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Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven CD (album) cover

LIFT YOUR SKINNY FISTS LIKE ANTENNAS TO HEAVEN

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Post Rock/Math rock


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loserboy
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars Double CD/Vinyl release from 9 member ensemble performing 4 very long and spacey tracks. What else could you ask for? "Lift your skinny fists." easily draws the listener into that relaxed mental spacial void where all one can consider is relaxation. All 4 songs are super long and highly exploratory in nature. GODSPEED's music swoops across some pretty vast moods and tempo changes. Title and opening track "Lift Your Skinny fists" opens with a simply breathtaking slow cello/violin and guitar driven symphony which builds and builds culminating into one huge reservoir sounding explosion reminding me of a mix of KING CRIMSON and SPIRITUALIZED. Basically the opening track sets the stage for the rest of the album with all other songs fitting in similar format. GODSPEED are a 9 piece instrumental ensemble who play unique symphonic space chamber music. Their delivery is warm and passive with sincere emotion and high musicianship. I personally can't get enough of their full rich sound when all players get into the fray... a sonic bonanza for your brain.

Report this review (#32044)
Posted Wednesday, July 21, 2004 | Review Permalink
5 stars If you only buy one GYBE! album, buy this one. Unlike the previous two albums, LIFT... has pieces that are well constructed wholes. "Storm" is one of those rare pieces of music that the first time you hear it you are like, "Whoa! Where did this come from!?!" The next track is "Sleep," another killer tune with a wicked middle section featuring a guitar shreding away on bend chords, with reverb I believe, creating a huge wall over pounding drums. "Static" is yet another complex piece that leaves the listener amazed. Up to now we have a perfect album. But in my opinion, "Antennas to Heaven" drops the ball, but only a little. I guess it just pales compared to the other three! It's not as structured as the first three tracks, leaning more to 18 minutes of ambience. The unique thing about GYBE! though, is that their ambience is created live with e-bows, strings, and effects on thier amps. No keyboards.

I love collecting prog, but occasionally I tire of hearing bands that just try to sound like other prog bands. GYBE! are completely fresh and different. This album is highly recommended for anyone seeking something a little different to add to their prog collection. Because there's no 4.5 stars, I'm giving it 5.

Report this review (#32045)
Posted Wednesday, July 21, 2004 | Review Permalink
Sean Trane
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Prog Folk
4 stars As I had discovered GYBE! a few months before this one came out , I was really expecting this one to shoot right through the roof of my tastes as the first releases were taking frequent turns on my deck. Alas , the musical evolution seems to stop , as the "artistic formula " is now well established and is repeating itself. Don't get me wrong , this is still an excellent album full of good music , and this had been their first release it might get the fifth star. This has a feeling of "business as usual " a little bit like another run-of-the-mill Status Quo album ( not that GYBE! sounds anything remotedly close to SQ). Also much recommended.
Report this review (#32047)
Posted Wednesday, July 28, 2004 | Review Permalink
Jim Garten
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Retired Admin & Razor Guru
4 stars Godspeed are one of those refreshingly different bands, impossible to categorise and once heard, impossible to ignore - they are a very worthy addition to this archive.

'Raise Your Skinny Fists.....' could be said to define true 'progressive' rock - highly textured sonic soundscapes, which although convoluted, occasionally repetitive, and with a tendency to meander occasionally, is never boring.

Think Brian Eno with an edge.

Think Robert Fripp with classical tendencies.

Think of a combination of the above spiced with The Enid's compositional flair.

Then ignore all of the above and just listen - an hour and a half will just slip by un-noticed, you will not be left humming any melodies, as there are actually very few, you will not have inspirational lyrics to quote to your friends, as the album is completely instrumental, you will not actually know why you like the album, but I almost guarantee you will.

I don't even know why I'm giving this album 4 stars, other than the fact that "Excellent addition to any prog rock collection" perfectly summarises this album.

Hope this helps...........

Report this review (#32048)
Posted Friday, July 30, 2004 | Review Permalink
penguindf12
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars The post-rock group of the new century. The herald of the apocalypse. The odd instrumental nine-piece from Canada who doesn't write their songs in a list but MAPS them in the liner notes. In less words, AMAZING.

I bought this album as a result of sheer curiosity. The name of the album is what first caught my eye. "What the %#@?!" was most people's response when I told them about it. Their nonconformity amazes me. Their album defines the sad fall of western civilization to hypocrisy. The liner notes are strange, and funnily enough have a picture of a punk band which isn't them on there! Talk about rejection of the "stage persona"! The music itself is mapped on the liner notes in a cryptic way. It indicates where each movement begins and ends, but I think it is lying to me. It says that the "Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" movement ends at 5:30 on track one when it really ends at 6:58 or so.

Anyways, the "Storm" is great. The hopeful encouragement of the title movement gives way to the strange constantly climaxing "Gathering Storm," which fades out into the dark, wet streets of a highway mini-mart and its sounds. Then it drifts down the apocalypse avenue in "Cancer Towers on Holy Road Hi-Way" and its radio tower sadness.

"Static" is another winner. "Terrible Canyons of Static" is pretty nice, and the atomic clock/chart #3 part is strange because of the religious ramblings in the background and the static feel. Then "World Police and Friendly Fire" builds into a rallying crescendo, which is effectively torn down by the post-apocalyptic sounds of "The Buildings they are Sleeping Now." This one has the sound of metal creaking and twisting as skeletons of skyscrapers burn down slowly after a nuclear war. It reminds me of the novel, "The Last Book in the Universe."

"Sleep" begins with the nostalgic ramblings of an old man remembering his days of sleeping on coney island. The constantly climaxing "monheim" rushes afterward, leaving behind a strange humming noise which once sounded like a female vocal section to lead into the calmer and dreamy "Broken Windows, Locks of Love."

Finally we come to "Antennas to Heaven." It starts with a weird bluesy "Baby-O" tune which is swept away by the rushing "Edgyswingsetacid" which in turn gives way to the glockenspiel thing after a mere minute. The most annoying part of this Cd is the "mon- ami fa la la la..." thing after this part. It seems entirely pointless, and it is the only lowpoint of the album. Thankfully the "bulldozer" part takes over for the major part of the song and "Deathkamp Drone" follows it inconspicuously. Then the hopeful reprise "Antennas to Heaven" closes it.

For some reason, the fourth track of the album seems less intense and more ambient. This is not bad, however, and is a welcome difference. The first track is sadder, the second very mixed, and the third more intense. This album is highly recommended for the curious and the nonconformist.

Report this review (#32050)
Posted Sunday, September 19, 2004 | Review Permalink
frenchie
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars When i first looked at the bands titles and artwork i was expecting this to be completely insane music. and i mean ummagumma + piper + neu! + frank zappa! I was pleasantly surprised after when i pressed play i was intruiged to hear very beautiful, chilled and emotional. This album uses a similar layout to "Tales From Topographic Oceans" by YES because it is a double album with 2 tracks on each, lasting around 20 mins, and it is also incredibly demanding to listen to. This album is even more demanding than TFTO so it is not for everyone.

My personal favourite tracks on this double album were "Storm" and "Antennas to Heaven". Each track shows a very progressive, demanding and extremely experimental array of different instruments played by our crazy nontet. Some of the downfalls are that sometimes it can feel like these pieces lack direction as they have such a slow build up by they eventually build up. I'm not sure if this album aims to captivate people, it's morely something to chillout to. The music is very ambient with different layers of sound experimented throughout. The arrangement on this album is flawless and the ambience kind of reminded me of the Silent Hill sountracks (excellent to track down, even if you dont like the games).

There is a wonderful atmosphere on this album as it is very chilled yet does not lack depth and energy. It feels like a mini orchestra and i could imagine "Storm" being performed by an huge orchestra as it is filled with so much beauty and passion. "Static" manages to piece together some powerful messages with the voiceover on the album. I like albums that send out a message and Godspeed have mastered that perfectly with their artwork and their titles and controversial image. Probably the biggest contradiction of rebellion and peacefulness i have ever experienced. Bands like Manic Street Preachers, Rage Against the Machine and Radiohead sound like they could thouroughly enjoy this band.

This album offers something new, daring, experimental and heavenly to listen to. Its likely that you will have difficulty listening to this album but i think the work contains a mood that anyone can want to share. I definetly recommend you try this band as it is something completely extraordinary, even if you dont like them i think you will definetly get some fullfilment out of this album.

Report this review (#32051)
Posted Friday, November 19, 2004 | Review Permalink
Fitzcarraldo
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars I had not previously heard this band's music, and bought "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven!" on spec. I did not even know what is Post Rock but, having read rave reviews of the band, was curious to find out what all the fuss was about. Having now listened for a few months to this 2-CD instrumental release I have to say that I am impressed, albeit perhaps not as much as some other reviewers. That said, I do enjoy this music and find it a worthwhile addition to my collection. It is also refreshing to hear something new: something progressive.

My first impression on listening to these two CDs was of TANGERINE DREAM but using conventional instruments. Then I read fellow reviewer diddy's review of "Yanqui U.X.O." and saw that he had exactly the same impression. Both CDs of "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven!" are very atmospheric and I can easily listen to them back to back. The tracks consist of a mixture of music, everyday sounds and talking. The whole thing has an avant-garde feel to it, including the sleeve made of recycled card with bizarre artwork, the insert made of recycled paper, and the minimalist printing on the CDs themselves.

'Storm' ebbs and flows. It reminds me of a cold, grey day in the mountains or on the coast. I like the way the piece builds using violin, drums, guitar and trumpet to become a wall of sound, then calms, and then builds again. The music somehow forces you to listen and it does not feel like a 22-minute track. The distorted Tannoy and street sounds over plodding piano near the end of the track add to the bizarreness and atmosphere. 'Static', with foghorns and steam train at the beginning, again has a heavy atmosphere. I can almost feel clammy fog around me. The whining and whistling radio static, along with other sounds such as the talking clock and evangelical sermon with violin over the top sound so bleak. Then the music builds hypnotically using a motif and becomes heavier. But the end of the piece calms again, with percussion and non-melodic electric guitar wafting gently and relaxingly from the speakers. 'Sleep' starts off with the voice of an old man reminiscing about Coney Island in bygone days. Then haunting guitar, violin and drum come in and the piece evokes feelings of nostalgia and sadness. The music even sounds a little like laid-back, very early PINK FLOYD in one or two instances. Again the music builds slowly to create a wall of sound. Part of this piece actually has what approximates to a melody! This builds and the guitar becomes totally distorted. I know this distortion is done for effect but it sets my teeth on edge, although for some reason it does work - but I could not stand it if it went on longer. Fortunately the music ebbs briefly before building again, but then the distortion reappears and, to me, is just irritating. 'Antennas To Heaven' starts as a hillbilly ditty before introducing electric string slides and the tinkling of a glockenspiel, with children's voices and other sounds as a backdrop. Heavier music suddenly jumps in and then out again, before the piece calms and the instruments create an atmosphere evocative of a damp forest or damp city streets at night. This last part probably sounds the most like TANGERINE DREAM and is totally relaxing.

Listening to these two CDs is a mesmerising experience. I come away feeling quite refreshed. There are no killer riffs, nothing to make you tap your foot, nothing to make you hum, yet the CDs are compelling. I'm not sure whether this music would be to everyone's taste, but I think most lovers of rock music would find it interesting and pleasing. I'm certainly glad to have this release in my collection but have to say that I feel absolutely no desire to buy any more of the band's albums. I don't mean that in a derogatory way, just that these two CDs have satisfied my curiosity and my 'need' for this style of music. I will continue to listen to these CDs with pleasure, but don't intend to buy any more Post Rock albums. But I can recommend without reservation this release if you have yet to experience the sound of Post Rock. I would award "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven!" three and a half stars if that were possible, but will go with 3 stars (Good, but non-essential). Fascinating stuff!

Report this review (#32052)
Posted Saturday, November 27, 2004 | Review Permalink
hitandrun2@gm
5 stars Beatiful, haunting, complex, long, ambient, exciting, gaining momentum, orchestral, voice overs, swept away, GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR! This Candian Post Rock and Experimental band is simply great. The songs may build up for 10-15 minutes before reaching a peak, which if you've been listening closely, should pretty much just fall down. Listen to the fade out, and turn it on again. Now, you're not going to like these guys the first time you hear it, the songs are just too long for that, but give these guys a chance and you'll be hooked.

This is really my favorite GY!BE album, although UXO is great and I have F# A# oo in LP Form :) This album should first be listened to one song at a time, then listened to all at once in my opinion. Storm is the best song on the album, it just holds me the most, not to knock the others. GY!BE is a great album for everyone who likes very experimental music.

Report this review (#32053)
Posted Monday, December 20, 2004 | Review Permalink
5 stars Listening to that CD for the first time, I was just blown away, since I had never heard anything like that before. It has a very dark sound produced by great guitar, strings and percussion (drums and glockenspiel mainly). Every song starts off very quietly (except for the 4th one which has a country-like beginning) and gathers energy for huge crescendos that lead to a final point where most of it is released again.

The whole thing is unbelievably beautiful and it's actually one of the few CDs that really move the listener (or at least me..). It includes nice melodies which then build up for a great "final" (not at the end of the songs though!) with all 9 people playing.

Even though this music is quite hard to get into (it has long parts which may seem boring when u listen to it for the first timr, and which still bore me sometimes...) and even though the sound does not really differ comparing the 4 songs (and i think that wasnt a goal by the artists anyways), I just have to give this album 5 stars, I have never heard a more beautiful kind of music before. Everybody needs to have at least one of GY!BEs CDs.... just to get known to this unique, modern sound and to see that there are still musicians that are not influenced by labels or the mainstream-industry and that are able to tell their message just by making music, not including vocals or appearing a lot in the media. That is real art, totally essential! ---> 5 stars, 95%

Report this review (#32054)
Posted Wednesday, December 29, 2004 | Review Permalink
5 stars This is probably the best band to emerge from Québec since a long time. GYBE are mixing Tangerine Dream, Orchestral music and of course, a lot of their own to creat a new genre.

This album is probably their best. Four 20+ songs, hard to expect better. Those who are searching for new prog rock should give this a try. It's absolutely stunning stuff, in the best I've ever heard in my life.

Report this review (#32056)
Posted Friday, May 6, 2005 | Review Permalink
Cygnus X-2
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars Wow... what an incredible piece of music. I'm not much for post/experimental rock, but I must say that this is a great album. It reminds of Tales from Topographic Oceans in that it has only 4 songs. After that, this album is an entity in its own. The Canadian group really does a terrific job going through many different moods in each of the quasi-instrumental suites. Each song has a great balance of soft sections that erupt into a cresendo of mixed chaos. The musicians on the album play with such precision and great timing, that it often feels like an improvised jam ocurring in your headphones.

The album shifts between light and dark areas. The light areas are often more mellow, and have a laid back sense. It often feels like you're in a dream when listening to these sections. But then when the band erupts into a bombastic section, the atmosphere changes drastically from light to dark, giving a sense of shock and awe to the listener. All of the tracks exhibit this quality. On some it is done flawlessly and never feels like it is dragged on, and on some it feels more like album filler. The quasi-vocal parts of the album are all also very well done. The beginning of the 4th track, there is an acoustic interlude with muddled, sludgy vocals that quickly evolves into an all-out progressive jam. There is a part in the 1st track where you can here a conversation between a group of children, and all of the laughing and singing in the background, and it gives the music an eerie feeling.

I recommend this album to anyone who has any taste in good music. The atmosphere varies marginally, and it often is a moody and dreary atmosphere. The group really did a great job on this effort. I give it a 4/5 for some minor dry spots during the quiet passages.

Report this review (#36441)
Posted Monday, June 13, 2005 | Review Permalink
FloydWright
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars Maybe I went into this with my expectations too high, but I really don't think Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven is all it's cracked up to be by some. This certainly isn't an awful album, and has received no rating lower than a three. Even though that's what I'm giving it, I think it would be hard for anybody to justify a 2 or 1 for this, because where it does work out, it really is stunning. By far, the most beautiful song was "Storm", which has excellent orchestral work and even one section that seems to rip off "Amazing Grace" in a way that fits with the song. Aside from one section where they hold on to the same droning, dissonant notes for far too long, this one is the best on the album. "Static" is more morose, just as its title suggests, and at one point there is what sounds like a man's description of a near-death experience, and it's hard to tell whether GYBE intends this to be frightening or inspiring. I think that's up to the listener. The song continues into a section reminiscent of PINK FLOYD's "Careful With That Axe, Eugene", or MOGWAI's "Like Herod", but unfortunately there is a bit too much meandering towards the end.

On the second disc you get two more pieces, the first of which I enjoyed quite a bit. "Sleep" begins with an old man's nostalgic remembrances of Coney Island's past glory, and those of you who have ever heard the audio CDs that accompany the book The Century by Peter Jennings will feel right at home with this. While the introduction begins quite slowly, it builds for 8 minutes to a crescendo that makes it well worth listening. The guitar or synth seems rather "B-movie" in its wailing, and as long as the percussion and other instruments are still going, especially during the uptempo section, this is fine. But then GYBE does its usual trick of shooting itself in the foot and allowing the wailing to go on unaccompanied for too long. What comes after this is all right, but not as memorable. The final track, "Antennas to Heaven" simply fails to impress, and is the most aimlessly ambient of the bunch, ending the album on an unfortunate note.

I typically do appreciate "epic" tracks, but I really think GYBE could've used more discipline in crafting these epics. While it's more along the lines of slow and melancholy than fast and flashy, I'm reminded of the problem I have with DREAM THEATER's album Scenes from a Memory: I think there are some meandering, self-indulgent, and only barely listenable sections in here that end up trying my patience and ruining a previously good opinion of a song. And speaking of self-indulgent...the inside cover art does nothing to improve this impression. Somehow, they manage to politicize an album of instrumentals! Completely unnecessary, to my view. Furthermore, I think it would have been a very good editing exercise for GYBE to work to fit this album onto one single 78-minute CD; that might have forced them to edit out some of the passages that were there for no reason. I also see no relationship between the segments of some of these four songs, no evidence that there was any real compositional planning like there was for PINK FLOYD's "Echoes" or "Shine on You Crazy Diamond". Maybe that's a part of this genre, but I don't have the same problem with post-rock greats MOGWAI and SIGUR ROS.

That gets to the root of the other problem I have with GYBE. Maybe I wouldn't feel this way if I had started with them instead of SIGUR ROS and MOGWAI, but I can't help feeling like certain sections are very close to the feel of those other bands. It's quite similar to the feeling I had when listening to PORCUPINE TREE's album In Absentia: feeling like I've heard it all before, except in a more defined, better- composed format. Yes, SIGUR ROS is the newcomer in comparison to GYBE, as far as their ability to compose a good album, but their sound is much more defined and frankly I think they have become the better songwriters of the post-rock genre. MOGWAI, which started at the same time as GYBE, took some time to grow into its compositional style and occasionally still manages to make something drag a la GYBE--but at least their compositions don't tend to run anywhere near as long, so one does get a break every so often! The best sections of Lift Your Skinny Fists, though, often seem very derivative of another band: PINK FLOYD, around the time of Ummagumma and Meddle.

If you are into highly experimental epics that cross into the self-indulgent, and ambient music that occasionally flares into a raging crescendo, then you may enjoy this album. Still, I'm not sure that it's worth all the hype. I'd rather listen to SIGUR ROS or any of the other bands I was reminded of; for this I have to be in a certain mood, and often I don't even want to listen to both discs on the same day.

Report this review (#37933)
Posted Tuesday, June 28, 2005 | Review Permalink
Zac M
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars This is, in my opinion, one of the best prog albums in years. After listeneing to this, I get the impression that prog is still alive and well and that the genre will keep going. Some may have thought this album is overly ambitious (much like Tales from Topographic Oceans), but I totally would disagrree. Here you have four songs, averaging about twenty minutes apiece in length, that all encompass different emotions and constantly change in musical textures and themes. It is truly an incredible album.

