Protest the Hero w/ Thank You Scientist + Closure in Moscow @ Varsity Theater 3/25/18

The 10th Anniversary of Fortress, Protest the Hero's 2nd full-length album from 2008, they of course played it in-full.

The support acts, Thank You Scientist who played 1st, and Closure in Moscow, I had mild curiosity about each at best.

Thank You Scientist: I arrived during maybe their 2nd or 3rd song unfortunately as I didn't enter the building til probably around 10 after 8PM (per waiting to pay the meter on the street at 8PM exactly).

I have known about, and heard their music over the last 5 or 6 years especially, and know they have a following. I know a lot of like-minded fans with similar taste in modern progressive rock who really dig them. And they played both on Progressive Nation at Sea along with touring with Bent Knee among others (Coheed I think).

But I struggled with them per they always sounded like if Claudio Sanchez were singing in a Jazz/Horn/Violin or even Ska band at points. And while combining those things together might work well for some, especially his vocals being so much like Claudio, it was hard to get past.

So, hearing and seeing 2/3 or more of their live show last night, my feeling isn't dramatically different. At 1 point I kind of wondered if they would be best all-instrumental, because the musicians are very good and the chops + compositions overall work. Prog, but not too excessive.

And I can say, the last track they did "My Famed Disappearing Act" may have worked best for me, or at least was my favorite.

I think I may force myself to check their music out more or again, just to see if something clicks. They do actually remind me of Kindo in some ways of course, but also SNARKY PUPPY, except with a singer who sounds highly like Claudio.

Closure in Moscow: To be honest, I am not going to go into tons of details. Simply put, my 1st exposure to them and their debut album in 2009? 2010? sometime around then, was they were almost a clear copycat of The Mars Volta without the songwriting or even interesting instrumental chops.
And I've heard their more recent music has been more stripped down.

And it was for the most. I just kept hearing the Volta, but with no amazing, memorable melodies or sections.

I guess I can say they did have good energy and did play to the crowd a bit, but I guess they may not be for me at this point.

Protest the Hero: 10 or so years ago I saw them on the Fortress-tour at Station 4, and while I'm sure the performance was fine, the sound was next to awful. I couldn't hear the vocals at all.

Last night at The Varsity (without original bassist/songwriter Arif), my feeling was this did makeup for that disappointing show many years ago. The sound, while hardly perfect, and despite a bit of a Ne Obliviscaris blast-beat dominated mix, I was still able to hear Roddy's voice much better.

They were consistently energetic as their music gets. It's frantic and crazy fast at times. I did get some chills just remembering how much I loved much of the Fortress album, per I maybe haven't listened to it 10 years (maybe 7 or 8? I can't be sure).

It's a record that has a consistent flow, with dynamics, and doesn't go on too long (like 45 mins?). And I have always felt "Bloodmeat" and "Sequia Throne" are 2 of their best songs.

Now let me just add a very important point in here that I'm sure I have many times in the past, but not recently per I have not had all that much about PtH in many years.

I LOVE their debut album Kezia, and have felt really since 2006 or 2007 when I 1st got into them, was clearly the SUPERIOR album. I even purchased it on Vinyl in the last year or 2. The acoustic sections, production, female vocals and overall epic nature of it (it's a concept album anyway, which Fortress I suppose is as well).

So I had a bias and have seen so many people talk about Fortress being their classic, etc. And while I did always enjoy it, never found it had the depth/magic of Kezia.

But at the same time, I would consider it their 2nd best record still/better than all of the albums they've released since.

It is kind of samey in some ways with the riffs and frequent energy and even many songs in the same key, etc.

But I suppose it works maybe even better live (certainly some of the clipping cymbals/mix/loudness that may be present at points, is not noticed live).

So overall I really enjoyed seeing the whole thing live last night, even with some of the banter/stories from Roddy to the crowd (about Milwaukee, Katy Perry, Chicago Blackhawks + Maple Leafs among other things).

The new track "Chuna Fish" reminded me of naturally, the Pacific Myth stuff which was nice per I really enjoy that EP, save for the fact it's just an EP. And "Sex Tapes" from Scurrilous, maybe is my favorite song from that album (I recall thinking it was the most different from any previous thing they'd done at the time).

