The Rock Blogger

As regular readers of this blog already know, I have been infatuated with an album called Deathconsciousness from Connecticut’s mysterious Have a Nice Life. Despite having no mainstream press coverage, no Wikipedia page or any mention on Pitchfork, this duo has generated a sizable cult following their debut double disc album which is receiving accolades all across the Internet.

For those of us wanting to know a little more about this band and their strange blend of post punk and shoegaze styles, Scene Point Blank recently interviewed the guys to learn a little more about their ambitions, their writing process and their future.

The most striking parts of the interview for me was the duo’s personal and insular approach to crafting their sound, as they wrote the record for themselves, with little attention payed to how others would receive their work.

Scene Point Blank: Was it a conscious decision to release the album yourself? If so, why?

Dan: We always knew we would release the record ourselves. Outside of those closest to us, hardly anyone was even aware that we were writing music. It’s just something we do, and have done consistently since we met. There is never a point when we aren’t writing or recording music…releasing the record was, and always has been, secondary to the act of writing it in the first place. To be honest, I’m surprised anyone likes it but us.

…

Scene Point Blank: What do you hope people take away from the whole Deathconsciousness release?

Dan: We would’ve written the exact same record if we were the last two people on Earth. It was recorded assuming that no one would ever hear it. If anyone does and they enjoy it, that’s great. I hope that happens. But that’s about as far as it goes.

I found this approach and attitude rather inspiring, as it lends to a creative process that is honest and uncompromising. Leaving the pressures of industry expectations and recognition aside allowed Have a Nice Life to truly explore their own thoughts and feelings without inhibition, leading to work of great conceptual sophistication. Its refreshing to see more bands taking up the DIY ethos, taking up self release strategies to maintain their artistic independence. Hopefully I can take some of these ideals with me when I go back to recording my own demos.

Anyways, in case you haven’t heard anything from these guys yet, I found one of their songs on YouTube.

Enjoy:

Have a Nice Life. The Future.

I made a surprising discovery online yesterday, miraculously finding the original soundtrack for one of my favorite (and relatively unknown) science-fiction films ever. After listening to this beautiful, and incredibly rare, soundtrack, I decided I would ask everybody out there what their most obscure records were, in any genre. I’m curious to see just how eclectic people’s musical tastes are. And when I mean obscure I mean hard to come by, far removed from the mainstream, or so off the wall that people wonder what you’re smoking when you play it on your stereo. I’ll start the ball rolling with this:

Ryuichi Sakamoto. Royal Space Force: Wings of Honneamise (OST). 1987. 4 stars.

The original score to a superb anime film that probably most of the Western world has never heard of. The film takes place in some sort of parallel universe, in an almost Victorian-style future where everything is powered by steam (see: steampunk) and mankind has yet to go into space. As two powerful kingdoms push closer to war, one unlikely, hapless pilot is well on his way of becoming the first man in orbit. But his military superiors have ulterior motives to the launch.

Just like the film’s fantastic animation, memorable characters and striking atmosphere, the soundtrack to Wings of Honneamise is mysterious, triumphant and epic in scope. Oscar winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto weaves traditional classical elements and orchestration with soothing ambient synth passages, electronic effects and jangly guitar to create a score that is both modernist and nostalgic for cultural traditions and new frontiers. The music carries a a sense of romanticism, capturing the spirit of exploration and discovery that is conveyed so well in the film.

Easily one of the greatest soundtracks I’ve come across, Sakamoto’s compositions are lush, dramatic and inviting, showcasing the artist’s ear for variety, texture and experimentation. Recommended to anyone interested in hearing something adventurous and out of the ordinary.

• So I hope thats a good start, maybe we can get some other obscure examples from you guys. What strange gems are you holding on to?

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending Video Games Live at Massey Hall where a full orchestra and choir played through some of the most acclaimed video game soundtracks in the history of the industry. Yes, I admit, it was an incredibly nerdy experience, but a nostalgic one as well, as it beautifully conveyed the musical artistry that has emerged through the relatively young medium. If you have a favorite game, chances are these guys covered it last night. Mario, Metal Gear, Sonic, Final Fantasy, Zelda, Halo, God of War and even Pong were among the highlights. The ensemble has toured the world, so check out their site to see when they’re coming to your home town.