The first track alone ("Storm") is a beautiful composition that ranges from loud and powerful to minimalist, quiet, and serene. I especially am fond of the crescendo on this track. Strange samples are used at the end of this piece and on others. It adds to the allure of the album. Each technique the musicians used was put there for a reason. They all put forth this interesting blend of both acoustic and electronic effects.

I recommend this album to anyone interested in getting into the post-rock genre. A masterpiece like this cannot be overlloked by anyone. I hope to hear more of Godspeed's work in the future because after listening to this, I get the sense that prog is as alive and well today as it was in the seventies. Five stars, a true masterpiece of the sub-genre and highly recommended!

Report this review (#53565)
Posted Thursday, October 27, 2005 | Review Permalink
Carl floyd fan
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars What else can I say that so many others haven't already said? This is pure genius in a musical world that lacks orginality. All the songs range from 18-23 minutes and start off with spoken word from various films and other sources. What follows is a very slow buildup with many teases before a climax 20 minutes in. You obviously need a lot of time to invest into the cd but the outcome is stunning and very rewarding. GYBE! are the masters at creating a tapestry rich in sound and rival the prog rock powers of the early 70s in emotion, talent and that classic epic feel.
Report this review (#59675)
Posted Thursday, December 8, 2005 | Review Permalink
TheYellowJest
5 stars What more can be said about a brilliant masterpiece like this? I think the other reviewers have got it pretty much covered, so I don't feel the need to add on to what they have said very much. Simply put, this album is brilliant, and not just that, inspiring as well. At least to me.

The four tracks work well in conveying different moods, and the sound for each can be described as hopeful (Storm), frightening (Static), nostalgic (Sleep) and... uh... well Antennas to Heaven is a bit too disjointed to really assign any one particular mood to, so I'll leave that to someone else. These are, of course, my own personal interpretations of the music, and I have heard others. Wonderful thing about instrumental music, you can percieve it any way you want.

My favorite track is Static, closely followed by Sleep. Antennas to Heaven is my least favorite, but it still manages to hold it's own.

Report this review (#62057)
Posted Wednesday, December 28, 2005 | Review Permalink
4 stars Great monument of post-rock, although after this record many post-rock albums would hae the same sound, making it a bit boring to find out. Music clearly inspired by great bands like Slint and Mogwai, the greatest bands in this genre. It is a very good record, but there are some better ones (like GY!BE's debut album F#A# (infinity) and Slint's Spiderland).

Nice slow build-up of atmosphere on this disc, this band is not afraid of using large amounts of strings and very slow guitars, which rise and fall continuously. Especially the end of the first track (Storm) is great. Slowly the band create a threatening atmosphere, which becomes all the more intense near the end.

It is not music for anyone who wants a quick listen, but this record will prove very rewarding for those who really like to find new music and are willing to spend time doing so.

A great recommendation for people that already like this disc is "Set Fire To Flames", which is a side project by some of the members of this band. They would live in a separate apartment for a couple of days without sleeping, and eating regularly, and wanted to see what it would do to their consciousness. And the result "Sings Reign Rebuilder" is fascinating, lots of noisy sounds, which seem to come from nowhere, and then disappear again. This combined with some magnificent strings creates a great work of art, unlike anything I heard before.

Report this review (#63542)
Posted Saturday, January 7, 2006 | Review Permalink
ttaylor102003
4 stars This was a nice surprise for me, as I didn't know exactly what I was getting myself into. Very original and creative, and overall very good. It is beautiful, uplifting and hopeful sometimes, but mostly dark, depressing, sometimes scary, and still beautiful. There is enough good material on here, coupled with the originality and creativity, to raate this album as a five star effort. However, there is also some fluff here and there, and instead of having four 20 minute songs on two disc with a lot of great stuff and some filler, they could have had 4 15-20 minute songs with only awesome material.

Storm is the best song on here by far. Consistently good for the first 17 minutes. The first section, the album's title track if you will, is one of the most brilliant and beautiful pieces of music ever written, especially when thedrum kicks in at around 3:00. After about six minutes of dense horn/guitar/strings/percussion, the song goes quiet for a two minute buildup to the next part, consisting of simple violins and guitars. The part that follows is really spacy and beautiful, so good. After that, another short buildup and then 'Clatters Like Worry-' a rollicking, almost scary part. After that ends, there is basically five minutes of pointlessness, taken up by spoken word recordings and a few piano chords. Blah, but the first 17 minutes make up for it.

Static is the worst on here, they could have cut probably a good 6 minutes off of the intro and outro which are just pointless noises. Some more spoken word on here about God and stuff, doesn't add to the song. The actual musical part is good, kind of spooky, really good though.

Sleep is a sad song, beginning with the only good spoken word on the album: Murray Ostril, some old man, talking about how the world today sucks (he doesn't actually say that) and reminiscing about Coney Island. Very beautiful this song, although parts seem a bit dragged out at times. Not bad by any means.

Antennas to Heaven is a very sporadic song, with all these different sections. The first, Baby-O, is some guy playing acoustic guitar and singing a country-ish folk song for about a minute, then Edgyswingset acid takes it away with some walls of noise for a short short amount of time. Then comes a cool sounding glockenspiel part, really good, then some crappy spoken word from a bunch of canadian/french kids speaking french. Pointless. The part after is awesome however. First a slow slow violin part, consisting of long single notes, then one of the best parts of the album, maybe the best. All of a sudden, right in the middle of the slow violin part, there is this fast rollicking emotional part, led by some AWESOME lead guitar. It lasts like less than a minute though, but its still great. Some more slow, moving parts close the song, including an awesome bagpipe like part at the very end. Ah.

So all in all, a very good album with a fair amount of filler, but enough good stuff to be excellent. Best tracks are Storm and Antennas to Heaven. Beautiful stuff.

Report this review (#65883)
Posted Saturday, January 21, 2006 | Review Permalink
Prog-jester
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars This is the only one Post-Rock album I have,and it blows me away!!! Being a fan of Dark Music,I've found GYBE to be one of the darkest bands ever!!! Stunning "Storm" sounding like a perpetual culmination,moody "Sleep",mysterious "Static" and odd closing "Antennas to Heaven" have created the magnificient atmosphere of intense sadness.This is the music for those who sit alone in the night.This is a hour-and-a-half trip to the centre of nowhere.This is one of the most challenging bands I ever experienced.I'd like to listen to more Post-Rock!!!
Report this review (#80493)
Posted Tuesday, June 6, 2006 | Review Permalink
5 stars One day i was at a party and somebody ask me if he could put his CD of this montréal band GYBE! I said why not, go for it. After what seems like 2 hours, i ask if i could see the cover because i trough that what i was listening was incredible, i really trough i was in heaven ! It was this album and we where only listening to the first song, wow!! Only 20 minutes had passed !!!!

During the same week, i brough the album and, again, i was completely blown away by the music on this CD. Everything is great in here, but my favorite is "Static", one of the best build up song in history.

This CD for me is really a Desert Island disc. The emotions, the beauty and agressiveness are so well crafted, it's beyond words !!! And the most impressive is that there are 9 musicians playing in here, bands like Yes had trouble sometimes making album with only 5 musicians, and here in GYBE! they manage to do it with 9, impressive ;) I can understand people who don't like this album, it's not the kind of music that everyone might like but for me it is essential and can only be 5 stars.

You what to ear something completly differents, original, non conventionel ? Try this doible CD you will be in for a good surprise... So lift your skinny fists like antennas and go to heaven.

Report this review (#80536)
Posted Tuesday, June 6, 2006 | Review Permalink
Ricochet
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars The "Godspeed You Black Emperor" ensemble are gods of Sounds,of Vision,of Context and of Passion that goes everlasting.With just a short current discographic achievement,they have managed to make wonders and to disturb the general dynamics.With just three albums,they have the control.Believe me when I say that the personal fact of awarding every studio album of their work a solid or a close to solid five stars is totally justifiable.For even though my viewpoint progressive rock horizon expands to thirty-forty bands at five-six character of it,"Godspeed You Black Emperor!" impose as something truly unique,remarcable,fantastic and innovating.They may not be in a visible top (by not being music on everybody's language and convenience on anybody's option)-and,regarding them,it wouldn't even be of such importance to be in a visible top-but they are among the top of creation and concepts regarding high class,keen sharp focus,great perception and understanding,as well as masterfull strokes of music.In such style,in such times,in such a world,in such boundaries of reality and imagination,Godspeed You Black Emperor! Breaks the laws of routing,of compromise and of conformism,of sound spectrum limits and of composition boundaries.They define that with aplomb and they work their way as giants and as prolific.What the ensemble does is in the name and in the valuable prestige of music,of art;as for the fans,the experience of this manifest (of these manifests,cause I am still speaking at general scales) is a bliss,a shock,a soul-thrill and a constant "mind-game",a priceless gift.The relation is within divine chords and fantastic orchestration.The surrealist hard-abstrakt pulse is exhilarating."Experimental" comes as just a metaforic state of the Godspeed music.In fact,almost all definitions tend to be simple guidelines.Even this review of mine can be just a succint expression.For the real definition is the one given by the listeners' impression.Everything else,in the end,could just be allusions.

Every of the three studio albums carries a different message and a different pulse.Though great similarities and indigo markings can be considered,it is a very deceiving idea.After the apocalyptic,nebulous F#a# (and the relatively related EP that followed after),the scenario changes.Now to be honest I did actually set a reference on the ∞ and expected a continuation of that.But I was not dissapointed at all by this other side of the Godspeed dimensions."F#a# ∞" remains my favourite masterliness album,but "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven" is of the same magnitude and of the same breathless effect as well.Most elcomed and most prolific is the opened reference,in which the mystery of the sound and the trembling of the spirit prevails.Godspeed offers a double sized treat in which the enormous valences stay intact,the arrangement flows in the same gesture,just the themes and the approach being changed in order to support a new message,a new horizon,a new universe.The sensation and the emotion also goes directed into specific meadows. "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven" adpots an opened expression,one not in the sense of light or easy music,but in the perspective of a spirit definition.Here is the true contrast with F#a#.While that one stirs in the venom of its dark reflection and is clustered within the blackening poem (nota bene I am not describing limitations,but a concentrated essence) this one expands.It's plurimotivated and diverse in the general scale.The accent is on force and on the perpetuation of full power.With "routing" forms of compositions (the climaxes,for example;the everpresent climaxes),of perspective (higher,higher and higher) and of manifest (living up to their names),they make a presentation not of the doomsday,but of a world and thought beyond the natural graphics.As a first,the melody is more pronounced,this besides (or better said alont) with the experimentation of sound celss and distorted themes.Also the orchestration of movements and the collision of influences come tad proeminent related to the unitary form (again,these are not limits,but simple mass substances).The effuzion:the lights;the control!New is:the mixture of low silent points-which are sublime in construction and claustrophobic-and the vibrant energic climaxes-which are stretched as definition beyond your wildest imagination-as well as the fact that these two general movements are opposite polls to the limit;the motions,the dynamics,the key points of blistering rapid explosions;the "order" of the Brownian movement;the splendid scale of finding the unknown;the ascension focus viewpoint;the meadows of a delightful infinity;the spirit disquised in primordial material;the challenging phases of a sublime rapture.Unchanged stays:the essence and the ideals of Godspeed You Black Emperor!;the constant desire to make everything perfect:the splendid sensation of making out of the world a metaforical state of effect:the untouchable quality;the fruits of furt and the freeze of the moment:the unimaginable being reached,the unseen being faced:the flawless motivation;the close combination of Life,Death and Life;the neverending chimeras windows and the decreptive passion."Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven" is the call towards hopes and disillusions,towards the end of everything futile,the agony,the thrill,the point..

As much as I would like to elaborate the aspect,the sensation and the meaning of all four pieces,I will leave that to your subjectivism and your personal moment of reflection.My explosions of euphoria come on two moments: "Storm" (which is the best Godspeed You Black Emperor! Ever) and "Sleep" (for a climax of such intensity that burns your ears:a caution advice by this of course-to explore the Godspeed world with care,for the extreme climaxes ARE extreme climaxes).

Masterpiece.

Report this review (#82341)
Posted Saturday, July 1, 2006 | Review Permalink
ClemofNazareth
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Prog Folk Researcher
4 stars ‘Lift…’ is an album I’ve really gone back and forth on over the past few years of listening to it. I first heard this after discovering the band on college radio and picking up f# a# ∞, and was completely blown away by that album and by this one. Eager to learn more about the band, I continued to listen to both albums, picked up their EP as well, and started poking around for interviews or other biographical/philosophical insights into the band. Frankly this was a mistake, as their general disdain for almost everything (including at times their own music) and their overall cult-like existence became a real turn-off, and I began to tire of this album knowing the band was openly expressing contempt for many of the people who enjoyed listening to it.

This music demands to be heard though, regardless of the emotions or the circumstances, so I was inexorably drawn back to it again and again over time, finally resigning myself to the fact that I really, really liked it.

I’ve heard this music described as post-classical, and in some ways I think that is a more appropriate classification than is post-rock. Despite the guitars and drums, these are highly orchestrated compositions, intended almost solely to elicit intense and complex emotions, and perhaps even to enlighten and to influence. I feel the same types and ranges of emotions when listening to this as I did back in my college days when exposed to the likes of Debussy or Ravel, and especially some of the latter baroque works of Händel, Bach, or even Vivaldi. The long compositions, intense crescendos, and sometimes haphazard and abrupt transitions, are all highly unusual attributes of most modern music. The band has of course spawned numerous other projects, including Set Fire to Flames, A Silver Mt. Zion, Bakunin’s Bum, 1-speed Bike, Fly Pan Am, Exhaust, Shalabi Effect, Esmerine, Molasses, Hṛṣṭa, and Valley of the Giants. All of them demonstrate the same penchant for challenging traditional definitions of what is music, even what could be considered progressive music. This is probably their best-known work, but unfortunately also marks the beginning of the end, as the band announced an indefinite hiatus between this release and their final album Yanqui U.X.O.

The four works on the album may seem similar at first listen, but after years of playing it, each composition begins to take on its own character, and the many variations begin to emerge. The first track “Storm” starts off with a rather homogeneous opening for this band, mild and melancholy strings, light bells, and some almost imperceptible guitar chords. For the first time as far as I can recall the band includes some horns, sporadic on this track but prominent on the second disc. The drums come in as expected after the strings have lain down a sufficiently glum mood, around the three minute mark. The inevitable crescendo comes surprisingly quickly for a Godspeed work, at around six minutes in. Most bands would consider this a solid ending, but not these guys – there’s still another sixteen minutes to go, and that’s only for the first track. Amid an unidentifiable sustain (cello maybe?), an acoustic guitar and what may be a piano start the trek back up the musical mountain for the second time, this time adding in several dissonant chords and even feedback along the way, and with a climax that drags out for several minutes and sounds all the world like the pending collapse of several large metal structures. This is the “gathering storm”, which slows down eventually and finally simply stops.

Here the band inserts one of the collected street sounds they first introduced with their epic debut f# a# ∞. These transition to a long closing featuring unintelligible male voices amidst brooding feedback and interminably sustained strings. If you can stay focused throughout, this is an incredible journey of feelings – despair, contempt, and finally just the lost confusion of The Struggle. We are now in the eye of the storm.

Static can be defined as a stationary condition; atmospheric electricity; or interference. I think the band intended the second work to refer to all three. The opening here sounds like a train building up steam, perhaps a clever play on the band’s stylistic tendencies, or maybe this is what comes after the Storm. The band employs some odd electronic sounds here that were probably gleaned from various street noises, all seeming to represent industrial noises like trains, planes, and other forms of conveyance. Again the band inserts the recorded ramblings of a seemingly apocalypse- obsessed religious nut ranting about songs of jubilee and the promises in wait once we get around to destroying what is now, so we can get to that. The next ten minutes of “Static” are a truly bizarre blend of horror-film plodding guitar, menacing strings, and eventually an explosion of drums and violent electronic feedback, not only building in intensity but also in pace, finally ending in a frenzied explosion that leaves only a long, desolate and solo sustain in its wake. The remainder of the work consists of several minutes of aimless sounds, wailing but disorganized, which finally and mercifully end. The storm appears to have passed.

One interesting thing about Godspeed is that they introduce us to some colorful characters, Blaise Bailey Finnegan III on New Riot, Steve Reich on that widely available live track of the same name, and the nameless cowboy on f# a# ∞. On “Sleep” the oddball is Murray Ostril, a middle-aged old coot who is reminiscing about simpler times and sleeping on the beach at Coney Island. Finally the music begins to take on a tone that at least suggests we should all remove our heads from our ovens, or put away the knife, or whatever it was the preceding onslaught of despair was bringing us to contemplate. While the slow and gloomy strings are still present, the mellow guitar chords offer a glimmer of life and light, and when the buildup comes eight minutes in, it is intoxicating and hypnotic and – wonderful! The guitar vibrato and solid, confident drums are uplifting and playful, and the driving guitar-led tempo that thrusts itself out of the crescendo is abso-f**cking-lutely dazzling! These five minutes or so are among the most exhilarating I have ever experienced while listening to music. In fact, I have to go play that part right now.

……

Damn! Still brilliant! Frankly, the rest of this composition is nothing more than the snuggling after sex; or the gleeful ride home after watching your favorite team win a championship; or what comes next after you’ve experienced the greatest moment of your life – still good, but never quite the same.

Incredibly, by now the listener has been subjected to emotions ranging from hesitance to fear to despair to anger to lust to joy to hope, and dozens of feelings in between. If you’re listening in your car you’ve long since lost focus on the road and are trapped inside a flaming pile of rubble alongside the highway. If you’ve played this at home the dinner has burnt on the stove, the cats are ensconced in the basement or a remote crawlspace, and the annoying Jehovah’s Witnesses finally tired of ringing the doorbell and moved on to the neighbor’s house. If you’re on the train – look up, you’ve missed your stop and the end of the line is approaching. Well over an hour of your life is gone, but the time was well-spent.

But there’s more. “Antennas to Heaven” opens with Moya singing “Baby-O”, truth-in- advertising since that’s what the liner notes say should come next, but also enough to shake the listener out of their catatonic state. Fortunately this doesn’t last long, but the bells and glockenspiel that follow seem just as surreal. Perhaps I should be torching up a joint or something at this point, not sure. But before I can think that one through, up comes a couple of French kids or something blathering mindless children’s rhymes. Weird. Not to worry, another intense buildup-then-explosion comes soon enough, followed this time by a second musical convulsion about ten minutes later. This is vintage Godspeed, but without the heavy and un-obliging moodiness of the first disc in this set. I’m not exactly sure what the rest of the track is supposed to do for me, but what it does do is bring me slowly back into a world of reality, and somehow manages to reset my emotions back to the here-and-now. I’ve now seen the darkness in the mouth of the roaring lion, but I am not afraid. This is knowledge good to have, but not that can consume me. My destiny is mine.

I have wondered if the title of this album is supposed to convey a similar thought to that Patti Smith had when she penned these lyrics for “Privilege” on her Easter album:

“In the presence of my enemies, Thou anointest my head with oil - my cup runneth over.

Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Ah, damn, goddamn, goddamn, goddamn –

Here I am!”

Seems like that’s not far from right anyway. This is a great album, just a razor-thin hair shy of indispensable, but better more intense and lasting than the vast majority of things you could stimulate yourself with today – and not nearly as bad for you as some of those things. Well worth an hour-and-a-half of your life.

peace

Report this review (#88893)
Posted Sunday, September 3, 2006 | Review Permalink
5 stars The Holy Grail of Post-Rock.

This album is without a doubt Godspeed's finest work. Epic, haunting, beautiful, morose, this album is a dark masterpiece. I normally stray away from song by song reviews, but I have to for this just for the song length, and quite frankly every track on this is worth the price of the album itself.

1. Storm - Perfect. This is my favorite post-rock song, and in serious contention for my favorite song of all time. The violin buildup takes awhile, but it is completely worth it, the drums kick in and this piece just soars, when the drums come in is without a doubt one of my favorite passages in musical history, its just perfect. The crescendoes (pardon my spelling) surge and crash, and the melodies are just stunning. If you listen to one track off of this album, make this the one.

