After 7 years without a sound Godspeed You! Black Emperor stepped out of the shadows and started entering scenes again. This time Mike Moya, one of the two band founders and a member during 1994-1998, had joined the lineup again. They were chosen as curators of the London-based non-corporate event All Tomorrow’s Parties in December 2010 which marked their return after their hiatus.
So many have been compared to GY!BE. So rarely have the Canadians been compared to others. Why? They invented the wheel, so to speak. Their mixture of crescendo post-rock, dystopian field recordings and darkly atmospheric ambient was, and still is, truly unique.
This mixture was particularly apparent during their productive period ’98-’00 where they released two albums and one EP. Main ingredients: End-of-the-world fiction stories (best exemplified with the legendary opening monologue of ‘F?A??’) connected to their politically rooted anti-war messages and cover art. Dark and sorrow-some poems and violins. Fierce guitars taking over and leading the direction straight into dramatic climaxes.
For me, their dystopian theme connects all of this. It’s not just music. It’s fictional and musical storytelling which is very relevant to the times we’re living in. It’s refreshing to hear a rock band who’s capable of expressing their political views – a quality you’d otherwise only expect from hip hop artists.
Over to 2012. They’re not in any way less dramatic than they were. ‘’Allelujah! Don’t Bend Ascend’ consists of two lengthy compositions and two shorter drone pieces. The biggest surprise for me is the way they’re building their compositions. Yes, there’s some dramatic climaxes for sure, but compared to their previous ‘Yanqui U.X.O.’ (2002) they spend less time getting to them. Less waiting. More stretched out bursts of energy. And instead of squeezing a drone piece into a crescendo oriented composition (like they would have in their early days), they have instead separated these to stand for themselves.
The biggest similarity with ‘Yanqui U.X.O.’, and the biggest step away from their golden period ’98-’00, is the lack of field recordings. Here it’s only apparent during the opening ‘Mladic’ where they fade a climax elegantly into a short recording of a chaotic and rhythmic parade orchestra. I respect their choice of not sticking to a strict formula written in stone, but it’s hard to get away from the tremendous depth their field recordings added to their first albums.
The big highlight for me is the third ‘We Drift Like Worried Fire’, filled with repetitive riffs, atmospheric noises and sonic guitars. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a developed outtake from the ‘Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven!’ sessions – and in which case they probably had a tough choice choosing this one or the similar ‘Sleep’.
They’ve left my ears thirsty for more, but I won’t end this with some pointless speculations. Instead, here’s a thoughtful quote from the band themselves (there might be a good hint or two in here): ‘Please remember that really all that matters is the keep on keeping on. And all that really matters is the shows. And physical engagement in the world.’
Posted by Bjarte Edvardsen.
