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Post-rock first appeared in inverted commas and it might have been better if it'd stayed there. But it didn't, and it looks as though we're stuck with it. Still, never mind:
1. Bark Psychosis, "Scum"
As usually happens with genres, the label has provoked no end of anguish among artists and audiences, all understandably protective of their identities, keen not to be cashed out for the convenience of lazy journalist slags.
2. Slint, "Breadcrumb Trail"
I think post-rock is a label in the same way punk is a label: "Never Mind The Bollocks" sounds nothing like "Horses", which sounds nothing like "Ramones Leave Home", which sounds nothing like "The Feeding of the Five Thousand", which sounds nothing like "Double Nickels On The Dime", which sounds nothing like "Bad Brains", which sounds nothing like "The Scream", which ... yet, when we talk about punk, we kind of understand what we mean. We understand that we're talking about an attitude, a discipline, moreso than about how loud the guitars are and whether you can hear the words.
3. Mogwai, "Rollerball"
What I'm saying, then, is that post-rock was a useful label during a phase in pop music when the fabric of what a band / performance / recording could be was getting playfully tailored into new shapes. Of course, this goes on all the time, often un-apprehended. The cyclic view of history as applied to pop music doesn't sell any significant number of inky newspapers, which used to be considered an important thing. But more importantly, a label could be a license to create.
4. Disco Inferno, "Footprints In Snow"
It probably isn't important to point out where this stuff comes from, exactly, its precedents. They're well documented. More important than any one figure, I think, is access to technology. I'm pretty sure about this: throughout the 80s and into the 90s, a bunch of affordable, viable studio technology emerged, meaning that it was no longer absolutely necessary to be Brian Eno or Trevor Horn before you could spend days playing around with samplers or synthesizers to see what happened. Conventional wisdom has it that this is part of how acid house happened; I think the same forces were at work here, too.
5. Godspeed You Black Emperor!, "Moya"
It's also tempting to consider a lot of this music as oppositional, or at least pointedly individual. To take one example: for a long time I didn't care for Godspeed, for exhaustively thought-out reasons I won't bore you with. But, as I've realised, what happens in Godspeed's music is defiantly their own thing. The reverent, solemn pacing of their music is as purposeful as the presentation of their records and live performances. That I used to bridle at this, then, was my problem.
6. Stereolab, "Super-Electric"
A drone can be a powerful thing. It says things like "I persist," and "I contain multitudes". Anyone who's had the chance to hear Charlemagne Palestine's "Strumming Music" or Antonio Carlos Jobim's "One Note Samba" will have heard how a simple group of notes repeated over and over again can reveal animation and interest in a way that seems simultaneously magical, irresistible and defiant. In isolation, like in the Palestine performance, a drone can be beatific. Forced to exist among other musical events, a drone can feel inconvenient, itchy, destabilising. It can be, particularly in Stereolab's music, the presence of an active resistance.
7. Tortoise, "Glass Museum"
I find it interesting to think about the relations between a lot of this music and vocals. In an earlier draft of this piece, I wrote that if there was any unifying concern of the music considered under this label, it might be that it desires deep reflection in the listener. That's not quite sufficient, but I think there's something to it. Somewhere and often, speech seems to have become a problem.
8. Bowery Electric, "Fear Of Flying"
Then again, words might only get in the way. The songs on Slint's album Spiderland are sinister, elliptical stories set to measured, pacing music that feels disconcertingly like what brooding on deep hurts actually feels like. As the gathering storm of the last song on the record finally breaks, the narration becomes inaudible for a few crucial seconds, and the thread of exactly what awful thing was going on becomes forever lost to the listener. But the scariest song on this frightening record is still the instrumental.
9. Gastr del Sol, "Every Five Miles"
If we want to think about the practice of making music like one or another of these examples, we might start by thinking about manipulating context, as a director and editor manipulate the context of a shot in a film. For Don Caballero and Labradford, song titles become super-verbose, turned against their function, ("In the Absence of Strong Evidence to the Contrary, One May Step Out of the Way of the Charging Bull") or otherwise disappear altogether ("S", "Recorded and mixed at Sound of Music, Richmond, VA."). Meanwhile, GYBE's records materialise in editions that combine the haphazard and inscrutable with the painstakingly deliberate.
10. Miles Davis, "He Loved Him Madly" (part 1)
"Haphazard and inscrutable and painstakingly deliberate" would also be a fair description of Miles Davis' "He Loved Him Madly", a funereal elegy for Duke Ellington that sprawls like a luminescent jellyfish in a deep dark sea. The animation in this limpid music is animation in space, in timbre, and in utterance. Spliced and mixed down from hours of improv, it drifts, seemingly motionless, but under the surface it teems with meaning.