2. Static - Again, Godspeed showcases their amazing buildups. This is not a track I would like to fall asleep to, because for all its brilliance, it is a downright scary track to listen to. I will say that this is the weakest song on the album, but it is still a wonderful track.

3. Sleep - Perfect. My second favorite post-rock song of all time. This track is much more mellow and relaxive, though still very tragic. The monologue intro is an old man reminiscing about his childhood in the now diminished Coney Island. This sad, and very true reminisce of "the playground of the world" starts this piece off on a very sad note, which progresses through the rest of the song. "They don't sleep anymore on the beach"

4. Antennas To Heaven - The first section of this song throws many people off, the out of tune notes, banjo (i think), and disturbing lyrics (if you can't understand them look them up) are very removed from the rest of the material on the album. From there this track gets even more sporadic and cut up, but there is a lovely violin part to be found in here. Though some people don't like this track because of the odd shifts, I love it for them.

In conclusion, this album is a must have, and basically a "Best of" for the entire post- rock genre. Godspeed just gets it perfect here, and while I think Sigur Ros are on their way, GY!BE are the reigning kings of post-rock IMO.

Report this review (#89526)
Posted Tuesday, September 12, 2006 | Review Permalink
5 stars This album was my introduction to experimental/post-rock music. I'm a big fan of symphonic prog, space rock and art rock and was a bit sceptic when I read the description of experiment/post-rock music. Well, I got surprised! This album contains everything I love in prog rock. Godspeed's music is intense and sensitive. It's complex, but very listenable once you get used to the weird guitars sound. In my opinion, the best things on the album are the introduction of Storm and the intense climax building up in Static and Sleep. 80 of pure pleasure.
Report this review (#89720)
Posted Friday, September 15, 2006 | Review Permalink
Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Not the kind of Prog your dad listened to, is it ? This music goes from spacey to crushing riffs, from spiraling cresendos to dark silence, from an ambient mood to frenzied guitars. It builds from a whisper to a wall of sound. From a dark and spooky atmosphere to uplifting joy.

I can't help but think of something that Roger Waters once said while I was listening to this recording, that "ideas" are more important than "virtuosity". Lots of unique ideas and experiments on this double album, spread over four long tracks. I must say though that I wish it was just the first album alone 'cause then it would be a 5 star rating from me. I just find the second disc isn't nearly as dynamic as the first, and it doesn't have those stark contrasts as a result.

For me though this is easily a 4 star album and an important part of GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR's legacy.

Report this review (#92405)
Posted Wednesday, September 27, 2006 | Review Permalink
4 stars A double album, a marvelous album, a good polished jewel. This is a band that puts you in the mood for relaxin' as well as for listening to every note they play. Once you notice the great harmonies on the first 6 minutes of the first track you don't wanna miss the rest.

A few words can describe G.Y.B.E! better: eerie, melancholic, spacy, beautiful, dark, noisy, sophisticated and languid. Their music is a mixture of psychedelia, ambient, chamber music and noise. This is Art-Rock at its best, there's no doubt about it. If you wanna find out how this canadian group with a long name sound like, you should start here.

4 stars (of course it's prog!)

Report this review (#92412)
Posted Wednesday, September 27, 2006 | Review Permalink
Certif1ed
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
1 stars Put Your Shiny Coins Back Into Your Wallets Like Ants in an AntHeap

OK, I'm no poet.

3 words can sum up this entire album;

Dull, dull, and dull.

Did I say that this album is dull?

I probably gave you high expectations then.

Maybe GYBE took Radiohead literally when they ironically sang "Hey, man, slow down" at the end of the OK Computer album in 1997.

Glacially slow developments of uninteresting musical ideas "exploring" texture at the expense of actual music give way to... well... nothing really. Barclay James Harvest on Mogadons, possibly. One thing is impressive, though, that the band themselves can actually maintain interest or stay awake during the marathon build-ups and burn-outs, and not least during the inconsequential pieces of rock music in between.

Impressive appears to be the watchword here, but the band try too hard to impress with the layers of interesting sounds, and few are the moments when you feel that any kind of musical portrait is being drawn, or that you are travelling on any kind of musical journey - except, maybe, the very long sort that never seems to end.

I must admit, I was expecting to enjoy the "Storm", the "Cancer Towers", and the "Terrible Canyons of Static", but felt let down at the non-programmatic nature of the soundscapes. My fault, perhaps, for reading the track titles before getting stuck in - but I like to see what expectations the packaging sets up for the music and my reactions on hearing it.

Ever more regressive, the band try to conjoure atmospheres with sampled speech over more glacially slow playing and effects - but with no purpose. The sounds within the pieces are never referential of the titles - one would assume that the titles were thought up independently of the soundscapes as if to lend them some sort of creedence to mask the absence of actual musical ability.

For there is little or no evidence of actual composition here - and I understand that Post-Rock is "supposed" to avoid formal concepts, but it is also supposed to be complex. While there is undoubtedly a web of sounds that is complex, that doesn't equate to being complicated or musically interesting in any way - it equates to many layers. Ironically, the incredibly simplistic forms aren't hard to untangle either - the only reason they may not be immediately obvious is the horrendous length of everything.

It's hardly original either. It all sounds like an elongated spin-off of old ideas, albeit with the lack of intent, intellectual prowess and musical ability of the forebearers. In fact, this is like the stuff you get in the better Prog Rock bands as atmospherics in between the good stuff, but with less imagination.

The final problem: Compression.

Compression sucks the life out of good sounds, and is necessary when everyone wants to turn their instruments up to 11 on the mixing desk, or if a particular sound has too much dynamic. While there is reasonable dynamic for the most part in the quieter sections, in the loudest sections where everything piles in, e.g. "World Police and Friendly Fire", the whole shooting match clips uncomfortably, and no-one with "engineers ears" would want to listen to the resultant mess.

For a band so tightly focussed on timbre, this is a real problem.

To summarise:

Bad production, lack of real musicianship, regressive rather than progressive ideas and overall, a real yawn. Not fit to sit in the same collection as Gentle Giant, King Crimson or Frank Zappa - although Tangerine Dream fans may express the mildest of interest.

Possibly interesting for one listen - but don't part with hard cash for it!

Report this review (#96241)
Posted Monday, October 30, 2006 | Review Permalink
Man With Hat
COLLABORATOR
Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team
5 stars After a year or two, and many listens I decide to review this album formally. This is one of those albums that shakes music to the core, and I am afraid that I can not do this album justice. I still don't think I can capture the pure power of this music in words, so for that fact I will try to keep it short. Also, I feel that is one of those album that needs to be discovered by the individual, so I will try to not give too much away with my words.

This fact bears repeating, this is one of those albums that should be listened to by any person that loves music (of which I have yet to only find three others that I say belong to that category). Godspeed...are a canadian nontet which have the power to move the soul in making of their music. (I often think that this album made me believe that you can say more with music then with lyrics). Dark, powerful, eerie, beautiful, melancholy...these are only a few adjective to describe the journey this album (and this band in general) take you on.

It all starts off with Storm, IMO the best track on the album. I personally like the second and last "parts" of this opus (and I find that "Cancer Towers..." is probably the most saddening sounds in all of music [at least that I've heard]). This track alone is enough to show the virtuisity of the band (which is not a word I hear with post rock all too often). Second up is Static. The words "sonic assult" were created for pieces like this one. This song is particular shows off their stellar use of cresendos, decresendos, dynamics, and many of the other essentials in the music world. (which all culminates in one powerful climax that must be heard to believe). Stunning. Third (or first on the second disc) would be Sleep. Starting off with a (somewhat) heartbreaking "speech", which is just the tip of the iceberg with this song. I find it amazing how much can be created by the music of this band (the emotion, the power, the jawdropping awe). This song would also near the top of my all time favorite GYBE! songs, and really needs to be discovered by the listener (perhaps it holds that quality of the most out of all these pieces). Exhillerating. Finally, comes Antennas To Heaven. Unfortunatly this is the weakest track here (I say unfortunatly only because it ends the album). Having said that there is still a lot to praise here, I just don't feel it can compare to the other works here (even in fields that include the fundamentals of music). But it does complete this awe inspiring trip.

All in all this album is essential. Even though it might take a couple of listens to completely "get", once it happens, look out. This album is also the perfect introduction to the genre of post rock (as it started me out and I can't move through it fast enough). I can only hope I captured something with my review. 5 stars without a doubt.

Report this review (#100180)
Posted Thursday, November 23, 2006 | Review Permalink
OpethGuitarist
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars Patience

The best way to approach this behemoth of a record is carefully, considered, and patient. Out of all the Godspeed records, this may be the most difficult to absorb. This is one of the few records that really takes effort to listen to in order to have a concept for its purpose. The band really control their artistic content here, forcing the listener to have a good attention span or else almost all will be lost.

If you've ever hated when a band has a good concept but never expands on it, you'll feel right at home here, where every idea is meticulously thought out. The pace is a sauntering Sunday walk and never hurried (although I find this hurts the record in some sections), this might be the slowest album I've listened to.

This album is one of the few albums I have that I will love in certain parts and absolutely can't stand others. Part's of Storm, especially, are really breathtaking, and some of the best moments in prog for any band. However, I can't help but associate this record especially to that of Yes's Tales due to the myriad sections of absolute nothingness (although I despise everything in TFTO and actually enjoy this). There are times when you will go 8 minutes before hearing something you can truly enjoy, embrace, and relate to; the time between those 8 minutes will be filled with extended notes that never fade out, vocal spoken passages that add little to the songs(other than length), and to a degree some concepts in minimalism.

When the songs actually do get moving, they are quite enjoyable and quite entertaining. They will take you on a fun ride and you will literally be killing yourself to skip to these sections again on replays because they capture an essence that is rarely found. I really prefer F#A# infiniti over 'Lift...' but that's not to say that many would not love this record, and it is ideal to understanding the concept of post-rock.

Report this review (#104636)
Posted Wednesday, December 27, 2006 | Review Permalink
The T
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars 2007 Change: I've heard the album a couple more times since I wrote this, and with time, the experience actually got weaker. The music wears out quickly and it's my duty to correct the rating and bring it to three stars, a good purchase but not essential. Interesing to add to your collection if you NEED a post-rock album.

Well, at last one worth listening to...

I'm talking about the post-rock genre and the huge dissapointment it has been to me. Since I started venturing into this territory, I haven't had a pleasant experience but boring, depressing ones. That has partially changed with my hearing of this album, GODPSEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR!'s Lift your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven.

My usual complaints about the post-rock genre can be found here, too, but in smaller doses and, the biggest difference in favor of this album, less evident because of INTERESTING IDEAS, which I hardly could find in Sigur Ros and Mogwai. Yes, this is still depressing music; yes, this is still just a lot of crescendos and variations in intensity with little in the way of MELODIC and THEMATIC variation. But both problems are harder to detect here. In the "mood" department, what this album has going for it is that IS NOT THE SAME all the time, so, even if very scarcely, we actually get a few "up" (if such a word can be used with this genre) moments, with some LIGHT within them, where future and life doesn't look so dead-end like in other post-rock releases (and the metal version of this genre, for that matter). Also, while still true to the "crescendo-only" formula, the ideas are a little bit more developed here, we can actually find themes that are WORKED WITH and not only REPEATED TILL EXHAUSTION.

Another huge difference in the experience I had with GYBE with the ones I had with other bands is that here there's a lot of instrumental elements to be found and to be praised: we can hear the members in GYBE are skilled performers that know how to carry an idea just by adding textures and intensity (as I said, though more complex, it's still post-rock). We can HEAR the DRUMS! Not that an album NEEDS a particular instrument to be good, but if an instrument is present, why not make it HEARABLE? The production therefore is very, very good, of the utmost clarity. The piano, when it appears, sounds with crystal-clear purity, as do the other instruments.

What I think is interesting about this album is, as I said, the TEXTURE work you can find. In terms of thematic variety, there's not much to be found, but the great harmonic work of the musicians make up for the lack of it with beautiful landscapes that transport you to cold, deserted lands. Yes, I don't think there could be anyone that says post-rock takes him to sunny places... but here we are carried to icy lands with patience, with some intelligence, without making the journey a boring, excruciating one.

What a great thing is that this be just an instrumental album. After listening to Sigur Ros' annoying "voice" (which I categorized as the most annoying thing I've ever heard), it makes a lot of sense in music like this to let the sounds do the talking. If it's impossible to think of actual words for a song, it's better not to include vocals, and allow the instruments to take upon themselves the task of expressing what the music wants to express; GYBE! manages to do that with a degree of success I didn't think a post-rock band could achieve.

All in all, a very decent album, even a good one. For me, for my own personal taste, it's still not my kind of thing. It's still too cold a music, it's still too repetitive a music, I still think there's not enough thematic variation to keep me fully interested. But as far as post-rock goes, I doubt I'll encounter anything better. And, personal tastes aside, there's enough originality and innovation going on as to warrant a recommendation even for people not yet acquainted with this genre. As a matter of fact, I guess this is the ONLY logical doorway to this genre. I will give it 4 stars because I think it's an excellent addition to your collection, that is if you want your collection to be diverse and to have a little bit of everything...

... In this case, the BEST of something.

Recommended for: fans of GYBE; fans of post-rock music; fans of post-metal music that can take non-metallic music; open-minded music fans that want to try something they haven't tried as of yet.

Not recommended for: post-rock haters: this album, though a LOT better than others, won't change your mind because it's STILL POST-ROCK; and, as always with this genre's records, I have to tell depressed people to stay away from this. Because if you don't, we could be saying godspeed to you... whether you're a black emperor or not.

Report this review (#107498)
Posted Sunday, January 14, 2007 | Review Permalink
4 stars It took a surprisingly long while, and for a time I was afraid it would never come, but in the end, my patience paid off. And when that time came, something flew up out of nowhere and hit me over the head like a ten-pound bag of bricks. I was left dazed, gasping for air, struggling to maintain consciousness as wave upon wave of admiration and awe washed over every pore of my body. I had never experienced anything like this. Sure, I had experienced something close, indeed, I had come within inches of this same experience multiple times before, but this time, I did not just look over the edge, feeling the thrill of viewing the long drop, I actually went over the edge, plunging downward, and feeling the actual thrill that comes with that, and cannot be achieved simply by looking.

The above was my reaction when I first "got" this album, which occurred during the first climax of the opening track, Storm. And I still have not had an experience like it ever again, and nor do I ever expect to. As I said in the previous paragraph, I had come close, and indeed I had. Some of the climaxes I had heard on Agaetis Byrjun (by Sigur Ros) and The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place (by Explosions in the Sky) were quite incredible. But I still got closer. The Godspeed You! Black Emperor song Moya (on the Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada EP) was quite powerful the first time I heard it, and still is now. But the closest I came was on the third degree climax (climax within a climax within a climax) of Mogwai's Ratts of the Capital (album: Happy Songs For Happy People). None of those, however, prepared me for what I was about to experience with this album.

Don't expect, based on my comments of this one particular climax, that this album has only one moment at all worthwhile on it. In fact, you'd be harder pressed to find one bad moment than thirty good ones one this album. And then again, maybe it would be hard to find thirty good moments on this album, but that is only in a good way. The tracks flow together well, almost as if they are one single entity (while still maintaining separate identities), and thus the album can almost be considered as a single "moment," one that lasts over eighty minutes and is blissful for the entire time. It is really hard to find problems with this album, it truly is.

In fact, the biggest problem with this album has nothing to do with the music, but rather the associations implied by this album's very nature. This is a two disc album, with four songs, each around twenty minutes long, and this will, for many prog fans, bring up natural connections to the similarly formatted Tales From Topographic Oceans (Yes). Whether Tales is a bad album or not has little to do with this review, and I will leave that to you to decide. Given it's rather controversial status among many prog fans, however, this association by similarity may not bode well for this album. So I'd like to clear up that the two albums sound nothing alike. Whereas Tales is full of countless solos and includes vocals, this is a purely instrumental album (well, almost) where the band clearly gels as a unit with no one player taking center stage. It focuses on moods and textures, fantastic buildups leading to jaw-dropping climaxes, and the like to the perfectly makes its mark on the prog, and, more noticeably, the post-rock genre. This music is not only prog (an easily defineable genre of music with a set of specific charasterics), but also progressive (innovative, inventive, and new, music that pushes the boundaries of music new directions).

In short, this is a must own album. I'm torn between rating it four and five stars. On the one hand, it is a groundbreaking album, one of the most important albums ever recorded, innovative and new and without a bad moment. On the other hand, it's not quite perfect. In the end, I have to go with four stars (but really meaning closer to 4.9), but keep in mind that I regard this as one of the greatest albums in my collection. Every moment on this album is just as powerful to me now as that one climax was when I first "got" the album. I cannot recommend it highly enough, and not progressive music collection can be called complete without it.

Report this review (#113992)
Posted Thursday, March 1, 2007 | Review Permalink
Moatilliatta
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars The past decade has been marked by an immense uprising of creativity, finally reviving the progressive spirit of the seventies, and, dare I say, improving on it. One of the new genres to have spawned during this movement is post-rock, which by this point needs no explaining, and neither does Godspeed You Black Emperor! One of the figureheads of the movement, Godspeed creates an atmospheric chamber-style sound that is minimalistic, yet fraught with melodies and experiments. There is a lot to take in, but it's never overbearing. You only have to inure yourself to some noise and their use of strange audio excerpts from things like an announcement at an AM-PM convenience store.

Not only the band's masterpiece, but post-rock's cornerstone as well, Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven will floor you with one of the most memorable set of passages in music's history. The album is divided into four multi-movement suites, each marked with emotionally stirring melodies, beautiful lulls, and thunderous climxes. The power emitted by this record is seismic. I promise you that sitting through this will change your musical paradigm. If you thought that this wave of progressive music really had nothing to show beyond emulating past greats (though you would be wrong to think so in the first place), Godspeed will make you reconsider, even if you were the most stubborn past-dweller of them all.

This album is borne of the same writing style as the group's debut and the subsequent EP, but while the debut, despite it's qualities, was a bit drawn on and inconsistent, and the latter fixed those issues in a shorter output, this album manages to do it all extremely fluent for over 80-minutes. All of the postive aspects exhibited before has been synergized into this epic album. The soaring atmospheres will make you motionless, and the climaxes will leave you breathless. I won't go into further detail in analyzing this, because really you get out of it whatever you will, and there certainly is a lot to get out of it. Long made short, this album is not to be missed by anyone.

Report this review (#116378)
Posted Sunday, March 25, 2007 | Review Permalink
5 stars The coolest album title ever? Definitely. One of the most accessible albums of all time? Definitely not. The crowning achievement of the musical force known as Godspeed you! Black Emperor? It very well just might be. It's certainly their most "polished" release to date, at least. "Storm" is the archetypical Godspeed composition, it is a great song if you want to give someone an idea about that the band is all about. It has the slow start, the intense climaxes, the moody atmoshpere, the pre-recorded tapeloops, the politics, the diverse instrumentation, and to tp it all off, it's of absolutely stunning quality. The same goes with the third composition "Sleep". "Storm" and "Sleep" are alike in the sense that they are pretty conventional by post-rock standards. "Static" and "Antennas to heaven" are different, and there is a lot of noise in both tracks. Static begins with 5 minutes of... well, "Static", and ends with 5 minutes of what sounds like a sawmill from hell, and "Antennas to heaven has a strange country intro, followed by french kids running around singing, a very short, but equally intense, musical climax, a slower, quiet violin and cello part, and then... 5 minutes of soft, ambient noises. On my first visit to "Lift your skinny fists like antennas to heaven", i hated these two tracks, especially the last one, for this reason, and i always skipped these 15 minutes of the album. Therefore, If someone claims that these parts are pointless, i can't blame them, but since then i've started to love the noise as much as the music itself. The noise on this album is the most atmospheric that i have ever heard, and fits perfectly in with the dark landscapes of Godspeed, andi really wouldn't want to be without them. They do, however, make for pretty hard listening if you're not expecting it, is more used to conventional music, or have difficulty concentrating for longer periods of time. (By the way, if that last one is true for you, stay away from this band..)

