Post Rock

cornbb · 13-10-2009 1:10pm #1

Was it always completely lame and repetitive and clichéd or did the post rock movement produce some truly great innovative music? For the last few years I kinda thought the former but I've been listening to bands like Tortoise and Godspeed again recently and I think there are some pretty good experimental moments in there. I still think post-rock has too many clichés though.

Is post-rock uncool? Have there been any great post-rock moments in the last 5-8 years? Was there some wonderful follow-up to postrock that I managed to miss? Discuss!

old gregg · 13-10-2009 3:41pm

Have there been any great post-rock moments in the last 5-8 years?

well, I reckon that much of the catalogue of music released by Sigur Rós has been more than just great (not that I'm a fanboy of anything

), and don't even get me started on the live experience for greatness.

As for the rest of the genre .... I'll have to think about that one (using the wikipedia list of post rock bands as a guide if that's ok - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_post-rock_bands#Q-T ),

like the thread too.

Scubadevils · 13-10-2009 8:12pm

The label N5md have brought out some post rock/IDM crossover stuff which has been pretty good... Lights Out Asia being one example -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWzPztkzGFk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKAHbfMjmYQ

There is an excellent compilation from the label called 'One Five Zero' - worth checking out, some great tracks.

http://www.discogs.com/Various-One-Five-Zero/release/1112212

Other than that I like dipping into Labradford and Godspeed from time to time of the more recent (well, relatively) post rock. Go really well with a joint :pac:

Shanannigan · 14-10-2009 12:32am

I would recommend a few of the names on the Godspeed's Constellation label for some good tunage, not confined to the post rock genre either... and i've gotten stuff off them before.. and while their stuff ain't cheap, its produced to a very high standard. as for the music.. Godspeeds current incarnation Thee Silver Mount Zion, have some memorable moments.. as do their label mates Do Make Say Think... also i have recently delved into the recordings of Talk Talk having heard that their material kind of laid some of the foundations of the post rock movement. As for the "post rock" genre, what is "uncool" i think is for bands to openly call themselves post rock, as this was a term coined by a journalist to describe a particular band (can't remember who).. much in the same way as the punk movement didn't like the word punk... ironically one of mogwai's tracks punk rock features an excerpt from an interview in which Iggy Pop speaks about the term "punk" and i wonder if its mogwai's way of saying how they feel about being called "post rock"
anyway... hope that helps

TheBandit · 15-10-2009 4:10pm

Ah post rock has its moments where you can't help but love it and also the the ones that make you wince. There is only so much slowly building, slowly building then kick in with some added distorion you can take. Mono would be an example of this for me but don't get me wrong i still think they are good. If you like tortoise you should check out Rachel's they are sort of a post rock/classical mix up

Sorry i don't know how to embed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcE8YWdGtnI

flyswatter · 16-10-2009 10:37pm

Mogwai anyone?

anti-venom · 17-10-2009 12:47pm

Shanannigan wrote: »

also i have recently delved into the recordings of Talk Talk having heard that their material kind of laid some of the foundations of the post rock movement.

Funnily enough, I listened to Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden album a few weeks ago and the very same thought struck me. The timbre to that album definitely foreshadowed the whole Post Rock scene.

Re: the ops post. Like any other genre of music, post rock contains a small number of talented innovators, a lot of very good interpretors and legions of boring copyists. Eventually the boring copyists will be the last ones waving the banner of stale post rock while the innovators will have moved onto something new and fresh.

Karlusss · 17-10-2009 12:55pm

Something that's not pure post-rock at all but that sort of sprouts onwards from where post-rock left off before it started recycling cliches is the Antlers album Hospice:

paulelectronica · 21-11-2009 11:24am

Love post rock myself . the noiseir the better ! ! . 65 days of static are great seen them live a few times .

xdeletiax · 03-12-2009 5:37pm

havnt listened to much of this type of music in a while. i have a fair few constellation records releases and all of them are good in their own way, but godspeed is the one band il keep returning to. mogwai and explosions in the sky are great too. there are so many imitators though which is annoying and they never bother to try and put their own slant on the genre- its all big whooshing cresendos beside atmospheric quiet moments. pretty formulaic. but i guess the model designed by its innovators is a simple one so its easy for a band to copy and difficult to **** up but to sound unique the way sigur ros/ godspeed to is hard. its easy to tell when a band is trying to be post rock.

and the name post rock is a bit stupid- i always thought of it as krautrock infecting europe and america.

not strictly PR but id recommend satans circus by death in vegas for a more electronic, less orcestral take on instramental rock.

