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Godspeed You Black Emperor!

bucket1988bucket1988 Posts: 212
edited May 2006 in Other Music
I am intrigued by this band. I have heard short clips of their stuff, and descriptions of their music and epic style are appealing, but I don't really know much about them and its hard to get an adequate impression from short clips when each song is like 20 minutes long.

Is this a good band? What do they sound like overall? What other bands do they sound like the most? And, most importantly, is this not the sweetest band name you have ever heard?
The words you say never seem to live up to the ones inside your head...
Post edited by Unknown User on

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    El_KabongEl_Kabong Posts: 4,141
    i have all of their albums and love them!!!! saw them 4 1/2 years ago and it was one of the best shows i've ever seen.

    i can't really say who they would sound like...no one really that i can think of. altho i can say the song 'world police and friendly fire' bears some resemblance to parts of Pink Floyd's 'Careful w/ that axe, Eugene'. the music is very sweeping w/ lots of peaks and valleys.
    standin above the crowd
    he had a voice that was strong and loud and
    i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
    eager to identify with
    someone above the crowd
    someone who seemed to feel the same
    someone prepared to lead the way
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    EchoesEchoes Posts: 1,279
    It is actually Godspeed You! Black Emperor now, they changed the punctuation a while back.

    They sound like a near-symphonic post-rock band. A massive lineup, lots of strings, tape loops and other such effects, and driven behind drums on some songs, with the guitars setting a texture as opposed to creating catchy riffs and hooks. In short, they are an amazing band. Their sound is really all to their own, but maybe if you combined Explosions In The Sky with A Silver Mt. Zion you would get them (although that is a ridiculous comparison because GY!BE predates both of those bands to the best of my knowledge - ASMZ is basically made up of Godspeed members anyways).

    So yeah, they are a GREAT band. Get either of f#a#(infinity) or Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven, or their EP, Slow Riot For A New Zero Kanada. Their most recent wasn't so hot, in my opinion. But the rest is pretty phenomenal.
    printf("shiver in eternal darkness\n");
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    enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    They are a great band. If you like them, be sure to check out Explosions in the Sky, The Swords Project, and Red Sparrowes.
    new music: http://www.myspace.com/blackbirdsymphonique

    old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
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    EnigmaEnigma Posts: 59
    They are a great band and are nearly all instrumental except for taped recordings of people speaking about things. Most of their songs start out quiet and over the course of several minutes add one layer/instrument at a time until they've achieved a gigantic sonic wave....a musical orgasm if you will. If the world were to enter apocalypse, their music would fit the events perfectly.
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    grievance88grievance88 Posts: 31
    Echoes wrote:
    It is actually Godspeed You! Black Emperor now, they changed the punctuation a while back.

    They sound like a near-symphonic post-rock band. A massive lineup, lots of strings, tape loops and other such effects, and driven behind drums on some songs, with the guitars setting a texture as opposed to creating catchy riffs and hooks. In short, they are an amazing band. Their sound is really all to their own, but maybe if you combined Explosions In The Sky with A Silver Mt. Zion you would get them (although that is a ridiculous comparison because GY!BE predates both of those bands to the best of my knowledge - ASMZ is basically made up of Godspeed members anyways).

    So yeah, they are a GREAT band. Get either of f#a#(infinity) or Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven, or their EP, Slow Riot For A New Zero Kanada. Their most recent wasn't so hot, in my opinion. But the rest is pretty phenomenal.

    this user summed it up pretty nicely.
    gospeed you! black emperor, as they call themselves now, are experts at building to the absolute breaking point and then exploding, so yes, it is kind of like an orgasm. its definitely amazing music, and i would suggest the same records that echoes suggested.
    they got their name from some weird movie or documentary or something, i forget now, but im going to watch it in a couple days.
    i pledge no allegiance
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    El_KabongEl_Kabong Posts: 4,141
    grievance88 wrote:
    this user summed it up pretty nicely.
    gospeed you! black emperor, as they call themselves now, are experts at building to the absolute breaking point and then exploding, so yes, it is kind of like an orgasm. its definitely amazing music, and i would suggest the same records that echoes suggested.
    they got their name from some weird movie or documentary or something, i forget now, but im going to watch it in a couple days.


