Browsing Tag
instrumental
Play Me: “Valedictorian” by Dan Friel
Despite the fact that Dan Friel the solo act is now the primary act, not much has changed, if we're to go by "Valedictorian," the first track he's released released since the dissolution of Brooklyn noise-makers, Parts and Labor. Many of his former band's trademarks have remained intact -- There are the swirling bursts of noise produced by any manner of electronic gadgetry sent through any number of effects; There's the punk rock ene...READ MORE
Moving Pictures Triple Feature With Spindrift’s Classic Soundtracks
In 2009, the LA band, Spindrift re-released the soundtrack to The Legend of God's Gun, a movie written by lead-singer Kirpatrick Thomas, inspired by his admiration of director Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns and the scores of Ennio Morricone. While the film itself wasn't much to speak of, the soundtrack was a wondrous suite of music which updated the work of Morricone with American styled psychedelic rock. Fast forward tw...READ MORE
Roadtrip Review: Godspeed You! Black Emperor @ Majestic Theater, Detroit 03.29.2011
The drive, the wait, the opening act who had a bank full of noises and a Kaos pad and wasn't afraid to use it, the music playing in between acts, too close to Our Lady Peace unplugged to provide any diversion from the wait -- Would it all be worth it? The eight, sometimes nine, maybe more members of the Montreal instrumental rock band, Godspeed You! Black Emperor gradually made their way on to the Majestic Theater stage and sit...READ MORE
The Rockometer: Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light by Earth
Earth Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light Southern Lord Once regarded as a showcase for guitarist Dylan Carson's overwhelmingly heavy guitar rumblings, Earth are now, more than ever, a band where each member pulls their weight. The melodies of these five instrumental tracks, collected here on Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1, are just as likely to be carried by Karl Blau's deliberate, reverberating bass, or cellist, Lisa ...READ MORE
The Rockemeter: Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will by Mogwai
Mogwai Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will Sub Pop After the release of 2010's live album, Special Moves, it appeared Mogwai had regained their epic groove. Fifteen years into their career, the Scottish titans of instrumental rock were once again raging eardrums with crunching and catastrophic melodies using a mix of both older material and new. It was enough to make one forget for the better half of the past decade they h...READ MORE
“Father Midnight” by Earth
Patient, ominous, heavy, evocative, totally f*ckin' rad -- All of the adjectives which have been used to describe the latter day output of guitarist Dylan Carson, and the work of his pioneering doom-metal band Earth, are also apt here. "Father Midnight," is the first track to be released from their forthcoming album on Southern Lord records, and it builds on the slow-motion, American West soundscapes heard on the albums Hex, Hi...READ MORE
“San Pedro” by Mogwai
Now, this is a little more of what I expected from Mogwai. "San Pedro," may not be hardcore, in the '80s Cali-Punk sense of the word. Nor, is it DIY-punk, in the spirit of San Pedro's finest, The Minutemen. Still, it exhibits bit more of the aggression the band had in spades on their recent live release, Special Moves, which, by the way, is exactly what you'd expect to hear when the track in question comes off an album titled,...READ MORE
“I Led Three Lives” by Grails
The Portland instrumental rock outfit, Grials, have always maintained a spiritual element within their recordings. Sometimes that spirituality is deep and meditative. Other times, it's bright and transcendental. On their Black Tar Prophecies releases, especially, they delve into twisted and dark, almost Satanic realms. Now, while "I Led Three Lives," isn't officially part of the Black Tar Prophecies, the tone is consistent with t...READ MORE
“Rano Pano” by Mogwai
Expectations are high for Mogwai's forthcoming Sub Pop release, the awesomely titled, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. Their past two releases -- 2008's The Hawk is Howling and last year's live album, Special Moves -- showcased a rejuvenated act, one ready to reclaim their title as the undisputed kings of instrumental rock. Yet, this second preview track, "Rano Pano," even with its compelling guitar sound, the one which sound...READ MORE
“Bombay” by Turzi
For those of you like me who enjoy their electronic music with some bite and free of chill-wave, dark-wave, or whatever wave is being hyped by Pitchfork these days, there's "Bombay," the new track from French experimental artist, Turzi. As its title may imply, there are some serene, meditative movements to be found, but they're buried underneath a relentless rhythm section, pounding out the one, two, three, fours, and similarly rap...READ MORE
“Exorcism” by Megachurch
In an interview published on Ithaca Underground, Michael Baranick, aka Mikey Machine, described the intensely throbbing, bass and drum sound of his new band Megachurch as Christian stoner-metal made by people who are neither Christians nor stoners. It's such a departure from speedy, sanguine pop of his former band, Machine Go Boom, that it renders his previous output hardly worth a mention. Instead, if you're looking for refer...READ MORE
