log inhelp

 | 
View
 

postrock

Page history last edited by PBworks 18 years, 8 months ago

Post-rock

 

Introduction

Post-rock is a music genre characterized by using rock instrumentations for non-rock purposes, using guitars as faciliators of timbres and textures rather than riffs and power chords. (Reynolds. 1994)

 

 

Background

Post-rock was sought as a reaction against rock, particularly the mainstream's co-opting of alternative rock; much post-rock was united by a sense that rock & roll had lost its capacity for real rebellion, that it would never break away from tired formulas or empty, macho posturing. Thus, post-rock rejected (or subverted) any elements it associated with rock tradition. (allmusic guide)

 

The roots of post-rock was formed in 1991 with 2 significant releases, Talk Talk's “Laughing Stock” (which fused ambient, jazz and minimalist chamber music) and Slint's “Spiderland” (full of deliberate, bass-driven grooves, mumbled poetry, oblique structures and extreme volume shifts) (allmusic guide)

However, Post-rock came into its own as a recognizable trend in 1996, with the Chicago band Tortoise's second album, “Millions Now Living Will Never Die”

The first side of the album, a single twenty-minute track called "Djed," employs mechanical dance rhythms, analog synthesizers, mallet percussion, tape loops, crossfades between its several distinct sections and almost no electric guitar. (Faris. 2004) Soundclips of 'Djed'

 

John McEntire(percussionist of Tortoise) became an important figure in the genre, producing for a variety of post-rock artists, as well as Jim O’Rouke (of Gastr Del Sol)

Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Mogwai were among some of the influential bands of the scene to arise during this time. (Wikipedia)

 

 

Indie.. Or Not?

Post-rock is generally recognized as a part of the indie music scene due to the unusual nature of the music itself (minimal lyrics, long durations of songs), and the fact that most of the music is recorded under an independent record label.

However, Post-rock bears little resemblance both aesthetically and musically to the Indie-Rock genre. While Indie-Rock embraces the notion of downplaying its artistic value, or immersing itself in irony, Post-rock secures a cultural value predicated on exoticism, grandeur and high art. (Hibbett, 2005)

 

More Variations..

As with many musical genres, the characteristics of post-rock varies greatly depending on the artist.

Tortoise and Mogwai are two post-rock bands in which musically, they have very little in common, besides the fact that their music is largely instrumental. Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Sigur Ros is another representation of the extremes of post-rock trajectories. While Sigur Ros aspires toward a self-contained, transcendental beauty, Godspeed grounds its music in political rants and urban familiarities. (Hibbett, 2005)

 

“Friend of the night” Mogwai (From album: Mr. Beast)

http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=p97ev4hleob1p9utmtypf55&r=20.asx

 

“Ten-Day Interval” Tortoise (From album: TNT)

http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=xg8i2ihkpcs7lm85aadk24e&r=20.asx

 

 

 

 

Self Reflective Form of Expression

Ryan Hibbett states, “Post-rock music creates a self-reflective form of expression. It seeks and creates an impression of autonomy, either by skirting exterior systems of meaning, as does Sigur Ros, or by absorbing the worldly into a private mythos, as evident in Godspeed You! Black Emperor” (Hibbett 2005)

The album designs are consistent with this purpose; for example, the album cover of Sigur Ros’s Agaetis Byrjun features an embryonic alien with an angel’s wing.

Additionally, photos of band members are almost always absent in post-rock album artworks.

 

 

Musical Characteristics of Post-Rock

What defines Post-rock in a musical sense, is it aims to create a 'fictional psycho-acoustic space' by using their instruments as facilitators of timbre rather than creating riffs or rhythmic hooks. (Reynolds, 1994)

The genre incorporates a wide variety of genres from ambient, jazz, electronica, experimental, and sometimes even rock itself.

 

To fully appreciate the music, it requires a long, unbroken periods of listening.

The compositions are rarely under 5 minutes in duration, often continuing for more than 10.

 

Post-rock bands very patiently elaborate on a simple monotonous strain/motive containing build-ups of timbre, dynamics and texture. (Hibbett, 2005)

 

 

Another unique feature of post-rock is their size of ensemble and instrumentation.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor has 9 members, Sigur Ros has an accompanying string section, Sufjan Stevens is noted as a multi-instrumentalist.

Although not all post-rock groups are large in numbers, Australian post-rock group, Dirty Three is a trio.

The instrumentation of these bands is highly unique for rock music, Godspeed You! Black Emperor has 3 guitarists, 2 bassists, French Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello and Percussion. Tortoise has a similar lineup consisting of multi percussionists.

 

A number of post-rock bands use multi-tracking to embellish their core instrumentation by overdubbing environmental soundscapes (TVs, street-corner preachers, etc) as well as additional instrumentation. (Hibbett. 2005)

 

Please Sing My Spring Reverb – Mum (From: Please Smile My Noise Bleed)

http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=s21z63mcq6aoaj7j52sty7d&r=20.asx

 

The voice is often used as a source of timbre, rather than the traditional use of expressing poetic and lyrical meaning. The mumbled, whispered vocals heard on a handful of Mogwai compositions are usually effects-laden.

Sigur Ros, on their ( ) album, fabricated a “non-sense language” which they call “Hopelandic” (Hibbett. 2005)

 

“Untitled Track 2” From Sigur Ros’s ( )

http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=r647kfyaohpx4hgudpkq7af&r=20.asx

 

Post-Rock artists/Further Listening

Sigur Ros – () http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dudyyl74xppb

Tortoise – TNT http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5y63mpbg9f5o

Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5y63mpbg9f5o

Mogwai – Happy Songs for Happy People

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fzd7yl14xpmb

Jim O'rouke - Eureka http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:d2kcikmkbb29

Loose Fur – Loose Fur http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:8eabqj2wojka

Sufjan Stevens – Illinois

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:eq1m964o0epc

Gastr del Sol – Camoufleur

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3fx7gjvr16im

 

References:

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.

Printable version