So, I guess I can say I got to finally see Protest in a decent/improved/more acceptable sound environment. And they are kind of out-of-my-system, live. I don't know when I will see them again, i suppose it may have to be with another strong support or if they open for someone (like Faith no More? or of course the likes of SikTh or something).

And I did pass on the Godspeed You Black Emperor show a few weeks ago on St.Patty's day for this show per I just saw Godspeed in 2016. But the fact is, I am more into Godspeed now and their new album from last year. But, it was a compromise. Hopefully I'll get to see Godspeed again (it was only their 2nd show in MN in 17 years).

Plus I now know I think how The Varsity will have seating downstairs for seeing like Jessie Ware soon, etc by going last night.



photo: Nate W

Protest the Hero
Bloodmeat
The Dissentience
Bone Marrow
Sequoia Throne
Palms Read
Limb From Limb
Spoils
Wretch
Goddess Gagged
Goddess Bound

Encore:
Sex Tapes
Chuna Fish (New song)
Skies



photo: Nate W

Thank You Scientist
Wrinkle (Instrumental Jam)
The Somnambulist
Blood on the Radio
Mr. Invisible
The Amateur Arsonist's Handbook
In the Company of Worms
My Famed Disappearing Act



photo: Nate W

Closure in Moscow
Vanguard
Afterbirth
Kissing Cousins
Deluge
Had to Put It in the Soil
I’m a Ghost of Twilight
Arecibo Message
Reindeer Age
A Night at the Spleen
Sweet#hart

All Media Reviews Podcast #4: Albums of the Year Part 3

10. Steven Wilson - To the Bone 9. Anakdota - Overloading 8. Godspeed You Black Emperor - Luciferian Towers 7. Anathema - The Optimist 6. Pain of Salvation - In the Passing Light of Day 5. 22 - You Are Creating: Limb 1 4. Bent Knee - Land Animal 3. Everything Everything - A Fever Dream 2. Small Leaks Sink Ships - Golden Calf 1. Mutemath - Play Dead


came out okay. I forgot to suggest in the comments to include your aoty, but I changed the subject on Youtube at least.

I guess as I stressed at the end, I am excited to make the 2017-2018 preview/anticipation podcast soon. With this done now, probably in the next few days, although as I've mentioned in past videos and in here, I probably should just do it by QUARTER so call it 1st-Quarter and Beyond or something.

Godspeed You Black Emperor - Luciferian Towers (2016-2017)

8/30/17 12:50PM
1st/opening track "Undoing A Luciferian Towers" is up.

l8tr/tomorrow for me.


7/13/17 6:06PM
Link

Release Date is September 22nd.

Lol at some of the political descriptions in this and the image below, but if the music is good, it won't matter. At least the vinyl is being pressed on recycled material, which fwiw, Cloud Cult almost may approve of.

I am not sure how much to expect though as their last record from 2015, 'Asunder Sweet And Other Distress, had more than enough drone/doom work for me to enjoy. The crescendos, when they work, make this band standout. And they were surreal live. But their approach at times focuses a little too much on slow, dissonant, chords that drag on more than I usually love. And I often suspect the hipsters who claim to be huge fans, probably latch on to them, also claim to love a lot of the boring Doom and Drone Metal, lol. Which to me, isn't really good Metal unless it is coming from Black Sabbath or a few other exceptions.

But this is their 1st album of new music I think, since they ended their hiatus about 7 years ago. Which might mean something (good or bad I guess).

4 songs, 44+ minutes.



1. Undoing a Luciferian Towers
2. Bosses Hang
3. Fam/Famine
4. Anthem For No State

Iron Maiden COMING TO MINNESOTA FINALLY!

Strib Story

June 16th, 2017 @ XCel Energy Center

Not that I can claim to be a HUGE fan or anything, but I do enjoy some of their music, and the big thing about this is they have flown over our town on an extensive number of tours. Their last show here I thought I saw was in the year 2000.

Why? probably MONEY i.e. Maiden's people wanted more than the promoters were willing to pay, etc.

