Post-Rock Will Never Die, But You Will... (The Post-Rock Thread)

LeSamourai

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Given the general amorphousness of the genre, I've noticed stuff from the greater world of post-rock showing up in different threads, but as far as I could tell there wasn't a thread on it specifically. As a post-rock junkie myself, I figured we could use one. Any kind- jazzy, electronic-tinged, post-metal, crescendo-core, or whatever...
 
This is due for a nice repress...





New to me, but from this track it sounds like something I'll dig (the off-kilter feel is giving me some Shudder to Think vibes).
 
Seems like as good a place as any to ask. I've been a big Godspeed (and offshoots) fan for over a decade, and as a result of the brilliant N&G AoTM pick by @sjaygray am getting into Tortoise as well recently. I've tried Mogwai a couple times but nothing's really grabbed me. Where's the best place to start?

With Mogwai? I started with their debut, Young Team, but it's also their most abrasive album- I think they pushed the quiet-loud dynamic about as far as they could, and from then on they've experimented with different sounds and textures. There are long meandering albums like Come On Die Young, or more electronic and accessible ones like Rave Tapes. There's also their soundtrack work, of which Zidane and Atomic are my favorites, and make for more peaceful listening.

When it comes to their early sound, my favorite is this 20-minute single:



It's all an example of how little different bands labeled post-rock have in common- Mogwai get loud like Godspeed, noodle around like Tortoise, but the three bands sound nothing alike.
 
With Mogwai? I started with their debut, Young Team, but it's also their most abrasive album- I think they pushed the quiet-loud dynamic about as far as they could, and from then on they've experimented with different sounds and textures. There are long meandering albums like Come On Die Young, or more electronic and accessible ones like Rave Tapes. There's also their soundtrack work, of which Zidane and Atomic are my favorites, and make for more peaceful listening.

When it comes to their early sound, my favorite is this 20-minute single:



It's all an example of how little different bands labeled post-rock have in common- Mogwai get loud like Godspeed, noodle around like Tortoise, but the three bands sound nothing alike.

Great, thanks! Yeah, for a long time the only "post-rock" I listened to was Godspeed & co. I really had no idea there were more jazz-inflected bands with the same meaningless genre applied to them but I'm enjoying that avenue as well. I've enjoyed the few DMST albums I've heard, too, though I haven't gotten too deep into them yet.
 
Seems like as good a place as any to ask. I've been a big Godspeed (and offshoots) fan for over a decade, and as a result of the brilliant N&G AoTM pick by @sjaygray am getting into Tortoise as well recently. I've tried Mogwai a couple times but nothing's really grabbed me. Where's the best place to start?
+1 for My Father My King. I'd also recommend Happy Songs For Happy People and Every Country's Sun, which are both pretty accessible. Happy Songs is a good mid-point, and ECS is an easy place to jump in.

After Mogwai, I'd give Explosions in the Sky a go.
 
Today only, Mogwai's latest full-lengh, Every Country's Sun, is pay-what-you-want on Bandcamp.


Temporary Residence Records has been doing a thing all through the COVID crisis where each day a different album is free to pay what you want, so they're worth a follow on Bandcamp. They have quite a few good post-rock acts, like Explosions in the Sky, MONO, and Tangents, along with a lot of other great bands, like Pinback.
 
My personal favorite non-Godspeed is Sigur Ros' "Aegetys Byrjum". People fawn over ( ) but I hated, and still hate, every single vocal on that album. It's an amazing album, ruined by the grating "it's youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" that is every. single. vocal. Valtari is so much better.

"Hex" by Bark Psychosis, arguably the first post-rock album. It's kind of tepid by modern standards, but it is singular and it was first. Recommended for fan of Slint's Spiderland.

65daysofstatic and Russian Circles are worth checking out. picked up a russian circles album on bandcamp earlier this year, it's my "mellow work music" go-to. Mono is wonderful but I honestly haven't given them the attention they deserve.

"Born Into Trouble As The Sparks Fly Upwwad" by Thee Silver Mt Zion is probably my favorite but the newer "Fuck off get free we pour light on everything" is pretty great, if a little rock-ish
 
"Hex" by Bark Psychosis, arguably the first post-rock album. It's kind of tepid by modern standards, but it is singular and it was first. Recommended for fan of Slint's Spiderland.

Definitely a fan of Hex. Ambient, jazzy timbres aplenty.
 
Seems like as good a place as any to ask. I've been a big Godspeed (and offshoots) fan for over a decade, and as a result of the brilliant N&G AoTM pick by @sjaygray am getting into Tortoise as well recently. I've tried Mogwai a couple times but nothing's really grabbed me. Where's the best place to start?

I love mogwai. You should try their Govt Comissions Live at BBC two LP set to start. It's a great mix of some of their best older material.

New Paths to Helicon Part 1 is probably my favorite mogwai track, while Rock Action is probably my favorite album by them.



Their catalog is deep, I prefer their older stuff, but their scores are quite good as well, especially Zidane and Les Revenantes

 
Seems like as good a place as any to ask. I've been a big Godspeed (and offshoots) fan for over a decade, and as a result of the brilliant N&G AoTM pick by @sjaygray am getting into Tortoise as well recently. I've tried Mogwai a couple times but nothing's really grabbed me. Where's the best place to start?

A few of my Mogwai favs:

 


Godspeed fans should have a listen to this. The guy that runs this channel had a shot at converting the recent releases into a double album a la Lift Your Skinny Fists. I'm currently listening to the second version he's done of this, but the first version is above. I love it.
 


Godspeed fans should have a listen to this. The guy that runs this channel had a shot at converting the recent releases into a double album a la Lift Your Skinny Fists. I'm currently listening to the second version he's done of this, but the first version is above. I love it.


I definitely wanted to hate this based on the idea alone, but the more I think about it, the less I hate it. Those latter-day albums are definitely a little stretched out. Like my favorite thing they ever did is the "Hung over as the queen in maida vale" peel session, and I was hugely let down when they chopped it up and spread it all over skinny fists. I'll give this a play in the car next time I get a chance.
 
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