Grunge began as a fusion of punk and hard rock styles in the late 80s-early 90s and it slowly mutated into the most popular and derivative style of hard rock by the end of the last decade. Early grunge had a sludgy, gritty sound that was full of distortion, fuzz and stop/start dynamics while also borrowing heavily from 70s hard rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. With the pop-culture explosion that was Nirvana, the genre’s underground aspirations made a dramatic transition into the mainstream, entering rock arenas across the world with anthem like lyrics and punkish recklessness. The pioneers of grunge were predominately from Seattle WA., as this list below will demonstrate.

Unfortunately, because these groundbreaking bands became so successful, countless other bands milked their sound to no end, giving the world safe and boring “bread rock” like Creed, Staind, Nickelback, Default, Seether, the list goes on…

But don’t let Grunge’s fallen legacy detract from any appreciation of these classics:

#5. Temple of the Dog Temple of the Dog. 1991

Chris Cornell’s one-album tribute band created this fitting tribute to their friend Andrew Wood, the front man for Seattle’s Mother Love Bone, who had died from a heroin overdose. With members from Soundgarden and Mother Love Bone backing him, Cornell passionately screams and bellows his way through 10 life-affirming tracks, making vivid allusions to the powerful ballads of 70s hard rock. This album is most well known for “Hunger Strike” which topped alternative radio and featured Eddie Vedder on guest vocals before Pearl Jam broke out on the scene.

#4. Soundgarden. Superunknown. 1994.

Easily one of the most popular Grunge albums ever, Soundgarden’s landmark album featured such hits as “Black Hole Sun”, “Fell on Black Days” and “Spoonman” where Cornell really demonstrates his unique vocal talent. There is plenty of gloom on this album but enough stellar musicianship and layered arrangements to keep it engaging over the course of an epic 70 minutes.

#3. Alice in Chains. Dirt. 1992.

This is the late Layne Stanley’s magnum opus that plunges the listener into a black pool of misery and self-loathing, sludgy delving into the dark holes of abuse, addiction and hopelessness. The album’s most recognizable songs would have to be “Rooster”, a stunning memoir of The Vietnam War, as experienced by Stanley’s father. Easily one of the most despairing, if not revealing, hard rock albums of the past 20 years.

#2. Pearl Jam Ten. 1991.

Pearl Jam’s first and still best album is a staple of alternative rock, and cemented the band’s legendary status so early into their career. Classic tracks like “Even Flow”, Jeremy”, “Black” and “Alive” can still be heard on the radio everyday, while songs like “Once” and “Oceans” deepen the experience, calling for repeated listens. Melodic yet aggressive, Pearl Jam found a delicate balance between being accessible and provocative, both musically and lyrically. While the urgency of Ten’s songs could never be duplicated, Pearl Jam continued their parade of hits in their subsequent albums as they expanded and experimented with their sound. Because of this constant reinvention of their music, Pearl Jam remains of one the few bands to survive Grunge’s dissipation.

#1. Nirvana. Nevermind. 1991.

I apologize for this list’s predictability, but I couldn’t deny Nirvana the top spot for a genre they helped lay the foundation for. Pretty much everything that can be said about this album has already been said, as it has dominated countless best of lists since it first shook the rock world in 1991. “Smells like Teen Spirit”, “Polly” “In Bloom” and “Come as you Are” have survived the stagnation that constant airplay usually creates, and the album as a whole still blisters with its vicious, reverb-drenched psychological fits, and Kurt Cobain’s smart, ironic, and often unsettling lyrics.

Well there are my five picks for the best Grunge records. Obviously there are many standout bands from this saturated genre I omitted, like The Melvins, Screaming Trees, Green River, early Foo Fighters, Mudhoney and Bush (X), but that won’t stop you from dusting them off your CD shelf.

What are your picks for the best Grunge records? List them off in the comments section below.

Post-rock is a popular term thrown around the indie-music world to describe experimental, instrumental or high-concept music where rock instrumentation is used unconventionally, with a focus on long compositions while often omitting power chords, lyrics and hooks.

While many artists have been labeled as being post-rock, its usage is still controversial among critics who maintain that the term is too broad and outdated. Yet as prominent acts who fit the post-rock ‘profile’ begin to raise in popularity and influence, the term has yet to dissipate. So to help clear some of the confusion as to what this genre is, I thought I ‘d list my favorite albums that I would describe as being post-rock.

#10. Tortoise Millions Now Living will Never Die 1996.

One of the most revered and influential works in the genre, Millions is a kinetic and fluid album that features jazz-influenced passages interwoven with tight, fast-paced guitar work, electronic arrangements and boisterous percussion. One of the founding albums of post-rock, the style and pacing of this work would later inspire Do Make Say Think.