    it was a doc about a japanese (or some asian) motorcycle gang.

    my only disagreement is i thought their last album (Yanqui U.X.O.) was just as good as the rest of their stuff.

    but the ep might be hte place to start, moya is a beautiful song and if ya don't like you didn't buy a double album like the last 2 were (or was the last one just a double lp? i know 'lift yer skinny fists...'was a double cd)
    standin above the crowd
    he had a voice that was strong and loud and
    i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
    eager to identify with
    someone above the crowd
    someone who seemed to feel the same
    someone prepared to lead the way
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    thankyougrandmathankyougrandma Posts: 1,182
    nothing to add, great band, maybe i can add that they've done a lot for the local music scene. Here's a great interview with Howard Bilerman, it's from 2004 but still a great read today:
    For over 10 years now, Howard Bilerman, has carved out niche for himself as the uber-recordist of choice for Montreal’s burgeoning punk, indie, and avante-experimental scene’s. Although he has been referred to as Montreal’s “Steve Albini,” he is far from the often cantankerous and outspoken producer/engineer, and he is known more for his humility, charm, and reliability. Like, Albini, Bilerman’s steadfast approach in generating warmth and purity in the studio - as well as a reverence and respect for creating art, not product, in the studio - is unparalleled in Montreal...(continue)
    http://www.adequacy.net/interview.php?InterviewID=29
    "L'homme est né libre, et partout il est dans les fers"
    -Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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    karma defectkarma defect Posts: 5,483
    If you like Godspeed you should give Do make say think a chance.
    « One man's glory is another man's hell.
    You’re on the outside, never bound by such a spell.
    Together in the darkness, alone in the light.
    I took it upon me to be yours, Timmy,
    I’ll lead your angels and demons at play tonight......»
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    EchoesEchoes Posts: 1,279
    karma defect wrote:
    If you like Godspeed you should give Do make say think a chance.


    Do Make Say Think is great, I have Goodbye Enemy Airship... and I think it is pretty damn great.
    printf("shiver in eternal darkness\n");
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    StoneG82StoneG82 Posts: 806
    I have Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn and it's basically a masterpiece.
    "What’s Orphans? I don’t know. Orphans is a dead end kid driving a coffin with big tires across the Ohio River wearing welding goggles and a wife beater with a lit firecracker in his ear." - Tom Waits
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    karma defectkarma defect Posts: 5,483
    Echoes wrote:
    Do Make Say Think is great, I have Goodbye Enemy Airship... and I think it is pretty damn great.


    It is. I have that one plus one of which I don't know the title and I have Yet & yet
    « One man's glory is another man's hell.
    You’re on the outside, never bound by such a spell.
    Together in the darkness, alone in the light.
    I took it upon me to be yours, Timmy,
    I’ll lead your angels and demons at play tonight......»
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    enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    You guys might like 35007 too.
    new music: http://www.myspace.com/blackbirdsymphonique

    old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
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    EchoesEchoes Posts: 1,279
    I've never heard of them, really.

    All of Do Make Say Think's albums are pretty cheap new (about 12-13 bucks) around here, so next time I'm by that record store I'll probably buy one or two that I don't already have.

    I saw Lift Yr Skinny Fists used today for 12 bucks but I already had it. Oh well.
    printf("shiver in eternal darkness\n");
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    karma defectkarma defect Posts: 5,483
    Echoes wrote:
    I've never heard of them, really.

    All of Do Make Say Think's albums are pretty cheap new (about 12-13 bucks) around here, so next time I'm by that record store I'll probably buy one or two that I don't already have.

    I saw Lift Yr Skinny Fists used today for 12 bucks but I already had it. Oh well.


    You would defiantly like Loose or as they other guy called them 35007.
    « One man's glory is another man's hell.
    You’re on the outside, never bound by such a spell.
    Together in the darkness, alone in the light.
    I took it upon me to be yours, Timmy,
    I’ll lead your angels and demons at play tonight......»
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