AdMMM · 10-12-2009 11:06pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4s6Oo5T86c

Red Sparowes, the instrumental side-project of several Isis members. Much prefer them to Isis themselves!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEDhsDoqXns

God Is An Astronaut. One of the best bands to come out of Ireland in recent years. This was from their most recent, self-titled album. Next album due out late next year!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEKkkhJCjcM

And So I Watch You From Afar. A much hyped instrumental band from NI. Turned many heads with a headline slot at Oxegen (albeit on one of he smaller stages).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maE9KBoTHE8

The Pax Cecilia. Band from New York who encompass many genres. This one of my favourite songs from their second album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh5ni5L-MSc

Russian Circles. A post-metal/post-rock band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeaO1nR79Lw

Yndi Halda. This is one of my favourite releases from last year. Absolutely massive sound. Hopefully they'll release more material soon.

fortuneg · 12-12-2009 8:56pm

AdMMM wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEKkkhJCjcM

And So I Watch You From Afar. A much hyped instrumental band from NI. Turned many heads with a headline slot at Oxegen (albeit on one of he smaller stages).

I cannot say enough good about these guys, if you haven't heard them check them out. They put on a fantastic live show, about as intense as you'll find anywhere and are just 4 blokes who really just love playing music.
They've a new EP being launched at their Belfast gig on 18th Dec, the tracks sound awesome live so I can't wait to hear this!

disneyonfire · 16-12-2009 5:41pm

Cougar. Great band. The album Law is amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKKL4zkkDro

disneyonfire · 16-12-2009 5:43pm

Heres a song from their new album too -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7JeEzEo0sE

disneyonfire · 16-12-2009 5:51pm

Also, Tortoise. Theyre not strictly post-rock but they do have a lot of post-rock elements. Plus theyre just amazing.

Heres a video of them playing a song of their last album on a rooftop -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kidi2iMD1oo

Jay P · 16-12-2009 9:45pm

C!ties, a brilliant band from Ennis. They supported Maybeshewill and ASIWYFA twice this year, so you know they're good!

This is one quality song when played live. Deadly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFU4TLAFGE0

Also, I notice there isn't any Maybeshewill here. Another excellent band, and are UNREAL live!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThbjbGwdn5w

b0bsquish · 17-12-2009 12:06pm

They've a new EP being launched at their Belfast gig on 18th Dec, the tracks sound awesome live so I can't wait to hear this!

Headlining in the ulster hall no less! Should be a cracker of a gig

TheBandit · 17-12-2009 1:38pm

disneyonfire wrote: »

Also, Tortoise. Theyre not strictly post-rock but they do have a lot of post-rock elements. Plus theyre just amazing.

I agree with you that they are amazing but they are one of the early post rock bands. Not the mogwai/Explosions type but post rock doesn't have to fit into the cliched stereotype...love these two bands but you know what i mean

aoboa · 20-12-2009 12:16am

disneyonfire wrote: »

Also, Tortoise. Theyre not strictly post-rock but they do have a lot of post-rock elements. Plus theyre just amazing.

Heres a video of them playing a song of their last album on a rooftop -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kidi2iMD1oo

Huh - the term post rock was pretty much coined for Tortoise.

disneyonfire · 20-12-2009 8:38pm

I just meant that they dont play the usual type of music that people associate with post-rock, i.e. Sigur Ros, EITS, e.t.c. Especially not their new stuff.

Revert · 16-01-2010 1:26am

What do you all think of these guys?
Tangled Thoughts of Leaving from Perth, Australia
Not your everyday post rock but it still kinda fits into that category.

A Vexing Predicament