So, what did i mean before, when i said that "Lift your skinny first like antennas to heaven" is more "polished" that the other albums by Godspeed? Well, if you listen to their debut album, F#A#oo, you really hear that the band hadn't perfected their sound just yet. The sound is hollow, the emotions are dark, the instruments echo and the compositions are jagged. The further you go from there, the more experienced the band gets, the more they find their style, the less i can feel that raw energy from the first album, and while both LYSFLATH and Yanqui U.X.O are great albums, there is a charm to F#A#oo that i just can't resist. So yes, i am sure that Lift your skinny fists like antennas to heaven may very well be the best and most diverse album from Godspeed and surely worthy of the five golden stars that constitute a masterpiece of an album, but in my world, the debut and the EP both beat it.

Yes, it is dark, and yes it might not gel completely, but i can't recommend this album enough to everyone who feels that emotion is the most important part of their music, and is prepared to give up on some of the instrumental virtuosity. If you allow it, Godspeed WILL blow you away.

Report this review (#116880)
Posted Friday, March 30, 2007 | Review Permalink
5 stars I can't even begin to describe how wonderful and enlightening this piece of work is. It's relaxing, rejuvenating, and very original.

GY!BE is never in a hurry, and is able to create the climax needed by having no restraint on time. I don't think any of this album is slow in any way, just going at its own pace, which is extremely effective. Every track on this album is haunting and entrancing, and very effective.

This is the ultimate post-rock album, and probably the most important to own. Get it now!

Report this review (#116949)
Posted Saturday, March 31, 2007 | Review Permalink
TRoTZ
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars Another collection of movements of supreme art, sublime and ethereal feeling, intense and disturbing soundscapes. Words are not needed when instruments express beauty and emotions so majestically, a heartbreaking cruzade of violins, trumpets, guitars and pounding rhythms, from ethereal subtle moments, haunting long-crescendos to vigorous rock explosions. This time, the band's usual intense feeling was on the format of long, transcendental mini-suites and evolved quite in a different manner.

Their vision is not always so catastrophic here, as seen on the opening "Storm" - it's even majesticfully joyfull, like a beautiful praise to the Planet's beauty. But the worst side of Human Being touch inevitably happens, expressed on its chaotic middle and heartbreaking distorted piano-driven grandiose final. "Static" continues this painfull retrospective analysis, a disturbing evolution of sound effects leading to a cathartic moan, as if it was the last chance to put things back, to save the World. The compelling "Sleep" is the point of return. While elevating their existencial anguish to its peak, it ends in a beautifully subtle appeal of hope, opening a door to the metaphysical introspective final ode "Antennas to Heaven".

GY!BE is the band which took post-rock to its highest symphonic level, reaching levels of profundity almost never seen in rock music. More again, a warning for the non-human part of Human Being.

Not everyone is able to understand a Beethoven's symphony, a Dostoievsky's book or a Picasso's artwork. As with these, GY!BE's eclectic music can only be understood by those who irradiate a great dose of human sensibility.

Report this review (#121900)
Posted Sunday, May 13, 2007 | Review Permalink
5 stars I think when people look at this album they want to have fast solos and time signature changes, but thats not what Post Rock is about. This to me is the definitive Post-rock album. Its got the essentials. Dark Soundscapes Flowing changes through melody/counter melody/ and backround Theres a band called Metronome the City that follows this exact feel. It shows that GYBE has influenced many bands in their Post- Rock genre. This is purely en essential for any progger. It has its themes of Progness, originality, and flow. 5 stars.
Report this review (#127739)
Posted Friday, July 6, 2007 | Review Permalink
3 stars In an album deemed a masterpiece, there are a number of vital components. The album should be wholly unique, and deliver an experience altogether hitherto unmatched. If the ideas presented in the album's music is redundant, or is not fresh at all, or lacking any creative direction, or if it is blatant plagiarism, then no amount of musical prowess can make the album a masterpiece. Secondly, the music must be utterly atmospheric, and, moreover, create its own world. The listener should feel distanced from earth, from the material world, and the music should truly comfortably escort the listener into its new realm. Lastly, and rightly, most importantly, the album must have emotional resonance. It does not necessarily need to dish out endless stores of beautiful melodies; it simply has to linger in the psyche of the listener. A chord must be struck, something emotional - something within must genuinely haunted by the music. It is rare that an album will fulfill any of these goals fully, let alone each of them. The simple truth is that Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven is an album that executes all these goals, and is maybe even worthy of the tag masterpiece, yet it is not essential. The reasons: this album is certainly not suitable for all people, and many people who do not appreciate slow, contemplative, otherworldly music will loathe this passionately, and, also, it's so large in scale, and so long, and so layered and intimidating, that sometimes it is almost like a chore to listen to it entirely. Besides that, many spoken word segments grow annoying.

Every moment is overwhelmingly haunting. The classical nuances the band exercises, combined with the ambiance and spoken word recorded, come together to form a truly brilliant atmosphere, endlessly unfathomable, and eternally evolving. Ambient music has never been so full of character, and neither has post-rock been so vaporous. The structured segments are lingering, and uplifting, at times, but never to the extent of the "pop sensitive" post-rock groups, such as Explosions in the Sky. The sinister and foreboding factor is still chief, but not by a vast margin. There is a good deal of variation between moods, and the textures are just as diverse. The nine-piece Canadian group have a strange line-up for this type of music. Guitar, guitar, guitar, bass, bass, drums/percussion, drums/percussion, cello, violin. Two basses? Indeed. Three guitars? Indeed. And not a trace of keyboards. All these crazed, psychedelic effects generating ripples in the consciousness are not derived from keyboards or piano-based devises. Indeed there is some piano here and there, but no one on the line-up is in charge of piano alone: there's no pianist in the group. And, I believe, most of the effects produced on the album were analog, and, with the exception of studio tricks, non-electronic. But I may be wrong. Post-rock is traditionally guitar-led music, but GY!BE take it on themselves to explore different possibilities, and do not rely only on the guitar. In fact, I find the use of the guitar isn't huge compared to the orchestral instruments in the line-up. Sometimes spoken word is the leading instrument, with only some subtle violin strokes to darken the mood.

I do not much like going over an albums songs individually, and discussing the course of the song in detail. But this album is an exception, and I feel compelled to further describe this music to you.

Storm: The structured, throbbing beat is complemented by a simple and effective orchestral touch, and soon becomes more energetic and the throbbing continues to hypnotize. Eventually the structure gives over, and the spoken word of a Barco AM/PM employee takes charge. Something about the simple words is sinister; something about the subtle and murky orchestra behind the speaking really lingers with the listener. The spacey, the swirling effects renders the listener into a euphoric trance before slowly dimming.

Static: Gradually reaching an ambient atmosphere in the vein of the previous song, a processed preacher begins his spiritual speech as the violin and cello return to the scene. After our pious friend leaves the stage, a more malevolent and compelling sections arrives, throbbing slightly, until the pace picks up. With a very minimalist classical approach, things slowly evolve as the volume scale rises and falls, and other instruments, including bells/xylophone/glockenspiel (whatever that instrument is) which adds a most sharp and ecstatic touch. Energy builds, and the entire band joins in the quarrel. The sonic and layered sections evolve endlessly. After the release of tension, they drift into a cloudy section of mushy ambient music, with really dark moods and extraordinary effect.

With disc one finished, a more emotional, and a more captivating disc arrives. Pay attention to the artwork as you scuffle to switch discs - the disturbing and yet moving photos of men having their hands cut off by scissors, and masked men standing ominous and with authority will add to the overall mood of the album. Meaning may be troublesome to derive from the disquieting photos, but at least they're thought-provoking, and beautifully drawn.

Sleep: Reminiscing on the "old days" is an elderly man - and unlike the other spoken word segments: this one is not encumbered with layers of subtle orchestra. After the words, and the brief instrumental ambient rant thereafter, the guitar plays a melody. A melody? We've been out of stock of those during most of disc one. But don't worry - it soon is overcome by more instrumental playing with a more resonating and gripping feel. Energy builds slowly, like a mountain being forced out of the earth after years of tectonic movement. The mountain of energy transforms suddenly, into a much quicker sections. Soon, the tension is too great and the mountain collapses, falling again into euphoric textures. Again the mountain rises, climaxing more powerfully than ever, and continues firmly to the song's end.

Antennas to Heaven: The final track - the magnum opus. The acoustic section where Moya sings "Baby-O" is disturbing beyond knowing: the lyrical content "stick my finger in the baby's eye" is truly creepy, yet is impossible to turn away from. After the pithy glockenspiel duet, French school children (from Montréal, I'd not doubt, since that's the band's origin) sing children's songs. Memory eternally forgotten was unearthed, and returned to existence: these songs I sang when I was about three years old. That in itself was enough to make the whole album wholly surreal: but the following section is so absolutely gorgeous, so simple and sticking, so mind-bogglingly beautiful that my already frail self was blown to pieces. The orchestra and guitar finally go into overdrive, shouting out a most beautiful string of notes. The following ambient division is more unearthly than any before it, and as the final climax of the album approaches, the epic scale of the album is realized. From 7:45 on, some of the most beautiful music ever captured slowly erupts, before fully exploding and striking that internal chord unlike any musical excursion before. It is unfathomable that music can be so grand, so moving, and so epic. As the final climax ends, the music fades, into a last spinning section of spaced-out ambient. I had heard this album a few times, but not carefully - I hadn't listened to it. When I first listened to to it properly, I was (ironically) on very strong pain medication for just having my wisdom teeth removed, and was extremely spaced out. I was also drifting in and out of consciousness (though I could still focus on the music, strangely) and when that final climax hit, I was wrapped comfortably in endless layers of the surreal sound, struck violently, and confused. That feeling that I was experiencing was one of a kind, and I doubt I will ever experience anything similar again.

With all that being said, it takes a level of patience to completely appreciate this album, and only fans of slower, ambient-type, classical music will enjoy this entirely. Even those who love minimal, experimental, fuzzy, vaporous music might find this towering chore intimidating and sometimes daunting, but when we focus in, and truly sit down and emerge into the sounds, the experience is breath taking, and very, very rewarding. But for those whose minds are sculpted to appreciate this sophisticated form of music, do not hesitate in buying this gem. There's something genuinely special about this one. The end result is a most surreal experience, and the 87:23 spent listening to this album is some of the furthest 87 minutes you can spend away from earth without stepping inside a space ship. Maybe.

Report this review (#132166)
Posted Tuesday, August 7, 2007 | Review Permalink
thellama73
COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
2 stars I bought album on the strength of its packaging, the band name and numerous rave reviews I had heard for them. It's a two disc set in a wonderfully pretentious (in the best sense of the word) cardboard sleeve. All of these things led me to believe I was holding something magical and unique. Well, after having listened to it many times, I think that the second adjective applies, but not the first.

If you're already familiar with post rock, you will have a good idea what to expect. GYBE mainly focus on created long, slow, drawn out textures of sound that build over the course of four twenty minute tracks. This is coupled with a number of spoken word passages that rest atop the background wash of sound. This is basically the description I was given of the band, and it sounds awesome doesn't it? Unfortunately, while the above is an accurate representation of the music, it is not nearly as good as it sounds.

All of the tracks are similar in structure and sound. I would be hard pressed to tell one from the other. Storm starts out nicely, with a brooding atmosphere that gradually builds. But after fifteen minutes of the same, formulaic builds and releases with no real changes of note, I find myself switching off mentally. By disc two I have fallen asleeep.

I am a fan of ambient music, so it seems strange that repetition and lack of direction would bother me, but I think the difference here is that "Lift Your Skinny Fists" doesn't present itself as an ambient album. It promises more, especially with the dramatic crescendos that lead nowhere. The music is well constructed and well produced from a technical standpoint, but it just doesn't do anything for me and I find it hopelessly tedious. If you are a fan of post-rock, however, you will probably like this album a great deal. Therefore, I'm giving it two stars.

Report this review (#132533)
Posted Friday, August 10, 2007 | Review Permalink
1 stars Guys , there are many factors that should be considered about this Band entirely.

Our discussion starts with this:

The Era that we are living is a very very different era than late 60s, 70s, 80s, or even 90s. Rock music has always been an influential thing according to the politics of the moment and the level of people's understanding all around the world. As it is obviously seen most of the music that has the place in prog-archive charts are amongst the 60s and 70s era. Although it is said that rock should be an opposition to the powerful guys in white house, KGB, or any other political place, but I believe that it can be pretty messed up by the decisions that can take place in the world.

The Era that we are living is the fruit of Nixon, Reagan, and ultimately Bush kind of politics. It is the Era of Holly Wood celebrities which are supported by their high rated fans.

The truth is that, there are no more bands like before except very rare examples, may be my friends in prog-archive are counting GYBE as one these exceptions, more time and thinking and comments are needed to show this fact which is still very unclear for me at the moment.

GYBE sometimes in their music get to a point which is unbelievable, but traces of radio-head or some other new band ideas are the killer of these good climaxes. Exsimio is one of those mentioned new groups, without any doubt. It is an Art Rock band which is doing a better job than king Crimson at the same time ( post 2000 years), considering the fact that they don't have good funding support for their music production and instruments.

Anyways, making the long story short I must say that GYSE amongst the new bands has a special place for me, but i prefer to give them the lowest grade, because I hope they get purified and do their own job. Traces of fear in the song writer's mind is so observable . I believe that weakness should be destroyed to make GYBE a band comparable to a regular prog-rock group.

Maziar.

Report this review (#139788)
Posted Saturday, September 22, 2007 | Review Permalink
FruMp
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars This is one of the quintessential post-rock albums.

'Lift your skinny fists' is often quite a sparse work (which is why I don't have a lot to say about it) consisting mainly of layers of different instruments building to a crescendo, with various voice samples present to help set the mood. The opening track 'Storm' is the best on the album building to a triumphant level before a welcome release and venturing through various symphonic territories. Towards the end of the album it does lose a bit of focus but overall it's a worthwhile experience recommended to anyone into post-rock or relaxing ambient music - good for sleeping.

Report this review (#144963)
Posted Tuesday, October 16, 2007 | Review Permalink
5 stars My personal favorite GS!BE album and perhaps my favorite album of all time, i've maybe listened to the 20 minute epic Sleep... 30 times and could turn it on again and me entranced by it. Every last second of this album has a purpose and a place and the crescendo's descrescendo's and modulations are all done perfectly to a T. flawless album.
Report this review (#161914)
Posted Saturday, February 16, 2008 | Review Permalink
ProgBagel
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars Godspeed You Black Emperor! - 'Lift Your Skinny Fists like Antennas to Heaven' 3 stars

A slight disappointment.

After the stunning, groundbreaking debut album and the near equal predecessor EP, this album just didn't stand up to my expectations. From a remote view, this album would seem like the ultimate treat considering 4 epics (22-22-23-18 minutes) were on this album. On 'F#A#(infinity)' I felt Godspeed used up every minute of their long pieces to really bring the message across.

This album is missing some of its appeal. The dialogues are a little confusing and not really captivating. For example, an old man reminiscing about the beach on Coney Island and how nobody sleeps on it does not really make me feel too sorry about it. The music has also lost some of its dynamics and sparks. The song 'Static' describes the music perfectly. The piece just consists of some noisy sections and some obnoxious ambience. These are some examples that are rampant in areas across this large record.

While I was not particularly impressed with this album, it was still a good one. The pieces could have been shortened and sweetened into something really wonderful. A Godspeed fan should certainly not pass this one up.

Report this review (#173867)
Posted Friday, June 13, 2008 | Review Permalink
Dim
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars GY!BE one of the greatest bands of all time, no doubt. While I believe that f#a# infinity is a better album, this one is truly the more influential. Delayed distortion, positive atmospheres, tremolo and delay, horn sections, this album started it all. Yeah, Mogwai, Tortoise, Talk Talk, and Slint are supposed to be the God fathers of the genre, but this single collection of songs are what define modern day post rock.

There really is little to say about the album. The first song starts extremely happy, with soft horns in the beginning, and ten minutes later you have a nine piece band giving all they got to create some of the most intense and beautiful music you have ever heard. All this just for the song to take one eighty degree turn to some of the most bleakest, depressing music created. The second is almost as bleak, but with a very hard hitting and emotional monologue at the beginning that really takes the spot light for the rest of the song. The, bleak, but at the same time very experimental, instead of focusing on climaxes through either really pessimistic, or optimistic sections, they add layer upon layer of fuzzy distorted guitar with delay of course, therefore adding more and more tension, creating a climax with almost no melody. The third not as depressing, but just as experimental, and arguably the best song of the four.

The only thing that really bothers me on this album is that it's very samesy, Efrim must have been really excited about delaying his distortion, cause that guitar tone is used throughout the album in almost every climax. Don't get me wrong, it's my favorite tone out there, but really this group defines versatility, they shouldn't need to use the same tone for every climax. One thing I really like about the album is the drumming! Post rockers aren't known for their drummers, but man this guy can run circles around some of the bigger guys out there. He's able to make a really complex beat, and speed it up, do really cool fills, and knows how to use his kit to really give that extra power to the height of all the songs.

Well, not a masterpiece for it's lack of variation, but definitely extremely close. Four stars.

Report this review (#176377)
Posted Wednesday, July 9, 2008 | Review Permalink
5 stars If any Post Rock album is a masterpiece then this would have to be my first choice. GYBE is very complex and you have to be in the right mood before you can appreciate it fully. But, when you really listen, this album is powerful. I have yet to hear any other bands that can sound like this, even though some bands seem to be trying. If you are one of the people that think Post Rock is not really prog, you should give this a try. It is one of the most progressive albums I have ever heard. Highly Recommended.
Report this review (#181600)
Posted Tuesday, September 2, 2008 | Review Permalink
Gatot
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars First off, I have to admit that basically I am not into this kind of music because it's a very slow moving music with many repetitions of chords and notes, less dynamic than any other music in terms of tempo. I have to have an extreme patience to enjoy it. But with a passage of time, I can see the beauty of the music especially when I refer the music as a media for contemplation. One thing I would say about the music is that all of them are very dark (track 1 to track 4) with lengthy and spacey nuance. To be specific on contemplation, I am referring to spirituality in ways to meet with God, The Compassionate, The Merciful.

This is a fasting month for Moslem and according to the Koran, during the month of Ramadhan (fasting month) we are urged to read the Koran during daylights as well as during the night. Godspeed You! Black Emperor's "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" music is very suitable to create the nuance of Koran reading time. I am not inviting that you listen to this album first before reading the Koran because you don't need to, actually. But, when I am listening to this music, it reminds me to imagine "life after death" which requires doing good deeds during our lives in this world. I find this music helps me stimulate a better Koran reading, understand its meanings and implement the good deeds in day-to-day life. The lengthy nature of the music reminds me to the longest surah in Koran, i.e. Al Baqarah (the Cow) that typically requires minimum of two and a half hours of consistent reading to complete, comprises 286 verses.

The way I connect this music with spirituality is pretty simple: the music moves very slowly from one passage to another and it creates a contemplation nuance to reflect what I am doing and what I should have been doing as stated in Koran. This can serve as good background to understand the whole meaning of the verses in real life.

Musically, this album comprises elements of space music, avant garde, orchestra, and sound scape engineering. If you are fan of Pink Floyd, you have been definitely quite patient in the intro of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". That piece of music occurs frequently right here in this album with many repetitions. But of course the music also moves to passages with drumming and sometimes in very loud setting that you should reduce your amplifier volume.

Overall, this is a good post modern rock music that should be listened to frequently to capture the subtleties of the music and embrace the beauty slowly. You will find segments with killing notes. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW (i-Rock! Music Community)

Report this review (#182234)
Posted Friday, September 12, 2008 | Review Permalink
5 stars Dang this is a good album. First off, I got this album because I really needed something new to listen to. I knew a bit what I was in for when I bought this. It's great stuff. As you probably already know, the music is orchestral and slowly builds and builds into an emotional climax, sometimes 3 or 4 times in a single one of these tracks. Of course, that's not very hard to do, since they all are around 20 minutes long. Each has a different subltle mood, often very atmospheric, but always pretty orchestral with lots of rock instrumentation.