11. Labradford, "Lake Speed"
Portentous brooding isn't the only permissible mode, even if some people seem to think otherwise. If this practice of music is truly open, after all, that means it must also being open to being upbeat, melodic, even charming. It might be an unlikely prospect that the Jonas Brothers will get together with Jim O'Rourke to do an album of faith-crisis-themed tropicalia with extra VCS3, but it doesn't feel altogether impossible.
12. Do Make Say Think, "Classic Noodlanding"
There is something that I find particularly satisfying about any sort of music or theatre or cinema that attempts to engage with these concerns of space, context and utterance. I have some fussy, half-formed notion that doing so enables these artforms to access the audience's imagination in the same way that fiction does, but I don't have the theory chops to back these sorts of assertions up. Ultimately all I know is that it involves me in ways other music, including some of my favourite music, does not, and I like that.
13. Mono, "Follow The Map"
I know that I respond to recognising that people are trying to achieve something. It doesn't have to be something brand new. I think there is a unique thrill that comes with witnessing a particular quality - I originally wrote 'tangible effort', but I might as well write 'daring' - that doesn't come with anything else.
14. Pluramon, "Time (catharsia mix)"
It's also a question of faith: willingness on the part of the listener to hear "He Loved Him Madly" as a drifting elegy is pretty much all that keeps it from sounding like a guttering jam session by a band that can't remember how to play "Mood Indigo". The listener has to be daring too.
But given the choice between someone who's precisely in control of his utterance, and someone who might well fuck it up but is absolutely committed nonetheless, I'll always opt for the latter. When we're asked to bring something of ourselves to a performance or a film, we're asked to do work. It's always easier and more pleasurable to work with people who take care with what they do.
15. Fridge, "Five Four Child Voice"
I think the post-rock label identifies a phase in musical history where this sort of experimental play was something people became excited about. But I think that some of the music from this time remains so rewarding because of its interplay with more familiar forms and aesthetics. I think that experimentation for experimentation's sake can often be valuable or remarkable, but I don't think it's often as daring or rewarding as expression is.
Critical theory or this or that other baggage isn't necessary to either understand or justify wanting this sort of discovering-experience with music, because when you get ahold of it you feel a sensation that's completely immediate. It's a sea of possibilities, as P. Smith puts it, and we can walk into the waves any time we like.
16. Xinlisupreme, "All You Need Is Love Was Not True"
Music credits:
1. "Scum" by Bark Psychosis is on the compilations "Independency" and "Game Over"
2. "Breadcrumb Trail" by Slint is the first track on their album "Spiderland"
3. "Rollerball" by Mogwai is on the compilation "EP + 6"
4. "Footprints In Snow" by Disco Inferno is the last track on "D.I. Go Pop"
5. "Moya" by Godspeed You Black Emperor is on "Slow Riot For New Zerø Kanada"
6. "Super-Electric" by Stereolab is from "Switched On".
7. "Glass Museum" by Tortoise is from "Millions Now Living Will Never Die"
8. "Fear of Flying" by Bowery Electric is on "Beat"
9. "Every Five Miles" by Gastr del Sol is from "Crookt, Crackt or Fly".
10. "He Loved Him Madly" by Miles Davis is on "Get Up With It"
11. "Lake Speed" by Labradford is on their 1996 self-titled album.
12. "Classic Noodlanding" by Do Make Say Think is from "& Yet & Yet"
13. "Follow The Map" by Mono is on "Hymn To The Immortal Wind"
14. "Time (catharsia mix)" by Pluramon, featuring Julee Cruise & Keith Rowe, is on "Dreams Top Rock"
15. "Five Four Child Voice" by Fridge is on "Happiness"
16. "All You Need Is Love Was Not True" by Xinlisupreme is from "Tomorrow Never Comes"
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p.s. Hey. So, today the one and only Dreadful Flying Glove completes Post-Rock Day(s) with his usual magnificence, and I hope you get with its proffered stuff with your usual magnificence. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Glove. Oh, I'm happy to report that the Kickstarter fundraiser for the 'Them' soundtrack completion funds has reached its goal, so thank you so much to anyone from around here who contributed to the cause. I think that's all I've got as a header for you today. ** David Ehrenstein, There've been a bunch of self-styled post-(blank) rock movements, but I can't recall there being any self-styled pre-(blank) movements. That might be interesting unless the pre-(blank) musicians didn't just x-out electric guitars and recreate the big band era or something. One of these days I'm going to get with Pasolini if it's the last thing I do. ** Jax, Hi. Hm, minimum of stage directions, interesting, daunting. Stand-still declaiming is almost always a rotten idea, I agree. Wow, May 1st deadline. All my best wishes and rah-rahs are firing in your direction in