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.

Predestination Blues

Song: “Predestination Blues”

Artist: Grails

Album: Doomsdayer’s Holiday (2008)

…Portland, United States…

Many have touted this latest offering from Grails as their darkest and heaviest album to date. Stretching out with smokey psychedelic rock, smoldering middle eastern melodies and experimenting with some lounge-bound cosmic jazz, it is definitely their most diverse and edgy album.

While I dont feel like this their best work to date and it is probably their least consistent album there still are a lot of great moments to be had for the listener.

Predestination Blues is just the first track off the album that appealed to me.

Lastfm – http://www.last.fm/music/Grails