silly terminology. every once in a while i'll hear a new music sub-category that makes me sit and wonder for a while. how do people come up with these terms? according to wiki, that is actually some people's claim to fame. coining a term. whose claim to fame was "post-rock"? wellll it would be a mr. simon reynolds. schooled!!! :) the thought of today is:
POST-ROCK.
what is it? basically, from my understanding, it's using "rock" instruments for "non-rock" purposes. why does it exist? to move beyond the "rock norm", perhaps? i'm wondering why it's not in the "noise rock" category as well, because the concepts are very similar. maybe post-rock is more structured? i don't know.....rogue wave is considered "post-rock", but comparing them to a band like explosions in the sky, i don't see the similarity at all. explosions is much more soundscape-ish, if you get my drift. more epic. but on the noise side of things, comparing rogue wave to, say, my bloody valentine, considered "noise", but of the brit-pop/shoegaze variety (pop and shoegaze being the operative words here), i still don't see a correlation. is rogue wave mis-categorized? in my opinion, the whole concept of using rock instruments in a non-classic rock way is something that pink floyd started a long time ago. textural rather than structural. does it have something to do with background influences?
oh, and what about adding in "progressive" to the mix? once again, i find myself going back to king crimson. sheesh. why don't we all accept that every kind of music has basically been made already and stop trying to sub-categorize everything until every group has it's own specific category. awesome.
so, let's say you have an interest. where to start?? i say move to montreal. apparently it's the mecca for post-rock and experimental bands.
a few all signed to indie label Constellation Records:
do make say think
explosions in the sky
a silver mt. zion
i haven't heard much of any of those groups besides a few tracks off of last.fm. save explosions in the sky, which i really dig. in a way, i'm really happy that the more lush instrumental bands are coming to the foreground. it's a very refreshing alternative to the cut and paste pop-punk-crap rock that's been clogging our ears for too long. explosions has pieces of sigur ros (BIG pieces), and i can even hear a little modest mouse and wilco in there too. what would those be considered? americana noise?
ok, not so savvy to the idea of moving to canada (though i couldn't possibly see why....free health care for all and unlocked doors? fuck yes)? try something a little less life changing, and start your quest out right. pick up talk talk's 1991 album "the laughing stock" and check it out. it's pretty fantastic. here's a great track from that album:
or how about fuckin....stereolab. try Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements. it's the first american album they put out on elektra. ooooh underground post-rock goodness.
here are a few more suggestions to end out this disgustingly name-dropping blog:
the album leaf
tristeza
mum (i don't know how to add the little accent over the "u" :(
think ambiance (the album leaf is a bit more vocal though), think going on a journey. these are definitely not bands you'd listen to if you're trying to get pumped up for say, a track race. just a thought.
:)
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2 comments:
You are by far way more in depth with the rock music culture than I, but I will say that sub categories are really just that categories. We humans love to categorize things. Yes indeed.
Like you mentioned experimentation is not something new, nor are the types of experimentation. However technology is different and I believe that does change the musical landscape and that maybe something to think about.
eh? eh? yes no?
I think our blogs miss us. Or mine at least thinks I'm cheating on it.
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