Grails, The Burden of Hope

U.S., 2007.

Yet another great post-rock band from the states. Initially called ‘Laurel Canyon’, they formed to play one show on a whim. In 2003, they changed the name to Grails, just before the release of their first full-length album. They adopted a louder, more aggressive style, often switching instruments with each member writing songs that saw them branching out to increasingly disparate styles.

Playlist:

1. Burden of Hope
2. Lord I Hate Your Day
3. The Deed
4. In the Beginning
5. Invocation
6. Space Prophet Dogon
7. The March
8. Broken Ballad
9. White Flag
10. Canyon Hymn

Link.

more...

Espers, II

U.S., 2006.

Espers is a neo-psychedelic folk band from Philadelphia. Their music is reminiscent of late-sixties british folk such as that of Fairport Convention, The Pentangle and The Incredible String Band. Very calm but incredibly beautiful.

Playlist:

1. Dead Queen
2. Window's Weed
3. Cruel Storm
4. Children of Stone
5. Mansfield and Cyclops
6. Dead King
7. Moon Occults The Sun

Link.

more...

Dungen, 4

Sweden, 2008.

Dungen are a Swedish rock band based in Stockholm. Often classified as psychedelic rock, Dungen are also influenced by Swedish (and other) folk music, classic rock, progressive rock and indie rock.

Playlist:

1. Satt Att Se
2. Maleras Finest
3. Det Tar Tid
4. Samtidigt 1
5. Ingenting Ar Sig Likt
6. Fredag
7. Finns Det Nagon Mojlighet
8. Mina Damer Och Fasaner
9. Samtidigt 2
10. Bandhagen

Link.

more...

Crippled Black Phoenix, A Love of Shared Disasters

UK, 2007

Justin Greaves (Electric Wizard, Iron Monkey, Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine), encouraged by good friend Dominic Aitchison (Mogwai), started recording songs he had in his head, creating the basis for the stunning post-rock sound of Crippled Black Phoenix. To complete the line-up, Andy Semmens (Esoteric, Ereipia), Kostas Panagiotou (Pantheist, Wijlen Wij), Nial McGaughey (16, 3D House of Beef), Joe Volk (Gonga), amongst others, have joined them. Not only are the songs extremely well polished, the vocals are also perfect. As a matter of fact, if you visit Joe's space and listen to his solo work, you might fall in love.


Playlist:

1 - The Lament of the Nithered Mercenary
2 - Really, How'd It Get This Way?
3 - The Whistler
4 - Suppose I Told the Truth
5 - When You're Gone
6 - Long Cold Summer
7 - Goodnight, Europe
8 - You Take the Devil Out of Me
9 - The Northern Cobbler
10 - My Enemies I Fear Not, But Protect Me From My Friends
11 - I'm Almost Home


Link.

more...

Cult of Luna, Somewhere Along the Highway

Sweden, 2006

Cult of Luna's fourth release. The band decided to hide from civilization and focus on male loneliness for the writing of this album, instead of dealing with the usual macroscopic concerns.

Playlist:

01 - Marching to the Heartbeats
02 - Finland
03 - Back to Chapel Town
04 - And With Her Came the Birds
05 - Thirtyfour
06 - Dim
07 - Dark City, Dead Man

Link.

more...

Sgt., Stylus Fantasticus

Japan, 2008.

Sgt. are a four-piece band formed in Tokyo, in 1999, but released their first full length only this year. A crossing between Magyar Posse and LITE, Stylus Fantasticus is an incredible post-rock/neoclassical/experimental album.

Playlist:

1. すばらしき光
2. 囚人達のジレンマゲーム
3. 白夜
4. 声を出して考える方法
5. 再生と密室
6. 記憶の島の月
7. 銀河を壊して発電所を創れ
8. ムノユラギ

Link.

more...

A Silver Mt. Zion, Born Into Trouble As The Sparks Fly Upward

Canada, 2001

Born Into Trouble As The Sparks Fly Upward is the second release of Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band. At this point, Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Efrim Menuck, Thierry Amar and Sophie Trudeau decide it's time to expand Mt. Zion, now counting on three more members.

