The leaves fade to auburn in my yard as they fall, covering it in a wet blanket of cellulose. Similarly, the mucous covering my throat has fallen into my lungs and set up shop. Absent that lubrication, my esophagus feels like sandpaper.
I'm sick bros.
Every fucking time. The weather changes and I get sick. I'm sure the cigarettes do not help, time to switch to Ultra Lights. The tobacco companies have it figured out, give the suckers something to get their fix that has no taste or feeling. Maybe I'll grab a tin of chaw, but that usually results in me getting light headed and puking. To be honest, the physical symptoms I can handle. It is the mental fog that gets me. I pride myself on a sharp wit and critical thinking skills, being sick makes me feel like I am doing everything through a shower curtain. But I'll soldier on, the masses demand a record review and record review they shall have.
In recognition of my diminished mental state, I will review something easy today. Something more concerned with an over arcing feel than a specific musical movement. Today, I will review Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Slow Riot For New Zero Canada EP
http://www.discogs.com/Godspeed-You-Black-Emperor-Slow-Riot-For-New-Zero-Kanada-EP/release/2865626
There are actually two very similar listings for this album on Discogs. I believe they are actually the same pressing, the one I have included seems to be more complete. Godspeed is the first band I think of when someone says Post-Rock. To me, they define the genre; slow building musical arcs and a focus on the feel of the soundscape. This record was released in 1999 by Constellation, a Canadian label.
The jacket material is a thin fibrous paper. It reminds me of the paper we made in elementary school science out of egg cartons; textured and delicate. The Hebrew text on the front is embossed in metallic, it reads "Toha va Bohu" which I believe means "I beheld the Earth."
The back of the jacket features the same embossed text and artwork. It displays instructions to make a Molotov Cocktail in Italian. It also displays the name of the band and the album, which were curiously absent from the front cover.
The inner sleeve is custom, displaying hard to read text detailing the story of the album and the credits. The original 1/4" master tape was damaged in an all night drive through a snow storm and was repaired by the band with help from Constellation. Also, Christmas time when you open it up; INSERT. The insert features an excerpt of text from what appears to be a screenplay, not sure on the source of this material. The vinyl itself is standard weight black with custom labels.
I have played this album a couple times, but I do not see any signs of wear. The vinyl is glossy, though some of the particulate from the jacket clings to it. I'll brush it off and destatic it before I play and I do not expect that there will be any sound issues.
So let's do it. I've got my piping hot tea and a nice warm blanket. This should fit both the mood and history of the album pretty well.
The first side features the track Moya, pressed at 45rpm. In true Godspeed style it is an adaptation of a modern Classical track composed by Gorecki. The track has a somber feel as it slowly builds. The strings seem to yearn to be released, the melody is haunting. The percussion focuses heavily on the snare drum, the rattle serves to drive the song to its frenzied catharsis. The sound quality on this pressing is really good, I do not hear any reminders of the unfortunate journey of the master tape.
The second side contains bbf3, pressed at 33rpm. This track contains a long monologue of Blaise Bailey Finnegan III. The man displays many characteristics of a manic person in the grips of delusions of grandeur. He details his grievances with the government concerning a speeding ticket. His fervor builds and his rant expands to philosophical proportions. Though you can hear the dementia in his voice his words contain morsels of truth, I can really sympathize with this man. Musically, the track meanders along an undercurrent of strings. We feel as though we are exploring the depths of this mans mind; scattered, urgent, and with occasional moments of fleeting rapture. I think I can pick up some background noise at the end of the track, possibly evidence of the damage to the source tape. Regardless, this a really excellent track.
I really like Godspeed, though I recognize that they are not for everyone. They take a fair amount of attention span. Often you miss the meaning of the songs if your attention drifts during the at times marathon length compositions. For anyone with even an inkling of interest in checking them out, this EP would be a good starting place. It is cheap (you can score a copy for less than $10), the packaging is cool, and it gives a good snapshot of the band.
Welp, I'm gonna go lay on the couch and hold my head. I've got the weekend off so hopefully I can get my lungs cleared out. Tomorrow I have got to go down to Faribault and get my gun sighted in for Deer opener and make sure the stand is not rotted through. I will slay a beast this year, it's flesh will sustain me through the winter.
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