I can't really say much about these tracks, as they are all pretty similar, though they are all fantastic and each one of the four stands out. Storm starts off with a quiet bit of trumpet, and everything builds on top of each other slowly for quite a while. Once everything climaxes, it's wonderfully grandiose, and you just feel breathtaken listening to it. Near the end of the track, things suddenly get more tense and everything turns minor and the tempo is unnerving. Things crash around, and soon all of it falls apart. You are treated to Cancer Towers at the very end, a simple outro driven mostly by haunting piano and nervous voices in the background.

Static, judging by its name, might not seem very musical. In fact, it does incorporate a lot of ambient noise towards the beginning as opposed to atmospheric music, but that's just fine. It sets the empty mood very well. It's main feature is a rather melancholy melody repeated quite a bit over a driving rhythm. Like the previous piece, things pick up near the end and build in an uneasy and chaotic ending. Once things drop out, you are treated to a bit more of ambient noise. This isn't one of my favorite tracks, but it definetely seems to portray the melancholic emptiness that GYBE is known for.

After a bit of dialogue in the beginning of the track is Sleep. Then some violin comes in, ever so lovely and minor keyed. Things pick up, and the most notable feature of the track comes in, a guitar drone that wavers between notes. My favorite part is when the drums take things to a really quick tempo, and the guitar drone seems to burst ou, joining the constant pace of the snare. The guitar drone continues on one note as all the instruments drop out, and you are treated to some great atmospheric and simple ambient music. Some glockenspiel brings out some of the mood more, and then some clean guitar comes in, developing the piece. Things really get more emotional when the drums come in again with a cymbal crash and crescendo over and over again. The drone comes back in again, and then fades away. Then an unexpected drum groove comes in, and the violin accompanies the whine once again. The surprise in this track is the up tempo drums towards the end of it.

The beginning of the final track, Antennas to Heaven, is a bit unusual compared to the other tracks. It begins with some actual singing, along with a guitar strumming along. A bit unusual compared to the dark and moody feel of the other music, but that slowly fades into some strange noises along with what sounds like some glockenspiels playing interesting and unusual melodies. After that comes one of the longer parts of beautiful atmospheric music, mostly violins, pianos, cellos, and chime sounds, and even some atmospheric noises in the background. This is definetely one of the most emotional points of the whole album. It continues, and really doesn't give a solid rythm for a while, only until about 10 minutes into the song until some drums actually play again. They drop out as soon as they come, and we are treated to more of the wonderful soundscape beauty for the remainder of the piece. One of my favorite parts are what sounds like echoed orchestral sounds, playing some of the most well put together chords I've ever seen, about 3/4 of the way through. A bit of clean and delayed guitar, some wonderful violin, and some feedback end the album

This album is full of great stuff. From the grandiose and epic beginning to the hauntingly beautiful ending, there is not much that I don't like about this album. I even love the repetition of themes and melodies that occur so often in this. Everything about the music occurs so subtlely. If you love atmospheric soundscapes and love instrumental music (well, almost), then I definetely would reccomend this album to you. It's good for getting into something new. I think I might get another one of Godspeed You Black Emperor's albums if the chance gets to me in a record store, because this is such a good experience listening to. Just excellent.

Report this review (#182536)
Posted Monday, September 15, 2008 | Review Permalink
5 stars I still remember the day that I bought that album.I remember it cause it was the only album(i mean that) that changed my whole life forever and ever.After reading a preview in an article about the album I was almost eager to hear it.That`s it.For a whole month it was the only album that I was listening to.Nothing else existed.It`s difficult to describe the feelings and it`s extremely difficult to describe them as a group.You see GYBE it`s not the big stars not the extremely skillful musicians,on the contrary their music is simple and minimalistic but they can thrill you to the bone for this exact reason.The four compositions in this album over 20 minutes each one are built on a very simple tune that progressively grows until it bursts out.Heavenly and Hellish at the same time with turbulent soundscapes and colorful tunes and impressive ambient sounds.Anyone who had watched their concerts will understand that in all it`s glory.This is true music by true musicians.I had the chance to talk for a while to Efrim Menuck the guy that later formed the astounishing A Silver Mt Zion and I had to admit that he was one of the most down to earth artists that I have seen.That`s for the people because their music is divine.Go and buy it if you haven`t done that already.
Report this review (#182691)
Posted Wednesday, September 17, 2008 | Review Permalink
5 stars Post rock begins and ends with Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

I say that being a fan of the genre and the many bands that play the post mold. And i say that knowing they didnt come first and knowing many other bands now play a completely different style of post, far removed from what these guys play. I say that because post rock owes its life to Godspeed You! Black Emperor. if Talk Talk or Bark Psychosis or Slint planted the seed of the genre, then Godspeed You! Black Emperor was certainly the gardener, the father.

Post Rock is, in the end, Godspeed's baby.

lengthy intro aside this music is fantastic. The 4 song, dual disc set brings Tales From Topographic Oceans to mind almost immedietly and is equally as ambitious as the classic symph disc is. However, the similarities stop there.

The entire album, as the title suggests, is a religious affair. the opener is the best example of this and also happens to be the strongest song on the recording. It begins quietly with horns and gentle guitars plucking a very happy, joyous melody. this is repeated by the guitars as the horns are joined by strings and more guitar and more horns and more strings and then drums etc. etc. till climax. you get the idea. this idea isnt new to post rock anymore but god d*mn they do it RIGHT for once. the repetition here isnt boring, at least to my ears. the chords all raise, all ascend, up, up, up, reiterating the religious feel and nature of this song which sounds more and more like a hymn as you approach the 6 minute mark. Horns start to play a faster melody behind the guitar and the chords keep rising till it breaks and washes into soundscape. out of this soundscape emerges a soft guitar melody that sounds very much like a variation of amazing grace. religious theme again is reinforced. The same thing happens here as in the first section. build build, layers and layers till climax. This section is more rousing than the first even, more determined and driving. the climax then fades into a chaotic rhythm that takes the song into a spacey atmospheric section with spoken word, field recordings, and what sounds like a preacher or speaker distorted in a wash behind a slow piano melody. this takes the song out.

22 minutes have never passed faster.

Ill spare you all a song by song analysis but the themes present in the first song are all present, if in different forms, throughout the rest of the album. spoken word, climaxes, frantic guitars, atmosphere, horns. This album takes a lot of patience and effort on the part of the listener. its a very demanding album but in the end, extremely rewarding. If you are a fan of post rock, THIS is the best album but the genre's best band. if your a fan of music, this is just something incredible. its not everybody's cup of tea but it is very clearly a masterpiece of post rock and in this reviewers mind, a masterpiece of music in general. highly, highly recomended.

Report this review (#190017)
Posted Thursday, November 20, 2008 | Review Permalink
philippe
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Many things have been said about this album. According to me this is in the direct mood of vibrant-slow moving ambient post-rockin' stuffs released by others americans as Deaf Center, Helios or even Machinefabrieck. This album is very representative of the experimental post-rock genre a brilliant introduction for neophyts. All compositions are intimate excursions throw dense electronic atmospherics (sometimes involved into static and expressive droning chords) and delicate minimal acoustic arrangements . Some tracks as Terrible Canyons of Statics can really transport you into cloudy mindscapes thanks to a complex kaleidoscope of burgeoning ambient textures and colourful electronic tones. This is not an essential recording but a pleasant listening and a high recommendation for fans of modern minimal ambient and post-kraut experimentations.
Report this review (#190535)
Posted Wednesday, November 26, 2008 | Review Permalink
3 stars This record, and this band in general are generally revered as heroes and gods by haters of anything generally mainstream. They are absolutely brilliant. I'm lucky to have actually known and met someone in the band. Although I don't remember her, as I was a small boy, Sophie Trudeau worked with my dad in Ottawa at a music school where she taught violin. It's funny that my randomizer brought me here to review this, as I won't be reviewing the record but my actual life. I don't want to waste your time so long story short, my dad and Sophie Trudeau have played a few gigs together and he gave her her first violin pickup. Also, my dad hung around with some of her friends she knew and some of them were in this band.

ANYWAYYYSS.

This record is absolutely perfect, and although it wears off after a while, the time you spent listening to it at first is very well worth it. The best track on the record, and this is probably unanimous, is Sleep.

Definitely buy this if you've heard something from these guys and want in to their little musical genius club. 5 stars upon first month of listening but slowly falls to 3 stars. The reason? It got old. It was amazing at first buy I rarely listen to it anymore. That's why I've cleverly seperated my purchasing of each album in chunks of three months so they last longer! Sadly I'm down to the last album. Also, feel free to delete this as it isn't a review more or less, but just a rant.

Report this review (#195969)
Posted Monday, December 29, 2008 | Review Permalink
5 stars Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven! What a NAME! What a masterpiece!

Post Rock was a very recent discovery starting of cource with Sigur Ros's Agaitus Byrjun. I loved that and so I moved down the list to Godspeed You! Black Emperor. What I would find will probobly end up on my top 10 list. This album is a very long journey through beautiful chamber music, erie soundscapes, and spoken word that takes incredible amount of patience to listen to. Best to listen to while you are lying in bed trying to fall asleap, or if you are reading a book. I also find that this is the easiest album to listen too out of all four (including slow riot) because, while the music is slow, it still has more energy than F#A# and not as repeditive as parts of Yanqui U.X.O. It is also the most uplifting of the three (not that it makes you feel happy, but it sure dosent talk about 1000 lonely suicides as well).

Storm: (9.5/10) Very powerful and uplifting song. Full of motion. The song starts with slow guitar and a trumpet which always made me imagine that I was sitting on a deserted beach watching slow rolling waves. It builds with the addition of a cello and a violin and the occasional glockenspiel (or maybe its a marimba, I dont know). Then the bass comes in to anticipate the marching style drums that kick in and explode into a climax of sound that builds and builds only to drop down to a level where the song started. Thats only the first part! Another movement of the song starts and builds much like the first one with a simalar theme. Then the entire band holds a note over thundering drums. This is the only downside to the song because it is too long, and can get very annoying, especially the for the first listen. This part builds tension for when the song releases all energy into a fast paced movement that always reminds me of ISIS for some reason. This slowes down very carefully untill it just stops, and the song ends with a spoken part, followed by some very etherial and dark piano (drowned in reverb)

Static: (8.5/10) The darkest song on the album. Starts with some ambient soundscapes that very purposly resemble the title of the song. Then very moving religious ramblings are played behind very beutiful violin, cello and guitar which turns out to be one of the most emotionally moving part of the song. Then a gloomy slow building guitar riff followed by cello and violin eventually snowball into a collage of strange ambient sounds that slowly die out into the last part. The end is another collection of noises that they are so good at using effectively. I dont want to say it is a filler track, but it is much less organized than the other three songs. Still not a bad track whatsoever.

Sleep: (10/10) My favorite GYBE song. Starts off with a man reminsising about his childhood. Then, the guitar comes in and builds like any other GYBE song would, which is how they perform their magic; they are masters of dynamics and building off of simple ideas. A screaming noise being played over top of the origional chord progression only adds to the power of this section, which eventually leaves the rest of the band behind for about a minute. Then it fades out to the bass and guitar locked together keeping a precussive background and with the chime of the glockespiel, the percussive background slowly forms into the melody (pure genius!) This leads into one of the best parts on the album, when the drums fill into another explosion where the trumpet takes the melody. When that dies down, the drums start playing a very standard trip hop beat, with the violin and cello harmonising together, then for the last time in the song, the tension builds and climaxes so well all the way untill the end of the song. My personal favorite track on the album!

Antennas To Heaven: (9/10) The most diverse song on the album. It seems to take ideas from the rest of the album and melt them all into something compleatly different. Starts off with Moya singing Baby-o, a folk song, and once again we hear ambient noises that soon get overtaken by the glockenspiel ringing beautifully. Then the voices of french children overtake the glockenspiel smoothly. After they are done, this is when really starts to sound like a song. The slow moving cello and violing dont build this time, but immediately suprise you with a beautiful but short jam remisiscent of Storm. Then it suddenly stops with some feedback and gives us more ambience that reminds me of Static. The rest of the song is overtaken by broken bits of soundscapes and guitar riffs that truly do put the image of flying or at times simply floating through the atmosphere or something to that extent. Distorted tremolo gives the song a new color than the rest on the last half of the song . The ending is simple, but perfectly fitting

To sum it up, this is a musical masterpiece that may not be enjoyed by some, especially if you cant sit still for too long, or if you think any kind of space rock or post rock is noise. This album also takes all of your attention to enjoy, because otherwise it will pass right through you, and you cant decide whether you like it or not. Definetly an album that should be listened to at least once if you are a prog fan or a musician yourself.

4.5+/5 stars

Report this review (#201167)
Posted Friday, January 30, 2009 | Review Permalink
Chris S
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars This is very close to being GSYBE's best work. Four long tracks make up this double CD. Whoever wondered if a band like The Cure were to sound like when doing purely conceptual abstract soundscapes then GSYBE are the perfect example of how depressing, melancholic, manic and occassionally uplifting music should be delivered. Did I forget the adjective beautiful? That too. Lift Your Skinny Fists starts with the anthemic Storm. 22 minutes of swirling sounds, , slow builds, crashing crescendo's and fistlike pounding deliveries from the various musicians. Credentials are not advertised on GSYBE works much and this album is no exception. It does not matter who they are, more importantly the music takes you into another dimension or puts you on another level. Static is more laid back for the most part, some great spoken word by either a cult member or an evangelical messenger. Static from God? The mood starts shifting about nine minutes in as the songs builds to another hypnotic climax. The melancholic theme ubiquitous throughout. Sleep being the third part of this double set is more of the same vein in Static mode and the closing track Antennas to Heaven reminds me of a modern 18 minute version off Zeit from those famous German stalwarts Tangerine Dream. This is a wonderful work from this Canadian band. All their work is of a high calibre and I cannot stress enough the importance of their input in modern day progressive terms. Four and a half stars for an excellent studio album but also a vital ingredient to the Progressive Post/Math Rock catalogue.
Report this review (#207965)
Posted Saturday, March 21, 2009 | Review Permalink
Marty McFly
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars There is post-rock pattern. Slow start, even slowly coming, it takes minutes to reach the top of post-rock ecstasy heights. I have two friends who are post fans and by fans I mean fanatics. I can imagine their feelings when listening to these ethereal sounds. Especially on this album.

This is kinda exercise matter for me, I take this album as perfect example of good post rock. Am I wrong ? I don't think so. Storm has it's climax after three minutes and even during this time it grows more and more. It's not music to listen to with open eyes. You have to close them and flow away. And of course, also like this genre. This style of music is also very difficult to approach, due to instrumentalision of tracks. It's poesy without words, is it even possible ? It's like when you have book, you also have to imagine impression on you. How you feel it, how you take it at all. After storm in Storm, there is peace.

Report this review (#229509)
Posted Sunday, August 2, 2009 | Review Permalink
Negoba
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars Meditation music...no

Film Music...maybe

Beautiful...probably

Too Long...probably

Furniture Music...Yes!!!

Eric Satie, a turn of the 19th to 20th century composer and forefather of ambient music, coined the term "furniture music" to describe his work. The music was designed to be performed live but remain in the background, part of the mood of the occasion (part of the furniture). When I listen to Godspeed You Black Emperor's LIFT YOUR SKINNY FISTS (sorry only four words in a title and no pretentious random punctuation marks) the term seems remarkably fitting. The music is an ambient-styled, dark moody journey based on rock instruments with additional strings and electronic effects. In typical post-rock fashion the music depends on sssslllloooowwww builds from simple melancholy to multi-layered bombast and then back again.

The bombast really makes using this as meditation music impossible. It becomes quite chaotic with a fair bit of energy and too much demand of attention at that point. The quiet parts, however, would be perfect for this purpose; they are quite new-agey. There is essentially no melody here just mood, timbre, layers. But even with the multiple layers, there's really no formal harmony either. Different instruments move in a somewhat related manner such that some counterpoint and movement fuels the emotion, but this is not jazz. More like krautrock but more structured, long sequences revolving around the same tonal center.

If this sounds colossally boring (considering the whole album consists of 4 twenty minute pieces of this), I'm sure it is to some people. Even to me, the band spends way to long to evolve through the different textures. This would be fine if the music was intended to be only background music, but it's not. It asks for just enough of you attention that you must give it some focus but does not give near enough back for the majority of prog fans to enjoy it. What's more, it is very hard to consider this progressive. The techniques employed here are familiar movie soundtrack moves, though again the music here moves way too slowly to work functionally in that capacity either.

However, there is something beautiful going on here. The music is quite emotionally evocative. It IS pretty. The skill of the musicians is not in doubt. The sense of risk and adventurousness is there. It is not surprising that this music connects to a narrow target audience and has them hooked. But again, that audience is going to be narrow.

For me there is just too much repetition and not enough melody. I have very mixed feelings?though to call this masterpiece seems alien to me, it is also undeniable that some real art is happening here. I'll take the middle road with 3/5 stars.

Report this review (#247378)
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 | Review Permalink
Prog Leviathan
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars For many, this is the post-rock record, or at least the GY!BE record, but I disagree. It is excessively long, and doesn't leave much of an impact after the demanding task of finishing it.

Typical of the genre, "LYSFLATH" takes its time to build musically, establishing simple atmospherics and growing to a few powerful moments of genuine intensity, unsettling to some listeners because of its extremely depressing, enervating feel. I like this style of music, finding it an excellent change of pace from my usual dose of melody and flashy technical musicianship. It works very well as study/background music, stylishly drifting into the ether only to emerge just when one has forgotten it was there.

The playing and songwriting is actually quite good, but there is a ton of sonic-bushwacking the listener will have to go through to find it. There are frequent empty spaces and aimless spoken-word sections, and I can't help but think that some judiscious editing in the studio may help tighten this album's focus.

While fans of the band and genre will doubtless find innumerable highlights hidden within, casual fans will find getting through this album's double-length a unique chore. Not the best place to start one's post-rock journey.

Songwriting: 3 Instrumental Performances: 3 Lyrics/Vocals: NA Style/Emotion/Replay: 2

Report this review (#250065)
Posted Wednesday, November 11, 2009 | Review Permalink
5 stars Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven is, without a doubt, the best album in the GY!BE catalog, and may even be the best post rock album ever. It's four tracks each express deep emotion through incredibly straightforward soundscapes. In terms of actual musicianship, one must not look at the complexity of the music, but at the emotion behind it, for every note seems to be placed to achieve the maximum emotional response from the listener.

The songs themselves are vast, blazing deserts of sonic power, that conjure up images of hope, love, sadness, and fragile beauty. Every track is seems to live and breathe, which is not always the case with most progressive rock bands. The intense build-ups and climaxes characteristic of GY!BE's sound are present here, but are employed more creatively than on their other albums, so as not to make them the main focus of the songs. Instead, the main draw of this masterpiece is the band's amazing use of field recordings and spoken word, with two perfect examples being the deep, tragic "They Don't Sleep Anymore on the Beach" and the hauntingly beautiful "Chart #3".

"Lift Your Skinny Fists..." is a wonderful album, and one of the few truly deserving of the term "symphonic". It's heavily layered sound allows for listeners to discover something new with each listen, and its vast scope makes it's the truly focused quality of its sound even more impressive. This one is beyond doubt an essential album. 5/5.

Report this review (#250780)
Posted Sunday, November 15, 2009 | Review Permalink
2 stars GYBE seems to be one of the most beloved bands in this site's post-rock corner, which is understandable- the music has an emotional, sprawling, epic feel. However, I am not as captured by this album as some of my fellow reviewers. Some parts of this album, like most of Sleep, are magical and inspiring. However, when I step back and look at the album, I feel like there isn't 80 minutes worth of truly worthy material here- there's just WAY too many quiet parts, drones, random samples, etc. for it's own good. As a musical product, there's just way too much stuff that shouldn't be there, and to these ears, instead of building tension or whatever others see, i just get bored. I guess the key word here would be over-developed. I think that two stars would be fitting, as it really is only for fans.
Report this review (#261011)
Posted Friday, January 15, 2010 | Review Permalink
5 stars When I first heard this album, I never even knew what Pos-Rock was. I saw an album with 4 long songs and a cool cover, so gave it a try. The moment I started listening, it got 100% of my attention. I was expecting a synphonic journey, but instead was send into a mantra-like descent into hell and back.