Playlist:

1 - Sisters! Brothers! Small Boats of Fire Are Falling From the Sky!
2 - This Gentle Hearts Like Shot Bird's Fallen
3 - Built Then Burnt (Hurrah! Hurrah!)
4 - Take These Hands and Throw Them in the River
5 - Could've Moved Mountains...
6 - Tho You Are Gone I Still Often Walk W/You.
7 - C'mon Come On (Loose An Endless Longing)
8 - The Triumph Of Our Tired Eyes

Link.

more...

Explosions In The Sky, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever

US, 2001

Post-rock group Explosions In The Sky hails from Austin, Texas. With three electric guitars (one of them sometimes replaced by a bass) and a set of drums, they manage to create cinematic atmospheres. In fact, Have You Passed Through This Night?, is part of the soundtrack to Peter Berg's Friday Night Lights, being the first EITS song to contain any words (a part of the film The Thin Red Line), and With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept was used as an episode title of the TV show One Tree Hill.

Playlist:

1 - Greet Death
2 - Yasmin The Light
3 - The Moon Is Down
4 - Have You Passed Through This Night?
5 - A Poor Man's Memory
6 - With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept

Link.

more...

Steak Number Eight, When a Candle Dies Out...

Belgium, 2008

This was posted in our suggestion box at last.fm. Steak Number Eight are a post-metal outfit in the vein of Khoma, and are surprisingly good given their age (14-16). Plenty of melodic build-ups and heavy riffing.


Playlist:

01 - The Sea Is Dying
02 - My Hero
03 - The Holy Truth
04 - On the Other Side
05 - Falling Out of a Dream
06 - Blood on Our Hands
07 - After You

Link.

more...

Fuck Buttons, Street Horrrsing

UK, 2008

Experimental drone gone mainstream, although listening to it it's hard to figure how something so obscure can be so popular at the moment. Currently on tour with Mogwai.


Playlist:

01 - Sweet Love for Planet Earth
02 - Ribs Out
03 - Okay, Let's Talk About Magic
04 - Race You to My Bedroom _ Spirit Rise
05 - Bright Tomorrow
06 - Colours Move

Link.

more...

Russian Circles, Enter

U.S., 2006.

Russian Circles is a three piece instrumental post-metal/post-rock band from Chicago. Similar to fellow Chicago residents Pelican, Russian Circles play epic, sprawling music which runs the gamut of heavy discordant metal to soft delicate passages.

Playlist:

1. Carpe
2. Micah
3. Death Rides A Horse
4. Enter
5. You Already Did
6. New Macabre

Link.

more...

Abigail's Ghost, Selling Insincerity

U.S., 2007.

"Abigail’s Ghost is an art rock band comprised of five people committed to a well-tempered musical aesthetic deeply rooted in groove, polyrhythms, lush harmonies, haunting ambience, and thinking man’s lyrics." For fans of Pineapple Thief and Demians.

Playlist:

1. Mazurka
2. Close
3. Waiting Room
4. Love Sounds
5. Sellout
6. Dead People's Review
7. Monochrome
8. Windows
9. Cerulean Blue
10. Seeping
11. Mother May I?

Link.

more...

Omar A. Rodríguez-López, A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume One

US, 2004

Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López (The Mars Volta, At the Drive-In, De Facto) recorded his first album in 2001 and released it three years later. He claims there will be a second volume to the soundtrack and the motion picture itself. The record counts on an extensive amount of personnel, including Cedric Bixler-Zavala and John Frusciante, as well as the late Jeremy Ward.

Playlist:

1 - Around Knuckle White Tile
2 - Dyna Sark Arches
3 - Here the Tame Go By
4 - Deus Ex Machina
5 - Dramatic Theme
6 - A Dressing Failure
7 - Sensory Decay Part II
8 - Of Blood Blue Blisters
9 - Dream Sequence
10 - The Palpitations Form a Limit

Link.

more...