Post-Rock. Like Postmodernist, Post-Classical, Post-Impressionist, Post-Punk (check out the fantastic book Rip It Up and Start Again for a fantastic dissection of this particular post-thing), and Post-Capitalist there’s plenty of debate out there about what it means. Quite literally, it means “after rock,” in the same way that postmodernist simply means art created after the modernist movement. However, there’s all kinds of connotations associated with these terms; most notably they all potentially imply that their namesake movement is dead.

For music fans, Post-Rock is then a pretty controversial name. Is rock dead? For reals? I know more than a few people who would fervently disagree with that notion. Post rock is more about taking what rock currently is, and turning it into something more. Rock, it supposes, has become stale, but contains great dormant potential. Thus, the idea is to use the traditional instrumentation of rock music (Guitar, Bass, Drums & Keys) to create music that is distinctly non-rock. No, that does not mean this is new age music. Just because Yanni and John Tesh use an electric guitar every now and then doesn’t mean they’re post-rock. This genre tends to experimentally explore emotional soundscapes usually left to long-form composers. And indeed, much post-rock music is of a long form format, with tracks lasting 8, 10, even upwards of 30 minutes, making them moreВ concertos than songs.

As a prime example of the power and passion of Post Rock, listen to the small track by Explosions in the Sky, an outfit from Austin noted for their excellent chord progressions and for scoring the film Friday Night Lights, and then to the long cut at the end of the show by Montreal collective Godspeed You Black Emperor!. These tracks are somewhat more demanding of the listener, but well worth it. If you decide you like it, I’d recommend starting with these two bands as well. Pick up Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven by Godspeed, and All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone and The Earth is Not A Cold Dead PlaceВ by Explosions in the Sky. Get yourself something wonderful and aromatic to drink, cozy up in some highly plushy sitting device, and close your eyes.

Let the post-rock wash over you, and you will become post-angst. Guaranteed.

Enjoy the tunes, and thanks for listening.

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Background Music: E.S.T.- Leucocyte

For tonight’s rant, see the previous week’s post: it applies here too.

Playlist:

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Background Music: Russell Gunn- Love Stories

DJ Lyz and I are huge Red Sox fans. As such, our hearts go out tonight to everyone in Red Sox Nation (fig. a)В and we’ve come up with a plan to take us through this series: together, like the Care Bear Stare (fig. b), we can eminate beams of powerful baseball energy from our tummies in shining arcs across the country… straight to our boys in Anaheim.

fig. a: Red Sox fan

fig. b: Care Bear Stare

What?

In Tribute, maybe I can throw on some Dropkick Murphys? We’ll see.

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Background Music: Dominique Cravit et les Primitifs du Futur- Tribal Musette