I've heard many sick things, Devin's Townsend Death of Music was really deep, moving and dark, but nothing comes even close to this album. It's truly unique. After hearing it, I searched for thousands of Pos-Rock and Pos-Metal bands, but NEVER found anything like it.

Truly a masterpiece.

Report this review (#269079)
Posted Sunday, February 28, 2010 | Review Permalink
Rune2000
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars After being completely mesmerized by Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada it was only a matter of time until I would get my hands on another Godspeed You! Black Emperor (or GY!BE) release. Once again I took the advice of the fellow Prog Archives-reviewers and picked the highest praised studio album as my next pick.

Beside being the most popular release in terms of number of ratings Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven is also the longest album recorded by this nine-piece collective with almost 90 minutes worth of music to explore here. The material is roughly split into four 20 minute long compositions, a style that is quite familiar to fans of progressive rock since everyone from Yes (Tales From Topographic Oceans) to Klaus Schulze have used this format back in the day when vinyls limited the composition lengths. It also happens to be one of my least favorite formats to explore since it's easy for me to pick out one or two favorites out of the bunch leaving the other compositions out in the cold. Once this happens it usually becomes difficult for me to get into the rest of the material especially since I rarely manage to sit through these type of records in one go.

Storm became my favorite composition from the first time I've heard it. I guess that the build-up that is incorporated into the piece is the easiest one to relate to due to its simplicity. It slowly transitions from a pleasant and quite beginning all the way to the loud conclusion that ends towards the 18th minute. The last 5 minutes of Storm start with a Welcome to Barco-announcement followed by a very sad epilogue that makes this composition a well-balanced piece of art to my ears.

The other three compositions lack the simple structure of the first piece which therefore have become a lot harder for me to appreciate. Sleep comes close to the fluent style of Storm since it's only split into three sections. Still I'm not too fond of the intro narration that supposedly should create a sense of nostalgia in the listener's mind, this is definitely one of those occasions where I would have preferred the music to do the talking instead.

Granted that I still don't feel exceptionally accustomed to Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven even though I've given this album quite a few spins over the years, it almost feels like I'll never grow into this music as well as I did with the much shorter Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada. Still this is an album well worth exploring once you've started to acquire the taste for GY!BE and their magnificent music.

***** star songs: Storm (22:32)

**** star songs: Static (22:36) Sleep (23:17) Antennas To Heaven (18:57)

Report this review (#282391)
Posted Monday, May 17, 2010 | Review Permalink
Flucktrot
PROG REVIEWER
2 stars This is perhaps the largest exercise in patience I've experienced, and every time with album, my patience runs out. It's like having a spooky movie on but not watching it, with lots of dissonant drones, background noises, and other effects.

When they do decide to play, which is approximately 1/3 of the album, they do produce a unique sound, which is often very dissonant and eerie, particularly by the strings and guitar. The first...movement I suppose would be the best word...is the best, probably because it contains more of what I would consider music, and certainly the happiest melody on the album. After that, it's largely ambient, minor key, and...well...boring. It reminds me a lot of The Mars Volta in the use of atmospherics and dead space.

I admit that part of my dislike for this album is my personal approach to listening to music. I put music on and want to concentrate primarily on that; however, I don't think that's the best strategy for this album. You can put it on, go to that relaxed but slightly on edge mood, and not have to concentrate on the music.

Not for me, but it may be more the genre than the album. This doesn't have a place in every prog collection, but I'm sure for some it would fit quite well. In my opinion, especially this being a double album, is that Fists is way too much of way too little.

Report this review (#285672)
Posted Wednesday, June 9, 2010 | Review Permalink
5 stars Quite a powerful piece of music (well, four pieces technically). Everything you'd expect from a band that's soothing, calm, and beautiful mixed with everything you never imagined beforehand. Long sweeping lines, Huge depth of sound, and muted trumpets (among other instruments) playing solemn chords to support the deep and moving melodies and atmospheres.

This album is in the Tales From Topographic Oceans double EP school, it consists of four more or less 20 minute tracks. Unlike Topographic Oceans, however, there is no obnoxious filler to be found on this album. This album is 80 minutes of pure, unfiltered, atmospheric bliss, suited for both intense listening and causal alike.

Five out of five stars, this album truly is a masterpiece.

Report this review (#290261)
Posted Tuesday, July 13, 2010 | Review Permalink
snobb
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars I am glad I 'm reviewing this album now, in 2010, not in year of release ten years ago. As usual, every new trends and great albums should be tested by time. When listening this album now, I feel even more than years before how great it is. Great in a sense of concentrated post-rock aesthetics and realisation of these ideas.

Double album of just 4 long compositions. Down tempo mix of ambient, unusual aerial guitar sounds, electronic effects and chamber classic. Full of spacey atmosphere with guitars explosions, kraut-rock roots, interesting melodies, but most important - being such a long instrumental album, its music is never boring or empty. Yes, to accept it you need to be ready for such kind of music, but if you like Pink Floydian spacey compositions, Frippian soundscapes or early Tangerine Dream, you will feel with this album very comfortable.

Looking from ten years time distance, one can see how great this work was! During all these years you will hardly find post-rock album with more fresh ideas, interesting interpretation, or just more multi layered and such rich music! Post rock obviously passed it's greatest moment, myriads of clones are still all around, but you will hardly find more than a few post-rock albums of the same musical level.

For those new with post-rock I can recommend this album as one of best entrance release and cornerstone of post-rock legacy.

My rating is 4+.

Report this review (#294713)
Posted Monday, August 16, 2010 | Review Permalink
The Truth
COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars Absolutely stunning album, so simplistic, yet so complex, it's really a mystery how this band acheived this.

First off, I can almost guarantee you won't get it first listen. Sorry but that's how it is, suck it up and listen again, eventually I'm pretty sure that you will fall in love.

We start off with some very quiet cello, violin and guitar driven music which immeadiately introduces us to one of the albums best features: how well the instruments blend together. Simple thing that really makes a difference. The music crescendos ever-so slowly just making your ears glide along the notes. Eventually it reaches it's epic peak of amazing music, now driven by electric guitar. It does the crescendo thing again and soon enough you just crave the music. It's a trip, it really is. Another cool feature of this album is the voices and sound effects you get. In the first track after the second crescendo comes to it's slow we get some type of overcom voice suggesting that we avoid contact with a certain type of persons. The voice grows full of static and eventually seemingly bursts and the quiet piano takes it's place. The track ends with some piano and violin playing quietly, a very melancholic ending.

The next track starts with some kind of eerie noise that tingles your ears. Various sound effects surround the eerie noise and creates a very unsettling atmosphere. After awhile it turns into static, as the title suggests, and then into more of the violin and guitar driven music (which has a welcome return). Now voices of some type of religous man surround it, somehow this adds to the eerie atmosphere. Then after some very quiet bits violin and some type of plucked instrument it starts crescendoing again. After a violent burst of electric guitar and violin driven music (which lasts sometime, this section is just plain epic) it slows to the eerie noises that were at the start and eventually ends.

To start the next disc, some old man is rambling about the days when he was younger at Coney Island. This creates comic relief but somehow has a sense of unease about it. This turns into (once again) string driven music which crescendos but slows and soft guitar music starts. It crescendos once again from there into a slow almost jam-like section which crescedos once again (if you haven't noticed the whole album is pretty much one big crescendo) into some more powerful guitar music with strings backing it. It maintains the heavy atmosphere for some time before starting to come to a slow. But soon the slow picks up pace and becomes fairly heavy again. Then it becomes even more heavy! This track ends with the electric guitar slowly fading out with the drums.

The next track starts with some kind of country jam (weird to start the track) but that is eventually drowned out by synths. Then a nice little glockenspiel solo revives the eerie feeling. (A good word to describe this music is moody, because it often shifts moods slowly and rapidly) After some children's voices the violin comes back in and sort of soothes your mind. That doesn't last long, after a short pause the whole scene bursts into a heavy guitar driven piece. After that slows, more piano and synth (I believe that's what I hear) and soon some violin starts to somewhat pick up the pace. Drums and guitar come end and the moodiness continues. Crescendo again and the decrescendo again to more violin. From here it doesn't really pick up pace again but electronic noises drown out the violin and the album ends with an eerie feeling, leaving you exhausted.

Simply (and this term is almost a cliche when describing this band) an eargasm. Music so hard to describe, so hard to get, and yet... You love it. It's just a rarity among music nowadays, something really refreshing to the ear.

Go ahead and grab a copy, you may not like it at first but trust me, if you listen hard, you'll love it.

Report this review (#294736)
Posted Monday, August 16, 2010 | Review Permalink
zravkapt
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars This band gave me hope that there was still good new music out there to be discovered. One of the most popular 'post-rock' groups, they were still called Godspeed You Black Emperor! here, and not Godspeed YOUUU!!! Black Emperor. As much as I like this album, I think making it 2 CDs was sort of pointless; they could have put the best moments on one 80 minute CD. Man, I hate the concept of double albums. Anyway, the music here is really good for the most part.

There are two guitarists, two drummers and two bass players here. In addition, there are members who play violin, horns, and keyboards. No vocals. Only voiceovers from various sources, including actual interviews the band did with different people. There are added sound effects and everyday noises here throughout. The music has great buildups to amazing crescendos. "Storm" is a great track and the closest thing to symphonic prog here. Like most of GYBE's music it starts off mellow and quiet before the guitars and drums come in and everything gets louder and more bombastic. It settles back down again before the music erupts yet again. I always liked the part at the end where you hear an announcement(in English and Spanish) telling customers to avoid people trying to sell them stuff or wash their cars, etc. Then you get some piano and a guy in a bad mood talking loudly; his voice has been distorted to the point where you can't understand what he's saying. Great stuff

"Static" has the most sound effects and talking but the least interesting bits of music on the whole album. They should have cut this track in half to make the album fit on one CD. "Sleep" is the opposite of "Static": it has the least non-music and some of the best playing and crescendos on the album. It starts off with the best talking part on any GYBE album. An old man talks about being a child visiting Coney Island. He relates how people from all over the world would come to Coney Island and it was a beautiful place. He got lost one time and was found again. It was so safe in those days people would sleep overnight on the beach. "They don't do it anymore," he says, "Things changed, see....they don't sleep anymore on the beach".

I like how the guitar in "Sleep" sometimes sounds like a theremin. I think they use bows on their guitars sometimes, Jimmy Page-style. Beginning around 18-minutes you get some really great drumming and violin work; I wish these guys sounded like this more often. "Antennas To Heaven" starts with a field recording of some guy playing a folk song. Then you get some weird feedback noises before you hear glockenspiels. Some children are talking and singing in French before we get some more feedback and some violins. All of a sudden it goes into the most mainstream sounding moment on the whole album. It really sounds like some 90s 'alternative' music. The rest of the track is stereotypical post- rock and some dark ambient sounds.

Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven is one of the best album titles I've ever heard. This is one of the better albums I've heard from the post-rock genre. These guys recently reformed to play live gigs; if they ever record again I doubt what they come up with will be as good as this. But who knows. Not the most consistent album ever but a really good one. 4 stars.

Report this review (#306866)
Posted Wednesday, October 27, 2010 | Review Permalink
BrufordFreak
COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars There are times on this album in which one feels as if one is listening to an historically accurate portrayal of the malaise and disease of Industrial humanity as rendered unto music.

CD 1 (45:08) 1. "Gathering Storm" (22:32) the worst of the four, this one starts off slow, with annoying repetition, before congealing into a tension-filled volcano that erupts with a Kmart blue light special and post-apocalyptic crime scene. Interesting, to say the least. Engaging? Hardly. Compositionally, mathematically--as a study in modern counterpoint and dissonance--this might be interesting, but for someone who likes engaging melodies and harmonically pleasing music, listening to this is sometimes an exercise in torture tolerance and self-mutilation--for cutters and burners, not supporters of sanity and sanctuary. (37.5/45) - i) Lift Yr. Skinny Fists, Like Antennas to Heaven. - ii) Gathering Strom - iii) "Welcome to the Barco Am/PM..." L.A.X. 5/14/00) - iv) Cancer Towers on Holy Road Hi-Way

2. "Static" (22:36) The best of the four. (44/45) - i) Terrible Canyons of Static - great ALIO DIE-like soundscapes (10/10) - ii) Atomic Clock - industrial clock sounds - iii) Chart #3 - televangelist over Vivaldi (5/5) - iv) World Police and Friendly Fire - the longest section, very contemplative and floaty. Reminds me of Kronos Quartet/Mogwai's work on Clint Mansell's soundtrack for The Fountain (which came six years later) only it gets better in the second half (despite the Aerosmith "Dream On" climax). (19.75/20) - v) [ ...+ The Buildings They Are Sleeping Now] quite the atmospheric industrial post-apocalyptic soundtrack. Very Eno-esque. (9.25/10)

CD 2 (42:15) 3. "Sleep" (23:17) (37.5/45) - i) Murray Ostril: "...They Don't Sleep Anymore on the Beach" - an elderly man's recounting of the Coney Island of his youth - ii) Monheim - a sleepy piece of music turns more plaintively active around its halfway point and then frenetic in the final third while retaining the plaintive lead melody from the second section. (21/25) - iii) Broken Windows, Locks of Love Pt. III/3rd Part - opens delicately, slowly, as if pensively, before drums and layers of electric guitars are added. Feels more like a post-punk anthem waiting for its words/narration. The second half, with its second go-round of the build-and-crescendo formula is a little smoother, more rock conforming, with a much more "civilized" peak and Americana finish.(16.5/20)

4. "Antennas to Heaven" (18:58) a bizarre collection of what I'd call "Sam Shepard Scenes from Americana." It's interesting, at times fascinating, but overall not what I would normally choose for enjoyable listening music. Perhaps this hodgepodge of ... stuff would be better suited as background music for a podcast or Ken Burns documentary. (35/40) - i) Moya Sings "Baby-O" - ii) Edgyswingsetacid - iii) Glockenspiel Duet Recorded on a Campsite in Rhinebeck, NY) - iv) "Attention... Mon Ami... Fa-Lala-Lala-La-La... 55 St. Laurent) - v) She Dreamt She Was a Bulldozer, She Dreamt She Was Alone in an Empty Field - vi) Deathkamp Drone - vii) Antennas to Heaven

Total Time 87:23

I will offer my compliments to the BRIAN ENO/EDGAR FROESE/JOHN ZORN-like composers who were somehow able to realize their artistic vision in these musical renderings. What a tough road that must have been!

B+/4.5 stars; a major signpost in the development of the Post Rock movement but only a near-masterpiece in the grand scheme of the evolution of progressive rock music.

Report this review (#377616)
Posted Monday, January 10, 2011 | Review Permalink
4 stars After a long while, I finally got around to reviewing this album. I found out about these guys through reading fake Coachella line-ups and remembering the name from before, so I decided to listen. After listening to Storm off this album, I have become aware of the post- rock genre and through it discovered amazing things like most of the stuff I listen to now. Anyways, this album is probably one of the 3 most classic P-R albums, along with The Earth is Not A Cold Dead Place by Explosions in the Sky and ( ) by Sigur Ros (my opinion of course), and yet, this one is much more special and unique in some way.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor is composed of 9 members which gives it a very massive feel and yet it is not an orchestra, and still includes instruments like the electric guitar, drum kit, and bass. In my opinion, what makes this album so good, are the musical landscapes. Even during the quietest parts there are at least 3 instruments playing, just drones even, to give it a tense vibe, while the main melody may be very relaxing. How the band combines the noise and the silence together is very special and is one of Godspeed's most recognizable musical "moves".

The album has only 4 tracks, each one around 20 minutes in length, and the first one is Storm. Storm opens with horns playing a few chords and then over a while the whole band joins in into an epic musical climax reminiscent of Sigur Ros and maybe even King Crimson in some twisted way.

Static is the one piece of the album I couldn't connect with. It never had a melody that caught my ear, or some beautiful ambient part that had me coming back for more. It IS good, but it is not as unique as the other three tracks. Musically it is very drone-y and noise-ish and not very focused on the music itself, and more about the landscaping.

Sleep is another beautiful piece. It opens with a heartbreaking speech, performed by an old man, and then after a while the orchestral part of the band joins in to support his speech with powerful music that can bring a tear to your eye. The song goes through more landscapes and riffs before arriving at my favorite part, Locks of Love III. This part is amazing, and the most post-rocky segment of this whole album. It starts with pulsing guitar chords and joined by by drum master Aidan Girt bringing the funk-styled drumming into the post rock song. The band join one by one as they climax, and out.

The next and last song is Antennas to Heaven. This one, IMO, is the best track off the album. Opening with ex-band member Moya singing a song called "Baby-O", and then into surreal guitar landscapes played by band leader Efrim Menuck and even a slightly weird part featuring French children songs, the whole band joins in for the most beautiful minute of music ever played. The bass takes the lead and plays intense chording as Aidan batters his drum kit in perparation for Efrim's mighty guitar line, this feels like going to heaven, in some kind of way. The feeling is hard to explain and you just have to listen to believe, but this part is just... unbelievable. They go through some more ambient drones and post rock styled parts before reaching the final part, Antennas to Heaven. This three guitar reverbed segment is amazing, playing the most amazing chord sequences with a drony guitar line, and then the bagpipes join and you feel like you have just reached nirvana.

This is not my favorite album, and as all post-rock albums, words do not do it justice, but you have to listen even if you are not a fan, just to understand the genre and what it's like. In the masses' opinion, it is a masterpiece, but I will give it 4 stars.

Report this review (#483242)
Posted Friday, July 15, 2011 | Review Permalink
Warthur
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars Just as the ambient end of progressive electronic had Tangerine Dream's Zeit, just as the Canterbury scene had Soft Machine's Third, just as symphonic prog (infamously) had Tales From Topographic Oceans, so too did post-rock have Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven. If there were ever any doubt that by the beginning of the 2000s a healthy cross- pollination was occurring between post-rock and classic prog, Godspeed You Black Emperor proved it by putting out a double album of four tracks, each the length of a vinyl side, nearly three decades after the Topographic Oceans controversy made such an approach highly risky in a rock context.

It's also perhaps the band's best work, combining some of their most evocative and intriguing pieces of found audio, the dark post-apocalyptic post-rock style they had developed on their preceding releases, and presenting a bit more variation in the sound - some parts of the album approach dark ambient territory, whilst some of the louder crescendos represent the most complex and musically busy material the band would ever record. On the whole, the epic structure of the album is absolutely perfect for Godspeed's style - they are, at the end of the day, a band all about creating vast rubble-strewn soundscapes for the listener to lose themselves in and explore. One of the essential post-rock releases.

Report this review (#639176)
Posted Thursday, February 23, 2012 | Review Permalink
AtomicCrimsonRush
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars Spellbinding music to tantalise the senses...

Godspeed You! Black Emperor (GY!BE) is a band that has a massive cult following as an online oddity. I first encountered them on websites and was immediately drawn in by their high strangeness and sonic soundscapes of beauty and darkness. The band have received rave reviews online and have generated a mystique that is unique to the world of music. They rarely picture themselves on albums, in fact even replace themselves for an imposter punk band on this album, and they remain virtually anonymous. The music is made up of lengthy ambience and some chilling crescendos, and scattered throughout are soundbytes of narratives, voices and characterisations that have become synonymous with their sound.