these waning days. Let me know if you figure that club thing out. ** JoeM, Hey, Joe. Oh, well, just know that I'm sincerely and even passionately interested to hear how you-know-what is going whenever you feel like sharing. Healthy is usually a good move, right? What's your game plan? Your comment brought to mind a song by the punk-era Canadian band Diodes whose chorus goes, mm, ... Singer: 'I'm tired of waking up tired'. Back-up singers: 'Waking up tired?' Singer: 'Yeah, waking up tired!' Know that song? It's a good one. ** Sypha, Hey. Glad to see you back, and I'm sorry to hear about the stomach junk and, of course, about the new crush of your crush. I hope his current crush is fleeting. I'll move 'Dhalgren' up the list of my to-read books. Thanks for the rec. It was interesting to read your review of Blake's book although, no surprise, I couldn't disagree with it more. But that's okay. Based on what you wrote, I think you might really have problems with 'TMS'. We'll see. ** Alan, Great that Dalkey is putting out 'Suicide'. Man, Dalkey is so great. Yeah, it was my Dutch boyfriend for whom I moved to Holland. The reunion was a little awkward at first since we hadn't seen each other in decades and our relationship ended in a difficult way, but we talked, and it was actually really nice, and I think we'll stay in touch. So, ultimately, it was great to reconnect. ** Quality, Hey, man! Great to see you! Ha ha, that's funny 'cos I was just putting together something for the blog kind of related to 'post rock country', and I think I probably had the same brand of delight upon discovering that particular use of the two words that you had on seeing that sign. Nice. How are you? What's going on? ** Steevee, Hey. The Tune Yards, cool, thanks. I'm on it. I'd love to an underground hip hop day. The only thing stopping me is my feeling that I don't know enough. How about this: Would you collaborate with me on it? All you'd have to do is give me your list of, like, 12 tracks/artists/online clips you think would be worthy of the Day/gig, and I'll do all the rest. You game? I'd love to do it, if you are. ** Pisycaca, Montse! It was so great to get to see you guys even for that short, airport-enclosed time. And your gift has basically been devoured already thanks to Yury's adjunct fondness for those goodies. Yum! Thanks! I'm glad you're feeling better, pal. 'Non ma fille tu n'iras pas danser' is the one Christophe Honore film I haven't seen. How was it? 'Homme au Bain' is coming out on DVD in Spain soon, if that helps. Oh, wow, thank you for wanting to do a post about 'TIHYWD' on pisycaca! That's awesome of you, and, yeah, of course it's okay to translate the first text. I'm honored. Gee, thanks, Montse. I'm missing you guys already! ** Chris Cochrane, You made it. I did get your email, and I guess I'll write you back. Big whoo-hoo (!) on the Kickstarter thing! So great to see you in Utrecht. I'm sure hoping that it leads to some more gigs. Lots of love to you, C. ** Bollo, It's sold out, wouldn't you know. I'm sure that took about 10 seconds to happen. So I'm going to see if there are any strings I can pull. Profitures, hm. The name is familiar, but maybe I've never gotten any of those in my mouth. They sound, you know, slurp. ** Thomas Moronic, Hey, T. I'd love to hear your p-r thoughts if your waking state inspires. ** Chilly Jay Chill, Hey, Jeff! Wait, you're reading 'The Marbled Swarm'? Does that mean there are galleys in existence? That's news to me. I think this happened before with 'Ugly Man' or something where you read it before I knew you even could. You've got some kind of real inside connections there. Anyway, I'm thrilled to my marrow that you like it. I mean, yeah, wow, thank you! I'll go find your email. Yeah, thank you, Jeff! I'm so happy you like it. Good, good that your novel is edging into collective reality. Can't wait for that. There are some tentative future 'Them' shows, a three (or more) city tour, but nothing's quite set yet. I'll let you know. Thanks again, Jeff, really. Your praise for 'TMS' means a whole lot to me. I'm really rather nervous about what people are going to think. ** _Black_Acrylic, Ever so good to have you back too. Oh, shit, about the rent raise. Yeah, I bet they think they can get that based on the interest level, but that's kind of evil, and it seems like it should be illegal or something. Let me know how it goes. I'm real glad you liked Kate Zambreno's book too. Yeah, it and she are just terrific. ** James, Hey, man. Actually, I expected to find Codeine in the 'official' lists of Post-rock bands, but they weren't in any of them. I guess they're considered Slo-Core? I actually love Codeine and Slint and shoegaze and all that. But it's all about where your rush originates, I guess, right? I'm so-so on Death Cab, but I did really like the Postal Service album. I'm still thinking May, maybe latesish at this point, re: my LA trip. I'm way behind on planning it out, and I have to do that pronto. Yeah, there'll be some reading/gig in LA for 'TMS', I'm not sure where, in mid-November-ish. It'd be great to see you and your BF, get a coffee together or something? Thanks, James. ** Misanthrope, A Cro-Magnon twink, ouch, but why not? Would