Pirate Ship

 

Song: “Pirate Ship”

Artist: The Pirate Ship Quintet

Album: The Pirate Ship Quintet [EP] (2007)

… Bristol, United Kingdom …

Most bands these days labelled with the post-rock tag seem to meander along in the same old stale territory. They seem to mass produce the music instead of create it. The Pirate Ship Quintet (TPSQ) seem to do the latter. With a darker sound than most, they rely on tension and ambiance to create a lavish instrumental sound-scape.

“Pirate Ship”starts with a delicate, repetitive beginning. The layers of instruments, which are given there own space to roam slowly add in number as the track gain momentum.  It finally builds into a mighty composition that summons the spirit and tames the wild beast.

TPSQ are not ground-breaking in the music that they create, but what they create they do so well. I cant help to feel that there is something new to their sound which separates them from the post-rock herd.

Your Roofs Blow Out Into The Stormy Seas

Song: “Gobbledigook”

Artist: Sigur Ros

Album: Með Suð I Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust (2008)

…Reykjavik, Iceland…

Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust – translation “With a buzz in our ears we play endlessly”

I always find this such an amazingly, uplifting track to start an album, shut your eyes and you can even feel the sun come out. As always Sigur Ros’s albums are magnificently crafted and this album has plenty of beautiful moments to make me stop whatever I’m doing at the time, sit back, listen and just try to absorb it all in.  

We’ll Burn In The Sun And We’ll Fall To The Moon

Song: “Water Is Not Enough”

Artist: Neurosis

Album: Given To The Rising

…Oakland, United States…

A return to heaviness but still incorporating the atmospheric elements from the last 2 previous releases. ‘Given To The Rising’ batters the listener one minute with tuned down guitars and guttural vocals, slowly grinding down your inner ear bones to nubs until they open up into a landscape of lush, atmospheric sounds.

“Water Is Not Enough” is just one of my personal favorites.

Kveldssanger

Artist: Ulver

Album: Kveldssanger (1995)

…Oslo, Norway…

I’m not going to list a single track on this post because my opinion is that this album should be listened to in its entirety. It’s only 35min long and wont take much out of your day but will give so much back in return.

This is the second album from Ulver, the masters of change and evolution. Over there sprawling career they have strove to reinvent themselves with every album. From Black Metal they have ventured into electronic, experimental, folk, atmospheric, ambient, and jazz.

Kveldssanger is a folk album but in essence it still retains some of the black metal atmosphere from their previous album Bergtatt. It is a beautiful, uplifting, peaceful piece of work. Taking the roots of Norwegian Folk to another level with flowing streams of acoustic melodies and guitars laid bare. Coming together with some wonderful vocal harmonies and moments of flutes and wind, all these elements amble together to form a magnificent river of harmony.

Tranquil in its beginnings, Kveldssanger is an album that will make you want to get away from it all, to absorb your surroundings and reflect and at the very least it will make you smile.

Hologram Buffalo

Song: “Hologram Buffalo”

Artist: Brightblack Morning Light

Album: Motion To Rejoin (2008)

…Psychedelic, Folk originating from Alabama, USA…

This is my Sunday morning slow burn jam session and pretty much describes the pace that today is running too. Looks like its going to be another long trip, procrastinating, pushing foreign objects up my nose….and this album/song I have dedicated to be the soundtrack of my day.

It’s 70’s meets 2008, the taking of psychedelic, folk and atmospheric sounds into one big ol’ cooking pot. The melting and merging of past and present influences and finally when the brew is just right casting them into something new, fresh and innovative.

Lastfm – http://www.last.fm/music/Brightblack+Morning+Light