"Lift Your Skinny Fists, Like Antennas To Heaven" is made up of an hour and a half of mesmirising musical scapes over 2 CDs, and is perhaps the pinnacle of the band in terms of atmospherics and emotionally charged climaxes. There is a distinct sadness that permeates the sound, as if one is wallowing in the pits of misery at the depth of their darkest hour, and yet there is something uplifting about the music, almost cathartic to purge the emotions at the edge of madness. It is almost impossible to explain or categorise the music, and even harder to describe what the music is doing to the system, but there is definitely a therapeutic impact that occurs that transcends the normal listening experience. I put this on not really expecting much but as the music gained momentum and became intense I was absolutely moved almost to tears by the sheer beauty and the creative tour de force of GY!BE; there is nothing else like this.

I sat down and read many reviews online as I listened and this even further cemented my impression that I was listening to modern day genius. There are only four tracks over the 90 minutes and they are all jammed with immeasurable dynamism; from the incredible darkness of 'Storm' to the incomparable beauty of 'Static'; and then onto CD2 with mesmirising haunting 'Sleep' to the strange finale 'Antennas To Heaven', this is one of the most compelling albums of the millennium. The sheer synergy of music, effects and atmosphere have the commanding power to absorb the listener and drag them into the sonic intensity. Don't just take my word for it; look at what some of the online reviewers on Prog Archives are stating:

Loserboy: "...easily draws the listener into that relaxed mental spacial void where all one can consider is relaxation. A sonic bonanza for your brain."

BrainRock Ben: "If you only buy one GYBE! album, buy this one."

Jim Garten: "You will not be left humming any melodies, as there are actually very few, you will not have inspirational lyrics to quote to your friends, as the album is completely instrumental, you will not actually know why you like the album, but I almost guarantee you will."

penguindf12: "The post-rock group of the new century. The herald of the apocalypse."

frenchie: "This album offers something new, daring, experimental and heavenly to listen to."

Fitzcarraldo: "Listening to these two CDs is a mesmerising experience. I come away feeling quite refreshed. There are no killer riffs, nothing to make you tap your foot, nothing to make you hum, yet the CDs are compelling."

hitandrun2@gm: "Beautiful, haunting, complex, long, ambient, exciting, gaining momentum, orchestral, voice overs, swept away, GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR!"

Cygnus X-2: "It often feels like you're in a dream when listening to these sections. But then when the band erupts into a bombastic section, the atmosphere changes drastically from light to dark, giving a sense of shock and awe to the listener."

Zac M: "A masterpiece like this cannot be overlooked by anyone."

the scientist: "Great monument of Post Rock. Slowly the band create a threatening atmosphere, which becomes all the more intense near the end."

Ricochet: "Gods of Sounds, of Vision, of Context and of Passion that "goes everlasting." "

ClemofNazareth: "This is a great album, just a razor-thin hair shy of indispensable, but better more intense and lasting than the vast majority of things you could stimulate yourself with today ... and not nearly as bad for you as some of those things. Well worth an hour-and-a-half of your life."

lightbulb_son: "The Holy Grail of Post-Rock."

Man With Hat: "This is one of those albums that shakes music to the core, and I am afraid that I can not do this album justice. I still don't think I can capture the pure power of this music in words."

Pnoom!: "I was left dazed, gasping for air, struggling to maintain consciousness as wave upon wave of admiration and awe washed over every pore of my body. I had never experienced anything like this."

Moatilliatta: "The soaring atmospheres will make you motionless, and the climaxes will leave you breathless."

gandalf31: "It was the only album? that changed my whole life forever and ever."

kaiser willhelm: "...spoken word, climaxes, frantic guitars, atmosphere, horns. This album takes a lot of patience and effort on the part of the listener... its a very demanding album but in the end, extremely rewarding."

Preciousgoo: "The songs themselves are vast, blazing deserts of sonic power, that conjure up images of hope, love, sadness, and fragile beauty. Every track seems to live and breathe."

The Truth: "...an eargasm. Music so hard to describe, so hard to get, and yet... You love it. It's just a rarity among music nowadays, something really refreshing to the ear."

I thought these reviews were over the top until I actually experienced it myself and then I knew I was listening to a masterpiece that transcends music and defies description. In conclusion, I think it is fair to say that this album will not be an easy listen but you will come out the other end feeling quite moved by this album. I believe the music causes certain feelings to surface and it will be a personal journey, depending on where you are at in life and what your circumstances are as to how this will affect you. In any case, I applaud the band for creating music for the senses, and not bowing down to what one may consider to be the essential ingredients of music. GY!BE break the barriers of convention and create music without a melody to hook onto, without sung lyrics, without time limits, infinitely patient, with layered sounds generated to fill the silence with sonic violence, and then move the listener with angelic beauty, and then building ever so gradually to a climax, only to break back to an ambience, before exploding into a new exploration of emotion. The album as a whole must be listened to from start to end and not broken into pieces or it loses it's hypnotic stranglehold. This is true earphone music that must be experienced. It may not grab you immediately but it soon transfixes and refuses to let go until the last spellbinding tone resounds. A maddeningly brilliant and unforgettable album of incoherent beauty.

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Posted Thursday, June 21, 2012 | Review Permalink
Neu!mann
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars The acclaimed second album by the Canadian godfathers of Post Rock continues to shoulder a heavy load of high expectations, but suffers the burden with total confidence, in the process attaining a creative zenith rarely seen by other bands. The ensemble's new-found sense of unity and purpose must have been obvious from the opening notes of "Storm", the first of the album's four 20-minute anthems: the ecstatic intro to the piece is undiluted Post Rock bliss, a joyous noise the group could have bottled and patented.

But it's the rising crescendo afterward that never fails to send a shiver of ecstasy down my aging spine. And the rest of the album, spread out over two discs, follows a similar formula with the same effect. The key to the music is in its arrangement: the repetition of slow instrumental build-up, attenuated climax, and lingering coda, with quieter melancholy passages juxtaposed against moments of truly euphoric bedlam.

Other reviewers here have capably dissected each lengthy cut, sometimes inspired to colorful flights of rhetoric (see AtomicCrimsonRush's omnibus compilation), so I won't step on their toes with my own gushing prose. But take a moment to consider the larger structure of the whole album, in which each track functions like a separate movement in a single 90-minute symphony. The music itself is hardly difficult or challenging, but the entirety demands a lot of patience: this is not an album designed for casual listening.

I recommend ignoring the whimsical sub-titles (possibly included for maximum publishing royalties), in order to better hear each 20-minute opus as a complete experience. Unlike the band's more loosely assembled debut album, the discreet interior sections were pieced together in a more holistic manner better suited to the GY!BE brand of large scale composition.

With an open mind and a patient pair of ears this ambitious double-disc will stand revealed as an epic achievement, and a landmark recording of its kind. Add one more voice to the near-unanimous chorus of praise surrounding it.

Report this review (#931160)
Posted Saturday, March 16, 2013 | Review Permalink
Dobermensch
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars The year 2000 was the perfect release date for this slab of doom. 'Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven' sounds like the accumulation of all 20th Century history squashed into one 90 minute double album. And despite being without vocals packs a mighty punch.

An incredibly sad and non uplifting album which occasionally sounds more like an artistic statement than a musical one. Unfortunately my eyebrows frown throughout this every time I hear it. All I can think on is death. This recording gives me seriously bad thoughts of WW1 and WW2.

This is one of those albums that genuinely brings me down. The most masterful thing the band achieve in this recording is the fact that they so easily tap into the extremes of human emotion. And by God, is this an emotional album. Every time I hear it I feel like the end of the world is about to happen. It really is that upsetting. Not good...

An emotionally wrought album which I only occasionally play to due to the slabs of concrete pressing down on my shoulders and crushing my skull as I listen.I still don't know if it's the chords used or the radio footage - but this really hurts my soul.

It's still undoubtedly a thing of beauty for those who can see past war.

Report this review (#1069514)
Posted Thursday, October 31, 2013 | Review Permalink
5 stars First released on: riversofreverb.blogspot.dk

Godspeed You Black Emperor! is a band like no other. Being one of the pioneering bands in the post-rock genre, their music is different than probably any band that is considered part of this genre. Their symphonies succeed in creating the atmosphere of a post- apocalyptic world, a mental picture of a desolated earth where nothing grows anymore and life is just a memory of the past. Beginning with their debut album F♯ A♯ ∞ (1997) they have been known for their long-scaled compositions, their long build-ups, their use of classical instruments, drone guitars and tape recorded speeches.

Their second album though, is a work of epic proportions, even for GYBE standards. Lift Your Skinny Fists like Antennas to Heaven (2000) is not only GYBE's longest and most ambitious album, being a double album composed of only four 'songs' (they would be better called movements or compositions), it is also probably their most complete one. It is a career defining effort for the Canadian band, being heralded by most since it was released as the band's masterpiece and as a classic post-rock record.

The music found in this album features some of the most intense and varied feelings, even when the general tone is somber. From sheer happiness in the beginning of Storm all the way through the hopeless desperation at the end of Antennas to Heaven, it encompasses some of the most powerful buildups, transitions and melodies the band has ever written. They work together to create a sense of completion, as if the album as a whole is trying to make a point about the human experience in its entirety.

Even without lyrics, it can be said that in their work, GYBE show clearly how poignant a band they can be regarding current social and political events, having had problems themself in the US in the wake of the War on Terror. LYSFLATH is probably their less political album though, not having any politically charged messages such as earlier albums had, like the introduction of The Dead Flag Blues in their debut or the one in BBF3 from their sophomore EP Slow Riot for NewZer' Kanada (1999).

The theme of the album seems to revolve around the most sentimental side of their mostly anarchist worldview rather than on the intellectual side of it. Even when they get more political in the recording they use as an introduction to Sleep, clearly a criticism of savage progress in the wake of the new millennium, it appeals more to the emotions of the listener rather than trying to enrage him into action. It's that change of direction which gives LYSFLATH its soulful nature; its mysterious and magical appeal.

GYBE wear their heart on their sleeves on this album. Sometimes it even seems like they are begging for people's understanding, as in the ending of Storm or in the whole Sleep, the saddest and most heartfelt composition on the album. They also succeed in creating the paranoid, almost schizophrenic atmosphere of the times the album was released, with the fear of terrorist attacks and the new millennium coming. The mid-section of Storm and the outstanding Static are the best examples for this.

Although the compositions work as a whole, they are each divided in different sections. Some of this sections are the whole base on which this movements stand upon. Take for example the achingly gorgeous She Dreamt She Was a Bulldozer, She Dreamt She Was Alone in an Empty Field. It opens with some of the most beautiful violins on the whole album followed by the band playing the most urgent section ever recorded by the band. It ends with a build-up that sounds like a dirge for lost hope, the kind of melody you hear in your head when there's nothing left to do.

Other highlight sections are the cheerful Lift Yr. Skinny Fists, Like Antennas to Heaven..., with its horns and victorious drums, opening the album with a blast, or the nerve-wracking World Police and Friendly Fire which builds up to a wonderfully noisy and apocalyptic explosion of sound. The musical peak of LYSFLATH comes with the melancholic Broken Windows, Locks of Love Pt. III which ends Sleep with a highly complex and instrumentally rich section. This section alone defines perfectly what GYBE's music is, with all its diverse nuances.

One of the main characteristics that have been attached to this band is how cinematic it is, to the point of GYBE being described as 'cinematic post-rock'. Throughout this album in particular you can't help picturing different images whenever a build-up comes, or a tape recorded speech or noise, or when the main melodies kick. Even in the quietest moments of the album, the sense of it being the soundtrack for an unwritten movie about life itself doesn't fade until the last screeching sounds of Antennas to Heaven.

In the end it is probably the soundtrack for all of our lives, for the whole society we are living in. The question that's being asked here is: Where do we go now? What's next? The album leaves no answer, just a final cry for help to make sense of all this. Maybe a baby inside its mother's womb or the heart of the earth itself, the final sounds of Antennas to Heaven end the most desperate composition of the album, and the album itself in a mysterious note.

Probably the album makes more sense following the events that came to be just one year after its release. They left some with no hope or tomorrow to look forward to, and others with the gargantuan task of living through all the ashes and pain left. Still the amount of questions just increased since that moment, leaving this album as a testament of life in the last days leading to the moment when we were pushed a little bit further into the abyss.

Report this review (#1090720)
Posted Monday, December 16, 2013 | Review Permalink
siLLy puPPy
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic
5 stars GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR really went for it on their 2nd full album LIFT YOUR SKINNY FISTS LIKE ANTENNAS TO HEAVEN and made one of the most classic and eclectic post-rock albums ever. Although this double album embraces the post-apocalyptic soundscapes that the previous album and EP so successfully achieved, this album covers a much broader musical spectrum. As usual the band starts out with violins and soft repetitive musical patterns that slowly ratchet their way up the intensity scale. The album is broken up into four long sprawling tracks which are further subdivided into smaller parts but I rarely care about the minutia of song titles when I listen to such strange music like this as I usually think of something different than what was intended anyways. In fact the first track "Storm" doesn't necessarily conjure up meteorological connotations at all but makes me think of a colony of ants marching into a spiraled funnel. The rhythm is so steady and the variations occur at the speed of molasses flowing down a cone. The music starts out in a 3/3 waltz timing and somewhere along the intensity divide changes course into a 4/4 time signature as the tempo slowly gets faster and faster.

This album is amazing in how it combines elements of post-rock with ambient passages, classical chamber rock and plunderphonic sound samplings. Not unlike their other albums, it simply takes all those elements and adds on more. The soft parts are even more lush and ambient, the heavy parts are faster and louder and all seems to have the ability to take you on a limitless parade of sound that only ends arbitrarily for the sake of having to end the album. The melodic progressions are minimal while the subtle variations that ratchet the crescendos remind me more of the minimalist classical music of Terry Riley in how it's composed. The music of GODSPEED is very hard to write about since this is a kind of music that is highly subjective in how it affects the listener at any given moment. As many times as i've listened to this I am always amazed at how little is going on musically and yet how much is going on musically. It always leaves me a little perplexed as to why I like this yet I always end up realizing that I do. As with any successful type of avant-garde music it demands that the listener questions their very definition of what music is and with this release it pushes the boundaries even further. All I can say is that your fists don't have to be skinny to enjoy this one but even though it doesn't sound like anything you would hear in heaven it certainly gives a glimpse into another dimension where heaven might be a bit nearer.

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Posted Monday, August 4, 2014 | Review Permalink
Conor Fynes
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars 'Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven' - Godspeed You! Black Emperor (83/100)

Unlike so many of rock music's offshoots and derivatives, post-rock history only hit its stride in the new millennium. That Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven is already considered such a classic in spite of its relative youth (14 years, by my current count) might suggest the depth and burstfire influence it's had on music since. While most 14 year olds are in the mid-reaches of Middle School and possibly eschewing their Star Wars lunchboxes in favour of experimentation with lurid marijuanas and cheap liquor, Lift Yr. Skinny Fists has set the standard for one of the most interesting stylistic developments of the millennium. Like the music itself or not; that's a pretty goddamned impressive feat.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor were a point of contention throughout my youthful listening ventures. I've always been a fan of the 'cinematic' experience in music, and Godspeed have that painted all over them; at the same time, in spite of my enduring love of the ambient form, there's just been something about their work that's kept me from loving it. I remember listening to their debut in high school and being completely unmoved by it, much to the chagrin of friends with nothing but lavish praise to give the band. Some years later, and I am beginning to see what I missed with Lift Yr. Skinny Fists. Undoubtedly, it's a more compelling experience than its predecessor, not only improving on the longwinded orchestrations of F♯ A♯ ∞ but also expanding past it. Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven simultaneously manages to be more ambitious and more accessible than Godspeed were before. It's a cinematic experience in sound-form that consequently nearly lasts the length of the average film. For all of its meticulous detail and scope, it's still not as emotionally compelling as I would have liked to hear in a post-rock recording, but I've little doubt Lift Yr. Skinny Fists justifies the respect and most of the acclaim its earned.

The 'four tracks, twenty minutes each' format here reminds me of another of my favourite ambient double albums. Indeed, Tangerine Dream's chilling Zeit comes to mind several times; in spite of Zeit being a predominantly electronic release and Skinny Fists consisting largely of electric guitar flourishes and sampled field recordings, there's a similar sense of awe and immersiveness to be felt here. Although I've had at least one friend proclaim to me that Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven is the embodiment of what post-rock is all about, each time I've listened to the album it's never felt like an all- encompassing description of the music. The quintessential post-rock crescendos and expansive textures are here in full, but the album would just as easily merit the label of 'ambient'. I believe it was Brian Eno that described ambient music as something that could be enjoyed in the background as well as it could be dissected by an active and attentive ear. I might go a step further and say it is good ambient music that does this; Lift Yr. Skinny Fists is no exception.

The daunting prospect of four massive movements is either downplayed or amplified by the fact that the pieces aren't so much start-to-finish compositions as they are each homes for consistently eclectic (and seemingly unrelated) ideas. Even after becoming familiar with Lift Yr. Skinny Fists as a whole, it's still difficult to draw an association between the beginning and end of a movement. Judging from the appropriately byzantine track listing (with enough listed sub-sections to make King Crimson whizz their pants) the four chunks are so divided to give the sense of 'vinyl sides' in a digital age; more than that, the spoken word samples are given greater weight and poignancy when there's no track distinction separating them from the music itself. As it tends to be with potentially abstract work like Skinny Fists-no inherent meaning is laid out for the audience to draw from- most of the way these four compositions interact within themselves can and should be interpreted subjectively. Rest assured, there's no doubt that the album has been arranged the way it is with meticulous care and focus.

Although they occupy a much smaller proportion of the album than I was expecting, the actual post-rock segments are easily the best thing Skinny Fists has to offer. I swear the first time I listened to the uplifting beginnings of "Storm", it felt like I was falling in love in the summer, even though I was listening to it on a stinky bus with clouds pissing rain every which way outside. The latter movements ("Sleep" and "Antennas to Heaven") are even more glorious in this regard; the latter of the two in particular has a beautifully vulnerable air to the way the guitars bend and weep. I think one of the things that keeps me from calling Godspeed's opus one of my favourite post-rock records is that so much of the time spent listening to it is in anticipation for these gorgeous orchestrations.

The ambiance and samples are clear downtown compared to the album's more lavish passages, but there's plenty of surprising depth. The much-talked about voice samples could have essays written about them regarding what Godspeed You! Black Emperor might be trying to say with them. From the Arco AM/PM Mini-Mart disclaimer at the end of "Storm" (alerting its customers to be suspicious of potential panhandlers) to Murray Ostril's elegy for a now-deceased Coney Island at the beginning of "Sleep", Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven feels like a melancholic response to the way modern society has robbed life of magic and meaning. This interpretation is made problematic with the inclusion of a fringe Christian preacher during the album's most ambient piece "Static", in which a search for meaning is outlined in religious terms of an almost frightening conviction. I usually find spoken word segments lose their value within a few listens of an album, but in the case of Lift Yr. Skinny Fists, I'm finding myself constantly wondering what the hidden meaning of it all might be, as if it's some kind of subjectively metaphorical Rubik's Cube, begging to lend its secrets to the thoughtful listener. Of course, no explicit explanation can or should ever tarnish the experience of this album; part of the enduring fascination I have with this album is the sense that I'm nurturing an increasingly unique and individual experience of it every time I give it a listen. Hopefully you'll feel or have felt a similar satisfaction listening to it.

Considering how emotional Godspeed You! Black Emperor's particular type of post-rock tends to be, it's fairly surprising (and disappointing) that they seem to keep an emotional distance from their audience throughout the album. The mish-mash of spoken word segments with ambiance and steady crescendos only works if it entreats a subjective response from the listener, but Godspeed performs their music with a certain rigid quality; more akin to an orchestra, it snuffs out any personal imprint in favour of colouring within the lines of the composition. Yet, I don't think staying true to the composition and sincerity are mutually exclusive; Explosions in the Sky's music has always felt purposefully composed, and listening to some of their best work it feels like I could be hearing them in some resonant living room-space. Godspeed You! Black Emperor are much more aloof; very little seems to have been bred out of spontaneity, and even the smallest details appear to be the product of forethought. It's as if they've erected the album as a sort of monolith; the two options given to the listener are to stay away from it, or solemnly appreciate it from arm's length. This is not necessarily a bad thing in of itself, but in the case of Lift Yr. Skinny Fists, I'm a little puzzled that such an academic stance would be taken with such a subjective piece of art.