it even be possible for a society, however 'primitive', to function and prosper without a twink contingent? I think not. You're a no-tattoo guy as well. High five, etc. ** Ken Baumann, No, the ink lured me. It had the kind of mysterious symbology that I crumble intellectually before. So, you've moved into the novel proper? Excellent! That crying, wow, seems like an extremely good sign to me, and not just because I'm an old softie. Just as long as you don't contort and shriek like Leonardo diCaprio doing Rimbaud. You talked to Tyler the Creator? Wow, that is extremely cool. LA is the place, absolutely. Awesome, Ken. I'm really excited about the novel progress on your end. ** MANCY, Hey. Thanks, man. Good luck on the meeting if you think you need it, although I bet you don't. Let me know how it goes and what results, okay? ** Frank Jaffe, Howdy, Frank! Nobody does ridiculously queer like you do, man. You're the genius of the ridiculously queer. There's a blurb for you if you ever need one, ha ha. Yeah, I'll browbeat Michael and the Osc for that bonus disc the minute they re-hit French soil. Merchandising Inventory Analysis is a nice term. Maybe M.I.A. -- the recording artist, not the soldiers -- stands for that. That would make sense, ha ha, oops. A summer job abroad maybe? You know, it takes a lot for French boys to take off their shirts in public. Shirtiness is part of the French sexual strategy, I think. Plus, they're all bone white which, you know, is absolutely no problem whatsoever as far as I'm concerned. Good luck with the finals, man. ** Inthemostpeculiarway, Hey! Nice to see you! That talk with your guy sounds rich in the good way. Tender too. Touching too. And probably slightly strange. But the combination in words was lovely on the eyes. I like how you consolidated Easter. Oh, the Wides didn't get under your skin? I don't know why they sucker me in. Now that the fact that Alex James smoked them doesn't mean anything to me anymore, I think it's just the thickness between my fingers that I like. I haven't seen Kate Middleton on TV here once. French TV is being very stand-offish about the wedding, which is probably neurotic on their part, but it's enjoyable. Oh, Taylor Momsen does look scary, yikes. What kind of name is Momsen? It sounds, like, Scandinavian maybe? My ... weekend: There's too much turf to cover, so I'll just toss out some moments. Uh, Utrecht was nice. They put us up in this four star hotel in the middle of nowhere, but they gave us bikes to ride everywhere, and even though I hadn't been on a bike in, like, decades, I remembered how to do it, and I didn't mind. The 'Them' shows went really great. We had four new cast members, but they aced it. There were three or four injuries during the rehearsals, and one of the performers had to go to the hospital and get stitches, but everyone was fine if slightly battered for the shows themselves. The 'goat' we used was a sheep, skinned, gutted, with its legs cut off at the knees. That was dictated by some weird Dutch law. It looked sort of like the half-eaten corpse of a cross between a pig and a dog. It worked okay 'cos it looked kind of gory but not too much, and the body was really heavy, but the performer made that work for him. Anyway, it was really good, and the response both nights was really strong, and part of the audience gave us a standing ovation both nights. Two of the original performers for the 1984 version showed up because they live in Amsterdam now, and that was trippy. My ex- showed up the first night. Like I told Alan up above, it was kind of slightly weird at first, but we had a long talk about stuff, and it was really interesting to remember what I liked so much about him, and we got along well, so I think we'll be regular friends now, and that's really nice, obviously. Other than the shows, I just kind of hung out with the gang and walked or biked around, ate a lot of French fries and stuff. I caught the first night of the 'TIHYWD' Paris shows before I left for Utrecht, and it went great, and Gisele said the other two nights were even bigger successes, and I guess all kinds of great things are going to come out of that success, it seems. I flew back to Paris on Easter. I got to hang out with d.l.s Pisycaca for a while at the airport because they're were flying back to Spain at the time I was arriving, and that was wonderful. Paris has been summery ever since, but everything was basically closed until today for the Easter holidays, so I haven't done too much other than typing up the edited Paris Review interview, 'cos I'm basically finished revising it. I don't know. I think that's the story. What is it ... Tuesday? Yeah, it is. How was yours? ** Math, Hey. All of them, really? Oh, well. Life is life, as Laibach 'sang'. Good about SF and the acid and that diagramming. Sounds amazing. Yeah, I'm so way behind on my LA trip planning, it's stupid, but, yeah, I'm still going, and I'll get off my ass and nail the dates down pronto. ** Okay, you guys go finish up Post-Rock Day within the glowing reaches of Mr. Glove's mastery, and I'll go ... shopping. For food. And for cigarettes. And for whatever else. See you tomorrow.
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