrote: I really disagree with the label "post-rock." There is so much diversity in the bands that are said to be post-rock.
Still, using the terminology....
I'm quite taken by Mum, an icelandic electronica/postrock group. I recommend the album "And Finally We are No One." Beautiful nearly whispered female vocals, and nice electronic music that is nothing like techno, but sometimes similar to old nintendo type music (final fantasy music lovers might like this).
I love Set Fire To Flames, and recommend "Sings Reign Rebuilder." This is SIMILAR to Godspeed (and shares members), but the avant garde/experimental/noise aspects are emphasized greatly. This album is full of angst, sadness, and dark beauty.
I dig Polmo Polpo. This music features slide guitar and loops. The album Like Hearts Swelling is particularly good - the first track, Romeo Heart, is painfully beautiful - someone said they couldn't tell if it was like ascending to heaven or descending to hell.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor, as far as I am concerned, is the best of this genre (if you choose to think of it as a genre). I especially love the albums F# A# (Infinity) and Yanqui UXO.
You should read my introductionary post. I say specifically that I don't like the ideas of bands being confined to a genre, but that a genre offers a frame of reference for you to understand music under.
With that said, I love Mum, but I don't consider them post-rock. They are too electronic, and unlike 65daysofstatic, they don't aim for an orchestral form of music at all. Mum is a beautiful electronic band, but they're closer to ambient than post-rock for me.
I don't have Set Fire to Flames yet, so I'll get that, and the same goes for Polmo Polpo.
And I agree perfectly with you sureshot, Mum, Album Leaf, and Sigur Ros are all amazing, and all similar to post-rock, but I wouldn't class either one as post-rock.
Haha, you'll probably change your mind after the next few blog posts by me, going to cover quite a few other genres of music. Oh well, hopefully I can convince people to try new genres of music, or at least see the value in other genres of music
Daigomi, I agree that genre can sometimes be useful in the way you state - it can give a kind of framework in which to understand music. But all of that hinges on the quality of the classification scheme. Some genres are useful - death metal is a good example. When I hear the label "death metal," I know the music will likely be fast, highly distorted, the vocals will be low pitched growled/gurgled vocals, possibly with some high pitched screams, and there will be blast beats and typically major use of the double bass drum.
Post-rock, by contrast, is just far too nebulous to be useful for classifying or understanding music. "Rock instrumentation used for non-rock purposes" is how the wikipedia describes it, if I remember correctly. That's ridiculous. If you use rock instruments to play baroque music, is that post-rock? Some people try to equate post-rock with minimalism. That's also ridiculous - most post rock that I've heard has nothing to do with minimalism. Some people say it has to do with a kind of orchestral sound, but that's silly too. Much rock/pop also uses orchestra (I'm thinking Beatles, for example). Pink Floyd, at times, had an experimental, spacious, multi-textured sound, and they aren't post-rock. And rock..... what does Godspeed have to do with rock? Godspeed most certainly does not rock, and Set Fire To Flames much less.
And why wouldn't Mum be a part of post-rock? They use glitch beats and lots of electronics - why should that disqualify them? Post-rock, being as nebulous a category as it is, can't accept electronics? Plenty of rock music has electronic elements, so the idea that post-rock cannot seems strange to me.
My whole point is that the concept is so nebulous as to be useless. People will associate certain bands with the genre label, but the genre label itself is useless for describing what should be considered post-rock, since such radically different kinds of music can be considered post-rock. And, apparently quite a few so called post-rock bands don't even consider themselves as such.
It's not to bash your post, but rather to rant about genre. I am thankful for some of your suggestions.
I have some additions, but nowhere to upload the mp3s and have them stream.. I tried a few pages, but they all cut the songs off at the 3 minutes mark..
EPT
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