Which sucks, but who knows how many other reasons (conflicts in venues, routing, pkg tours, etc).

I may try and go, but I am happy for those who love them and have never been able to travel to see them.

It is the Book of Souls tour, which I checked out and enjoyed moments of (I felt it was quite long and repetitve at times, but I also just take to much of Maiden's music in that way, thus don't expect tons different kinds of sound, or even songs).

Also Ghost opens.

To add to this, along with the likes of Agalloch (RIP) and Godspeed You Black Emperor, at least some of the artists who seem to fly over my hometown for many years/tours (Porcupine Tree as well, but then Steven Wilson came back twice on his solo tour at least), it holds hope for some other artists like The Reign of Kindo and Imogen Heap for me to finally get to see, without having to spend a bunch of cash to travel for. Although Marillion, I guess I may always assume they will never come here. 

But then again..never say never..
 

REACT TO: Velocities in Music POST ROCK *Deep Dive*

Podcast Link including a download

Spotify Playlist they made about Post Rock

As I've posted in the past, I really am enjoying Velocities in Music's podcasts, and some of these special Deep Dive episodes. So this is their deep dive into the history of Post Rock and a little bit on Post Metal.

Now, they said a few times how this while it was a deep-dive, there was a lot of ground they weren't going to be able to cover, so I took that with a grain of salt.

I guess I enjoyed most of it, including them talking about Godspeed and Sigur Ros, and a little bit about Russian Circles.

But a few points to bring up.

-The term or name "Post Rock" probably being the biggest thing, just when using that term. When you say it, namely to someone whose never heard the term, they ask "Is Rock Dead?" which of course isn't really true. And while the term still really doesn't make much sense, at least it seems it has become an accepted and somewhat understood name, even if the literal use still makes next to no sense.

-The similarities, origins, influences. Sure Talk Talk, Tortoise, and that nauseating band that every hipster seems to kiss the ass of, Swans, deserve some mention. But the thing is, what the style, at least the large majority when it came into vogue, really drew from, were a couple of things.

1) New Age music.
the nature-like ambient, atmospheric, drawn out soundscapes, are very similar to what dozens and dozens of New Age artists did long before any of this kind of music ever was created.

2) Soundtracks. The use of samples, music that creates atmosphere and has big climaxes, is pretty much the same format and style of, like New Age music, not dozens, but hundreds if not thousands of soundtracks to both films and television among other things.

Why I have rarely if ever seen anyone mention these 2 references with Post Rock, still baffles me.

That being said, I have over the last decade or more enjoy a good amount of it. Just for the sake of lists, here's a list I made 6 or 7 years ago, there are some names missing of course like Nordic Giants, etc..it does include a good portion of the artists who I still enjoy here on this list I made on rateyourmusic.com.

-They didn't mention much about the bands who use samples, or piano like God is an Astronaut. Or even some of the Western kind of stuff like Clann Zu, Crippled  Black Phoenix, or the early Murder by Death.

-Long Distance Calling, East of the Wall, Shelter Red also not mentioned, although they are Post Metal, and they even mentioned how they could do a whole Deep Dive separately, about it.

-I honestly found Caspian derivative of the 1-trick pony/nature music of Explosions in the Sky. Although I never listened to a ton of their music, but they were 1 of literally a couple of dozen artists I came across that sounded so formulaic to me. That honestly, at 1 point I didn't think I'd ever care for any of it. And Russian Circles actually since their 2nd album, have done that exact same style more or less to my ears.

-They didn't mention bands like 65daysofstatic who use keys/electronics. The Samuel Jackson 5 as well? .or actually I was thinking of bands who use electronic and trance music like Shpongle to point as well..

-They kept mentioning Don Caballero (I've always said their name like the former skate-boarder, Cab-ah-lare-oh), but from memory, that band was really a MATH ROCK band, at least their later stuff.

Now I know some people lump Mathrock in with Post Rock, but my feeling is the 2 are very distinct. Actually Mathrock is almost like Djent, in that it's really just the sound from that 80's King Crimson style of guitar tone/riff/rhythms ("Three of a Perfect Pair" largely). But if they are going to include a Mathrock band, they may as well open it up to the dozens and dozens of Mathrock and Mathmetal bands, lol.