#9. A Silver Mt. Zion. He Has Left Us Alone but Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms. 2000.

A Silver Mt. Zion started off as a side-project of Godspeed You Black Emperor and have since branched out into being a full-fledged band. Their sound, like GYBE is sorrowful and achingly beautiful, relying on swooning strings, bellowing bass lines and little percussion (though additional instrumentation and more vocals were introduced in their later albums). This album is the band’s first and it predominantly features string arrangements and sparse production, often mixing classical elements with bizarre (yet hypnotic) field recordings and jangly guitar lines. A brilliant exercise in melancholy.

#8. Set Fire to Flames. Sings Reign Rebuilder. 2001.

Set Fire to Flames is a collective of Montreal musicians (again including members of Godspeed) who create haunting and challenging soundscapes. This is a brilliant concept album where the musicians were holed up in a deteriorating house for several days, forced to collaborate on extended jams which feature orchestrated requiems, strange electronic drones and plenty of natural ambient noise, rounding out a work that is both atmospheric and beautiful. A stunning achievement in chamber music.

#7. Explosions in the Sky Those who tell the truth will die, those who tell the truth will live forever. 2001.

This album is a dramatic, brooding and lyrical affair, with its dynamic instrumental songs opening with delicate guitar lines that slowly spill over into crunching riffs and martial drumming. EITS always pack an emotional punch, creating masterful mood pieces that shimmer with intensity. While their later albums refined their sound with better production and more cohesive structure, this album (being their second) is the most inspiring, cathartic and uninhibited.

#6. Slint Spiderland 1991.

A landmark for the genre, Slint’s schizophrenic dynamics, dark atmosphere, sparse production and skeletal guitar work laid the groundwork for bands like Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. The songs on Spiderland are hushed, unnerving and strangely beautiful, making edgy and compelling music through the careful creation of atmosphere and tension, rather than working with traditional song structures. The result is an album that is intriguing and gripping, thrusting you across a wide spectrum of emotions.

#5. Labradford. Prazision LP 1993.

The debut album from this Virginia duo was a brilliant melding of ghostly guitar music and striking synthesized ambiance. The songs here are soothing and ethereal without loosing the dark edge provided by the hushed vocals and deliberate guitar work. When listened to in the right context, this album can make for quite a spiritual experience as the songs possess an otherworldly quality to them. Labradford are clearly one of the most underrated bands in existence.

#4. Talk Talk Laughing Stock. 1991.

Another album that has stood as a watermark for all bands designated as being post-rock, Laughing Stock is mind-bending work that takes swirling jazz elements and complements them with energized percussion, cryptic vocals and psychedelic guitar passages. Expanding beyond the conventions of rock, jazz and ambient traditions, Laughing Stock redefined experimental rock music for the 1990s.

#3. Sigur Ros Ágætis Byrjun. 1999.

One of the most critically lauded and successful post rock bands is Sigur Ros, famous for their strange yet serene vocals and otherworldy ambiance. The songs here are gorgeous as they slowly build in intensity, as the string arrangements swirl, the guitars jangle and the vocals steeply climb atop the thundering crescendos. An emotional ride that stirs up vivid imagery and memories.

#2. Mogwai. Young Team. 1997.

Young Team was this Scottish band’s first LP and it offered a blistering example of how dynamic the post rock genre is. From its relaxed and fluid bass lines and cyclical drumming to its calculated and climatic guitar squalls, the epic journeys each one of these songs take are invigorating and immersing. The album’s final track “Mogwai Fear Satan” is a 17 minute maelstrom that never lets up in intensity.

#1. Godspeed You Black Emperor. Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven. 2000.

The holy grail of post rock albums, GYBE’s second full length is a two disc juggernaut that washes over the listener with its cinematic qualities, wide emotional range and sprawling song structures. Their coveted acopyltic jams are infused with heart-breaking string arrangements, tension-filled guitar, blasting horns and other experimental elements like field recordings and vocal samples.

The album is comprised of four extremely long tracks that take the listener on an incredible trip through the darkest pits of despair to glorious bursts of light, proving themselves to be masters of composition and cohesion (I think there are over 10 people playing at a time on this record).

Orchestral and experimental, this is the soundtrack to the greatest movie never made.

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Well, there you have it, my list of The Best Post Rock Albums. I hope it has been an informative and comprehensive summation of this complex and rewarding genre. For more information on Post Rock and other bands that I did not include on this list, check out Post Rock articles on Wikipedia and Allmusic. Cheers.