So much more than the typical post-rock album, Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven is one part gorgeously arranged rock orchestra, one part ambient, and one part field recordings and poignant vocal samples. Beyond the more technical points of its production (which is near-perfect for what it sets out to do) the result is an album that could be interpreted a countless number of ways. Like a lot of great art, the experience and interpretation of the album is determined in large part by the inner workings of the person listening to it- I know that could be said for all of music or art, but especially in the case of Lift Yr. Skinny Fists, equally sound and plausible arguments could be made praising or denouncing it, for the sheer sake that it's left to the listener to draw the conclusions themselves. It's wonderfully subjective for such an oddly impersonal album. It's far from being a favourite of mine in post-rock or otherwise, but I'm damned if there aren't few to equal it in terms of scope and depth.

Report this review (#1326692)
Posted Sunday, December 21, 2014 | Review Permalink
TCat
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
5 stars There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that this album and the previous "F#A# (infinity)" album and the E.P. "Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada" are all masterpieces of post rock and anyone that claims to love post rock should be familiar with them. In fact, the Rate Your Music website lists "Slow Riot..." as the best E.P. out of a list of 5000 E.P.s ("Top EPs of all time") that are voted on by members of that site on a monthly basis. It keeps winning that status month after month. But at the same time, I am shocked at how many people that I discuss music with have never heard of this band or of "A Silver Mt. Zion", even people that would be considered music experts, even now that I am living in Canada (since the members of the band are based out of Quebec).

This is an album that has been reviewed many times on PA and is rated quite highly, though I see a lot of varying opinions also. Keep in mind that this band has been very influential in post-rock music and continues to be now with their re-formation. This album is instrumental except for some short spoken word and field recordings that help set the atmosphere for the tracks on this album. To me, this is what a modern day orchestra should sound like. The music is full at times and ambient in others with a wide range of both quick and slow crescendos and decrescendos throughout the long tracks. The music is quite bleak sounding, but done so well that it invokes amazing feelings in the listener, sometimes dark and broody and at other times uplifting and inspiring. It is not easy to listen to if you have not been introduced to post rock because there is a lot of dissonance and odd timbres in the harmonics between the instruments, but that all adds to the uniqueness of the band.

The best way that I have found to listen to this album is to break up the long tracks. In fact, it would be nice if the CD were indexed according to the movements within the individual tracks, but that is only a minor complaint. There is, however, a drawing included with both the CD and the vinyl (inside the gatefold in the vinyl) which shows the structure of the 4 compositions, and it makes the entire album a lot easier to digest and gives each track a lot more personality than it does if you try to listen to the entire album without this structural drawing. It helps to understand and break up the long tracks by following this map. Even without the exact timing listed on all of the movements, it is easy to determine about where each movement ends and begins even though there are no exact breaks between the movements, they flow into one another and at times overlap a bit. But they are mostly distinct and not combined/meshed together as Yes was inclined to do. Even with the distinctness between the tracks, they flow into each other naturally. Following the structural map will increase your understanding of the individual complete compositions and your appreciation to the genius at work in the music will increase as will your love for the music. At least it does for me.

This is also the longest album by the group at over 80 minutes of excellent music. It is not the best music to drive to, at least until you familiarize yourself to it. The music demands your attention and I have found that when I drive my mind wanders a lot, the music in this album might take on a feeling of sameness if you haven't familiarized your self to it. This is music that you need to sit back and listen to and understand the images that are being invoked. The images that come up in your mind however are going to be a lot different from mine, and probably from the images the band had in mind also. It's okay to research what the band wanted you to feel, but I feel it works best if you can relate your own experiences to what you listen to.

Amazing, haunting, inspiring, progressive. Definitely a masterpiece to modern progressive rock music and essential for anyone following post-rock. I love this music and not only rank it as some of the best rock oriented music ever, but also some of the best classically influenced music and hopefully someday, music like this will be seen and respected as classical music. Simply gorgeous and wonderful. 5 extremely bright stars.

Report this review (#1331347)
Posted Tuesday, December 30, 2014 | Review Permalink
5 stars Taking the atmosphere of F#A#Infinity and the musically superior arrangements of Yanqui UXO, GY!BE has created a masterpiece. Some say that Riot for Zero Kanada is their opus, an EP that demonstrates their sound more concisely, but for the full experience LYSFLAtH is a necessary experience for anyone into post-rock. With four epics and almost ninety minutes of music, this is an essential.

Skinny Fists is able to demonstrate an abundance of emotion in the absence of words, creating some sort of mood for any musical theme. Storm, for instance, begins the album with a warm, upbeat movement, and by the end of the song, it has moved into a deeply ominous passage. The actual music itself is done brilliantly, each movement (with several per song) building up from a simple riff and crescendoing into a peak after layers have been added on the original idea. Unlike on F#A# Infinity, they take everything they can get from a theme. Static, especially, is worth a mention here; the tension before the climax is spellbinding, leaving you wondering how it's possibly going to get more intense. It is set up so that the listener knows it will build up to something huge? and Godspeed delivers. The evolution of each song is done well, save perhaps the weakest song, the almost-title track. Though there are moments of bliss on Like Antennas to Heaven, it does not flow as smoothly as the other songs, additionally too reliant on samples and noise.

The samples, ambient, noise, and drone parts are largely present on Skinny Fists, used to break up periods of emotionally exhausting post-rock. I have no idea how the audio clips are relevant, but they add some more personality and quirkiness to the album, leaving the listener to ponder their meanings. The minimalistic forms of music present on the album are just kind of there, fitting the flow of the song and serving almost as interludes, though not the most enjoyable.

Despite all the noise and a relatively weak closing track, Skinny Fists is an excellent album and absolutely essential listening for anyone interested in post-rock. Combining atmosphere and brilliant songwriting techniques, GY!BE prove themselves masters of prog.

9/10, round up to five stars.

Report this review (#1468378)
Posted Tuesday, September 22, 2015 | Review Permalink
5 stars I've been wanting to make this album my first official PA's review for quite some time now and today is the day. I'm gonna start this off by pointing out that this will be a very biased evaluation. I consider that being able to judge things from a neutral perspective is one of my talents but I simply cannot do it and will not even try with Godspeed. To this day, this is my all-time favourite album. After hearing the opening movement for the first time, I was hooked on Godspeed for life. It's a relatively straightforward album. No fancy underlying complexity that requires several listenings to enjoy; just pure raw emotion. If the first 6 minutes don't make you feel like lifting your skinny lifts like antennas to heaven, you'll know Godspeed is just not for you.

The album is divided in four 20-ish minute songs. "Storm" is the greatest intro to an album I've ever heard by far. It's just pure brilliance. It opens up with a lovely violin riff soon joined by electric guitar and a subtle yet magnificent French horn which adds a sublime dimension to the intro. The violin starts off slow and smooth before gradually increasing in intensity to a point that is almost unbearable as you can tell it's about to explode. Around the 3 minute mark, a rain of cymbals is heard then the drums suddenly join in and the following 3 minutes literally have the power to bring tears of bliss. The climax ends and the sound lowers significantly as Godspeed's trademark, the lap slide guitar enters giving a contemplative touch to the middle section of the song. The sound builds up again and a quite heavy section follows. The piece ends with a unclear radio broadcast (?) and a simple 3-note piano section.

"Static" is probably my least favourite part of this album. The first five minutes are drone-ish sounds which lead to a speech made by a preacher (?). Now, I don't identify to any religion but this speech is just amazing. It deals with enlightenment: "When you penetrate to the most high God, you will believe you're mad, you will believe you've gone insane." The speech is accompanied by a melancholic violin and as it stops, acoustic guitar enters the picture and the violin comes back in. Another buildup. This time a powerful wall of sound is created. I guess all 3 guitars, 2 bass, violin, cello and horns are playing in harmony to create this effect. "Static" ends much like it started, with drone noises.

The first track on side two is "Sleep". It starts with a depressing speech made by an old man ruminating about his childhood in Coney Island. This song might be the easier one to love on a first listen. There are two main buildups here. The first one leads to a haunting part with alienating distorted slide guitar and heavy drumming. The second one starts with acoustic guitar joined by horns and electric guitar. Then just as you think it's over, violin and drums come back and play in sublime harmony until the end of the piece.

To say that "Antennas to Heaven" is an intense experience is an understatement. I always imagined it as a soundtrack to people on their death bed looking back on their life. It starts with a part of a country song and percussions make the transition to sounds of children in a playground. They're singing a famous French riddle, "Le Bon Roi Dagobert". Then dramatic repetitive violin notes are played and make for a very beautiful passage. The last note is extended and you know what's coming when the drums start playing in the background. A very high intensity section mostly driven by guitar ensues but this part is very short. After a few minutes of meditative ambient sounds, a lovely electric guitar, bass and drums part come put an end to the album. The very final moments consist of more ambient greatness.

I think the only thing one could reproach this fantastic Canadian band is their tendency to always write songs with the same structure and never reinventing themselves. Most of their songs are composed of two buildups, emotional violin and guitar slowly increasing in intensity leading to a heavy climax. Personally I think their sound is absolutely perfect so I could not be more pleased that they're sticking to the same recipe all the time while using different ingredients. I believe this is an album that not only music enthusiasts should absolutely hear but also anyone who lives life passionately. Definitely 5 stars.

Report this review (#1671166)
Posted Friday, December 23, 2016 | Review Permalink
5 stars This, for me, is GYBE's masterpiece, and one of my favourite albums. The band is quite unique in incorporating a very critical punk ethos into otherwise very beautiful, slow building instrumental music. The band, and this album, is as other reviewers here note, non-conformist and, I would add, totally uncompromising (indeed, one of the reasons I love this band so much is that they very clearly never compromise their music, you either like or not. And they keep pushing the boundaries of music. They are, for me, a band of the highest musical integrity). And unlike most instrumental music, this album conveys a powerful political and emotional message. As noted by others, this is music somehow predicting, and written for, a post-apocalyptic world. And it unusual in being instrumental music that makes you think. I think it sets a certain archetypical standard against which any other post-rock (and other so-called post-apocalyptic music) might be compared.

I am writing this review more than ten years after picking up this album and listening to it a gazillion times, and unlike other albums which eventually lose their shine after multiple listens, this one keeps growing on me, drawing me in. It all fits together very well, and even when one has to listen through white noise or other harsh sounds, those work well in pulling you through the transitions between pieces. While there is no normal singing, there are occasional other recorded vocal noises (including interviews with people recorded on busy city streets, recordings of school children, etc), and other low-fi sound bites (there is one recording of a band member singing 'baby-o' but that is one of these low-fi snippets). These help glue the music together and bolster its critical ethos. But it is really the music that stands out. The title track ("Lift yer Skinny Fists like Antennas to Heaven") is one of the band's most beautiful and majestic pieces of music, and one that also works very well live. Gathering Storm is actually their version of Amazing Grace, but with a twist, lending some reflexive emotional weight to the whole album. World Police and Friendly Fire is perhaps a definitive GYBE composition, and also works very well live.

On the whole, the album stands the test of time. It is highly original, powerful, and musically maintains its emotional weight even after multiple years of listening. I would highly recommend giving this album multiple listens before coming to any conclusions. The first times I listened to it, I had a hard time cognitively mapping it, but over time its structure and heft became evident. This is, in my opinion, in a select list of the top 50 albums every made. This one is worth it.

Report this review (#1693550)
Posted Thursday, February 16, 2017 | Review Permalink
DamoXt7942
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
5 stars At first would you please let me say this creation should be kinda textbook of Post Rock? 'Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven' was released in 2000 as GY!BE's second studio-based full-length (quite longer) album, that is even currently (about 20 years or more later) considered as one of Post Rock masterpieces. Featuring four over 20 minute tracks upon four sides of lps, the album goes forward without letting you feel long nor redundant, exactly like a time machine or an empty dream. Basically there are a bunch of repetitive distorted melody phrases but they have plenty of sound-oriented appearances and directly make an appeal to human nature from the beginning until the end.

The first GY!BE song for me was 'Sleep' where are many repetitive, downtempo, dreamy and hypnotic paragraphs ... fuzzy shoegaze guitar play is pretty impressive and depressive. The more you go ahead, the stronger and louder their sound launch is (sounds like they might give expression of REM sleep in the middle distortion), and suddenly and eventually you again fall into deep sleep in the beginning of the latter part. Sleeping at one night can be supremely appeared by their instrumental technique and well-created melody lines.

'Static' is another gem quite epic and fragile but magnificently tense, pressing, and dominant. Wondering why they can shoot such an innovative lesion here and there. Each line should be slightly different, diverse from others, even if repeated in a similar manner. The last 'Antennas To Heaven' can be thought as sorta endless heavenly chorus by all of their instruments flooded with bankruptcy ... like the last piano touch of 'A Day In The Life', the last loooong breath should be worth listening without breathing (lol).

Anyway their real masterpiece is the starter 'Storm' you can understand methinks. In the beginning a signal gun by the horn section and a long, destructed violin bow ... both are fantastic and fanatic. The former part sounds like a quietness just before a storm. However, the stronger a wind gets, the more nervous and painful people around there should be ... their powerful sound appearance is well realized above mentioned. The storm and their stormy play break in piece and absorb entirely. And at last nothing except vacancy is left around us. This track can tell you in detail, and their soundscape can be expressed quite vividly and visually.

Again mentioned, you cannot be bored nor tired via this long, thick creation but get filled with authentic post rock world definitely.

Report this review (#2168215)
Posted Sunday, March 24, 2019 | Review Permalink
5 stars In my opinion, the works by GYBE! in 2000 and 2002 belong to the peak of post-rock and are genre-defining. GYBE! has further perfected their sound while staying ambitious, removing narrations and some other not so much interesting noises that appeared in the 90's. The result is a more accessible, slightly less experimental, more rock than classical music leanings which means also more majestic landscapes. The atmosphere remains dark, reflective.

"Storm" has a cresciendo water river meandering start that brings actually happiness more than despair. The soft part with guitar and violin in the background is absorbing, then cello joins. The motive returns and chords became very serious and so goooood with dramatic echoes staying in the mix. Repeated marching drums keep the tension in the air until a fragile sorrowful piano ends the song. This is the quality of highest calibre and many other post-rock bands would dream of such impressive composition.

"Static" is more similar to the previous releases with calmer ambience but apocalyptic sounding studio tricks and mournful violin. The pace is accelerating and instruments increasing tones resulting in expression of bleakness and furious despair. Relaxing cello and ambiance sounds balance the track towards the end.

"Sleep" has indeed a sleepy beginning with strings and calm guitars noodling, however the bleak motive lets you know what to expect in the following minutes. Drums only emerge after six minutes with fast speed. You can also hear trumpet and high-pitched guitars in a more straightforward post-rock manner. Electronica beat reminiscent of Mogwai before finale comes with multiple guitars.

"Antennas to heaven" starts in a bluesy acoustic format to change completely to human voices and then intensive guitar- dominated arena accompanied by violins. One of the few guitar solos can be heard in this track, albeit not a progressive rock one but still enriching ;). The rest of the composition is experimental but not of high quality and feels forced to have at least 18 minutes done.

A masterpiece of post-rock that you should dive in.

Report this review (#2283388)
Posted Friday, November 22, 2019 | Review Permalink
5 stars If you look at the reviews of this album, you can quickly realize how divisive it is. While I think it's an irrefutable masterpiece and the best post-rock album ever made, some others think it's an eighty minute snoozefest. I think it all depends on the approach you give it, Godspeed You! Black Emperor really isn't a very accessible band and a record with four long, drone infested, atmospheric tracks wasn't going to appeal most classic prog rock fans who enjoy listening a Hammond keyboard wank for an entire album.

With that said, the importance of this album to this genre is monumental. I really can't say another post-rock record released before was as ambitious and bold as this one, and it influenced the genre by proclaiming itself as the most quintessential post-rock record. Lots of build ups, lots of droning, lots of atmospheric sections, lots of talked sections, no vocals, all the properties that can be heard in post-rock can be found in this album.

I understand if you don't like this record, but saying that it's a 1 or 2 star record is wrong considering how important it is to its genre. I'm giving it five stars because it is an essential record and because I absolutely love it.

Report this review (#2586355)
Posted Sunday, August 15, 2021 | Review Permalink
5 stars I was recommended this album by someone, and it did not disappoint. This album is genuinely the most beautiful thing I have ever heard, and most likely ever will hear. Even without real lyrics, I could sense a story in each of the songs. "Storm" felt like it was about helplessness and the feeling of hopelessness. The feeling that your life is happening around you, but you can't control its direction. "Static" felt like it was about panic; a drawn-out descent into hysteria. Although the religious bit kind of threw me off. "Sleep" felt like it was about nostalgia; a fleeting love for the past, the sorrow of it being gone, and a feeling of anger at its passing that turns to mindless rage that slowly morphs back into sorrow. As if the past was a pit and anger was their attempt at climbing out, only for them to fall back into sorrow. Every time the anger returns, it is another attempt at escape that fails. A cycle that they never escape from. As for the final song, "Like Antennas To Heaven...", I couldn't discern its meaning. It felt like there was so much meaning there, but it was something I was not yet ready to understand. This album is just amazing. You can't describe it accurately with words. I am still young, but if I die early I hope this album is played at my funeral.
Report this review (#2901233)
Posted Thursday, March 23, 2023 | Review Permalink
5 stars Review #82!

This album is singularly one of the most beautiful and touching things I've ever heard. I hate to compare this to Yes's 'Close to the Edge', but I might have to. The amount of emotion Godspeed You! Black Emperor manages to bring to the table is immense, and that is what makes this album so emotionally connecting. The album opener is 'Storm'. This track conveys such a feeling of melancholy, lyrics are unnecessary. This song feels like a metaphorical storm, with the peace before, the panic in the midst of it, and the return to peace after it is over. I personally think it is about life as a whole, and how it begins without a care in the world and ends with (not to quote Shakespeare, but) second childishness. 'Static's weird speech is so confusing and odd it is disturbing. About halfway through the track is a movement that sounds like a modern rock song. Then the music returns to the sad feel found before it. The song ends with ambience, making good use of the track's title. I think this track is about religion, an obvious guess regarding the subject matter of the spoken word. 'Sleep' begins with a man talking about Coney Island, and then about sleeping on the beach. Sleeping. This is an introduction to the theme of this song. Then there is a sad orchestral melody. Another beautiful highlight of this album. A nice little guitar interlude fades in and out of the music until crescendoing at one of the most powerful parts of this entire album. The music eventually slows down. After a slow section, the music suddenly explodes and turns into a hopeful guitar solo. Another beautiful highlight of this album. The solo fades away and the song ends. This song seems to be about how life passes you by. The closing track, 'Like Antennas To Heaven?', begins with a little country ditty and fades into ambience. Then, like in 'Sleep', the music explodes and slows down again. Another explosion slows down yet again and the album ends. 'Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven' is a great album, and a great introduction to math rock for anybody. It sure was for me. Everyone can find something to love in this album. Good crap.

Report this review (#2905462)
Posted Friday, April 7, 2023 | Review Permalink
2 stars Now, I'm a big fan of post-rock, but mostly the first wave stuff. Bands like Moonshake, Disco Inferno, Long Fin Killie, Disco Inferno, Talk Talk, Disco Inferno, etc.. but this is just not that interesting. I'm already not a fan of crescendocore, if you choose to call it that, and even though this is a little better than some of the more generic stuff within the genre it eludes me as to why this receives such incredibly high acclaim. The album is just irrationally long, which is fine if you have lots of variation, but this one doesn't. I also don't like the cinematic sound, which is also an issue I have with F#A#. The biggest problem, though is that the tracks feel a bit too similar with their crescendo-based structures. And even though each track is slightly different, they're each stretched out to unnecessary lengths to the point where they blend together in my head, leading to a pretty unmemorable experience.
Report this review (#2964938)
Posted Saturday, October 28, 2023 | Review Permalink

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