I mean are Battles PostRock? They're rock, and they did mention the guitarist previous band. But I have never associated them with Post Rock.

-I would say bands like dredg, Oceansize, The Appleseed Cast are very much Post-Rock, even though they use vocals and prominent vocal melodies at times. But there's not debating their use of guitars and textures, along with influences come from much of it. dredg and Oceansize have both cited Mogwai as 1 certainly.

-The comparison they gave to Do Make Say Think with Explosions in the Sky, was frankly, kind of baffling. I am a Do Make Say Think fan, and why that is, is largely due to the varied use of INSTRUMENTATION. They use Chamber instruments, just like Broken Social Scene actually. Have Explosions in the Sky EVER used cello, or harp, etc? If they have, it certainly has never stood out in their music.

But as I included earlier, the Chamber/Baroque instrumentation is rather common now in bands who I would call at least use elements of "Post Rock." Forest Park for example, featured wonderful trumpet. So have *Shels and Nordic Giants...and even a lot of the chamber/baroque pop/rock/folk bands I've gotten into like Typhoon, Mother Falcon or The Family Crest, certainly are influenced by Post Rock.

Some even call Kayo Dot "Post Rock" which I can follow to a point, even though I have struggled to like them.

So when they concluded about where this genre is going, I would say the chamber/baroque instrumentation is as big a part of it as anything new in the last decade. Certainly as big as Post-Metal and the electronic elements.

But that all being said, I still really enjoyed this episode, and look forward to more of these genre deep dives. They may even do progressive rock at some point, although I imagine if they do, it'll be as long if not longer than the Radiohead deep dive, i.e. 2 or 3 episodes potentially.

NIN Summer tour w/ Godspeed and EitS. St.Paul = EitS and NOT Godspeed!

http://exclaim.ca/News/nine_inch_nails_announce_hesitation_marks

Hey St.Paul: Get your head out of your ass and get Godspeed instead of the poser/nature music band  Explosions in the Sky.

Hey Explosions in the Sky: You Suck Ass, we wanted Godspeed and not your one-dimensional style of nature music.

Hey Godspeed: what the fuck do you have against Minnesota?

Hey NIN: why couldn't you have at least put both Godpseed and EitS on the ENTIRE TOUR???

Trent Reznor may be a Rush fan and has Robert Fripp involved with his new album, but this tour is fucking LAME!

Nine Inch Nails:

07-26 Niigata, Japan - Fuji Rocks Festival
07-28 Ansan, South Korea - Ansan Valley Festival
08-02-04 Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
08-09-11 San Francisco, CA - Outside Lands
08-15 Hasselt, Belgium - Pukkelpop
08-16 Biddinghuizen, Holland - Lowlands Festival
08-18 Hockenheim, Germany - Rock 'n' Heim
08-21 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Belsonic Festival
08-23 Leeds, England - Leeds Festival
08-24 Paris, France - Rock en Seine
08-25 Reading, England - Reading Festival
08-28 Milan, Italy - Mediolanum Forum
08-31-09-01 Philadelphia, PA - Made in America Festival
09-28 St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center *
09-30 Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center * 
10-01 St. Louis, MO - Chaifetz Arena *
10-03 Montreal, Quebec - Centre Bell *
10-04 Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre *
10-05 Cleveland, OH - Wolstein Center *
10-07 Auburn Hill, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills *
10-08 Pittsburgh, PA - Petersen Events Center *
10-11 Boston, MA - TD Garden #
10-14 Brooklyn, NY - Barclays Center #
10-15 Newark, NJ - Prudential Center #
10-18 Washington, DC - Verizon Center #
10-19 University Park, PA - Bryce Jordan Center #
10-21 Raleigh, NC - PNC Arena #
10-22 Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena #
10-24 Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena #
10-25-27 Asheville, NC - Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit
10-30 Sunrise, FL - BB&T Center
10-31 Orlando, FL - Amway Center
11-01-03 New Orleans, LA - Voodoo Music Experience
11-05 San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center *
11-08 Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center *
11-09 Phoenix, AZ - US Airways Center *
11-11 El Paso, TX - Don Haskins Center *
11-13 Broomfield, CO - 1st Bank Center *
11-15 Las Vegas, NV - The Joint *
11-16 Las Vegas, NV - The Joint *
11-18 Portland, OR - Rose Garden Arena *
11-19 Spokane, WA - Spokane Arena *
11-21 Vancouver, British Columbia - Rogers Arena *
11-22 Seattle, WA - KeyArena *
11-24 Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place
11-25 Calgary, Alberta - Scotiabank Saddledome

* with Explosions in the Sky
# with Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Godspeed You Black Emperor - 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (2012)

https://cstrecords.com/cst081/

This is interesting, sort of late-hour news, however, I'm sure NOBODY will recall, or hell even REMEMBER this post I made back on May 29, 2011. And the fact on the EPIC ROCK TALK that was made, I mentioned they might be coming out with an album this year. So? I was right, but nobody will actually give me credit of course.

Okay, putting that aside, I'm curious about this, but don't expect it to be an album of the year candidate really. Why I say that is, mood music generally has to floor me, and so late in the year, it's odds are low. But,  I won't dismiss its chances just yet.

I won't be surprised if the hipsters go apeshit over this. This has been available at shows I guess on their current tour. But they have such a loyal following, their fanbase are going to make this out to being the greatest thing since sliced bread. I expect to see it rather high it on many End of Year Lists, and I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up in the top 10 on the Sound Opinions 2012 EOY poll.

Blech, well, not enough time to elaborate more for now, but given my brain was struggling to find new releases this fall save for the obvious ones like Coheed, BTBAM and maybe a few others, this does help a bit.

EDIT:
Stream is here

the 2 epics are good, the other 2 tracks seem to go nowhere.

3.5 stars

Top 10 Album Index contender? doubtful.

1. Mladic 20:01
2. Their Helicopters Sing 6:22
3. We Drift Like Worried Fire 20:09
4. Strung Luke Lights at Thee Printemps Erable 6:28

DESCRIPTION

We are proud to announce the first new recordings by Godspeed You! Black Emperor in a decade. Featuring two twenty-minute slabs of epic instrumental rock music and two six-and-a-half minute drones, ‘ALLELUJAH! DON’T BEND! ASCEND! provides soaring, shining proof of the band’s powerful return to form.


Having emerged from hiatus at the end of 2010, GYBE picked up right where they left off, immediately re-capturing the sound and material that had fallen dormant in 2003 and driving it forward with every show of their extensive touring over the last 18 months. The new album presents the fruits of that labour: evolved and definitive versions of two huge compositions previously known to fans as “Albanian” and “Gamelan”, now properly titled as “MLADIC” and “WE DRIFT LIKE WORRIED FIRE” respectively. Accompanied by the new drones (stitched into the album sequence on CD; cut separately on their own 7″ for the LP version), GYBE have offered up a fifth album that we feel is as absolutely vital, virulent, honest and heavy as anything in their discography.



We don’t have much time for mythology, but we’d be lying if we said the return of Godspeed You! Black Emperor in 2010 didn’t signify a whole lot to us as a marker from which to look back on the past decade, to reflect on what’s been gained or lost within the confines of independent music culture and what’s been gained or lost in the socio-political landscape writ large. Godspeed’s music will do that to you. It is music that bears witness to, channels and transforms this predominantly terrible, infuriating, venal and nihilistically sad story we’re all living, sharing, resisting, protesting, deconstructing and trying to change for the better. We think GYBE has once again provided a uniquely moving and compelling soundtrack for these acts of analysis, defiance and ascension.

* * *

Hard to believe a full decade has passed since the release of Yanqui U.X.O., the last album by GYBE. Never a band to care for conventional industry wisdom, Yanqui was released shortly before xmas 2003 with little publicity and no press availability, no marketing plans or cross-promotions or brand synergies, with back cover artwork tracing the inextricable links between major music labels and the military-industrial complex. Driven by word-of-mouth from a passionate and committed fanbase galvanized by the group's sonic vision and its dedication to unmediated, unsullied musical communication, the album found it's rightful audience.

To suggest that such simple principles and goals have become harder to maintain and enact a decade later is an understatement. For all the contents and discontents – for all the "content" – of our present cultural moment, the idea of circumventing the glare of exposure, the massaging of media cycles and the calculus of identity management appears quaint, if not futile.

But Godspeed is looking to try all the same. The band wants people to care about this new album, without telling people they should or talking about themselves. They want to hold on to some part of that energy that comes with the thrill of anonymous discovery and unmediated transmission, knowing full well that these days, anti-strategy risks being tagged as a strategy, non-marketing framed as its opposite, and deeply held principles they consider fundamental to health as likely to be interpreted as just another form of stealth.

Truly, thanks for being open to hearing it.

Release date: 15 October 2012 (Europe), 16 October 2012 (rest of world)
Running time: 53:09

PACKAGING NOTES
CD comes in a custom gatefold jacket printed on 100% recycled paperboard in 4-colour process plus spot metallic ink and spot matte varnish. CD dust sleeve is also 4-colour print.

LP is pressed on 180 gram virgin vinyl at Optimal (Germany) and comes in a tipped-on heavyweight gatefold jacket printed in full-colour process plus a spot metallic ink and spot matte varnish. LP dust sleeve is also 4-colour print. Package includes a 7 inch in printed dust sleeve (same audio appears in a different sequence on the CD) and a 12"x48" pull-out poster (printed full colour on both sides) featuring a collage of film stills specially-photographed and captured from the GYBE live 16mm projections.

TRACKLIST
1. MLADIC
2. THEIR HELICOPTERS' SING
3. WE DRIFT LIKE WORRIED FIRE
4. STRUNG LIKE LIGHTS AT THEE PRINTEMPS ERABLE

CREDITS
PERSONNEL
Thierry Amar, David Bryant, Bruce Cawdron, Aidan Girt, Efrim Manuel Menuck, Michael Moya, Mauro Pezzente, Sophie Trudeau, Karl Lemieux.

Tracks 1 and 3 recorded at Hotel2Tango by Howard Bilerman. Tracks 2 and 4 recorded at the band's jamspace, mixed by Amar, Menuck, Bryant and Moya at The Pines.

Mastered by Harris Newman at Greymarket.

Cover photograph by Charles-André Coderre. Burnt 16mm frames by Karl Lemieux, re-photographed by Yannick Grandmont. "Atonal Canada" photo by Timothy Herzog. Others images by Bryant/Menuck/Lemieux.

New Godspeed You Black Emperor album coming?

Shitfork Media story

Well, lame P4K is the only source I can find at this time for this, but so be it. A new record from this band would certainly be a big deal to many, including myself. Although I wasn't one of the lucky people to see them live recently on their reunion tour.

My take on them more or less is, Skinny Fists is progressive rock in an epic nature, done rather well. Even as dark and melancholy as it can be. But it is "post" music, frankly, done the way it should be. With the long, drawn-out, methodical sections. There really is no filler on Skinny Fists. And that is where they stand out so much over their peers and 95% of their descendants.

But truth be, I own F♯A♯ on cd, and have only listened to it a couple of times. I recall liking it, but not nearly like Skinng Fists. The rest of their music, I honestly do not recall ever hearing. Yanqui U.X.O. and their EP Slow Riot for New Zerø Kanada I probably just never got around to checking out. But with a new album coming, I may find the motivation, even if I consider their music still very *mood* no matter how good it is.

But especially for others, including the Hipsters of course, a new record from them could mean a ton. We'll see. I'd like to see something directly from the band themself about this. And saying "an album" is being planned/intended soon.

Maybe the fact Bin Laden is dead gave them motivation, lol.

Godspeed You Black Emperor Reunion!

source



I am going with this, but there is some mystery and vagueness to that statement. The Refused reunion was a false-alarm so if this happens to be as well, I won't be surprised. It also doesn't say specific plans. A new album, tour, really, etc.



if it is true, I'm looking forward to where there music may be now. I honestly still have to fully embrace their music, especially the stuff other than Skinny Fists. They are 1 of the greatest *mood* bands I've found myself into (Sigur Ros also would qualify, the "post" element to both bands not really having to do with it).