YOO DOO RIGHT

— First review of this album —

This Quebecois band is sounding more and more like countrymates GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR and less and less like CAN.

1. "Spirit's Heavy, But Not Overthrown" (13:19) a heavier, almost punk version of Post-Rock-infused Krautrock. The instrumental passages are much more interesting than the punk-Krautrock. (26/30)

2. "Eager Glacier" (9:11) built over a pounding Native American-like drum pattern infinity guitars weave their detuned chords over the top, slowly growing in power and volume, as added and increased cymbal play also reflects the growing tension. The coolest parts are the very-seldom key changes from the guitars (always collectively). At the five-minute mark the drums cut out completely, leaving the whining, droning guitars alone for about 40 seconds, then everything comes crashing back in like a modern day MY BLOODY VALENTINE or KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION jam. Guitar chord progressions begin at the seven-minute mark and proceed with more rock-like bass-and-drum pattern. A little like 4 A.D. band DIF JUZ here. Not bad! (17.75/20)

3. "Ponders End" (7:18) JAM-like guitar stroking with DICK DALE-like spy music guitar riffing and marching band-like drum pounding creates this very odd, almost incongruous sound. It's creative but a little drawn out without enough variation and development--even with the scaled-down end of the fourth minute and then switch of guitar-chord progressions thereafter. Another Post Rock (reminding me of two Irish bands: U2 and Post Rockers GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT) shift for the last 90 seconds tries to add some variety. (13/15) 4. "Lost in the Overcast" (3:53) interesting slow-paced interlude of more Native American drumming and slow, spacious guitar strums. Innocuous. (8.75/10)

5. "From the Heights of Our Pastureland" (8:39) 4:20 of thrashing heavy Post Rock guitars takes a turn into MAUDLIN OF THE WELL territory with some suddenly gorgeous and very spacious long-decay guitar chord play, eventually set over Native American-like drum rhythms and slow-pulsing single note on the piano. I really like this part! Not as big of a fan of the guitar thrashing first part. (17.625/20)

Total Time 42:18

I don't remember such a predominance of Native American-like drumming in previous Yoo Doo Right music. It works, kind of, but can be a bit tedious over time.

B-/3.5 stars. Interesting but, ultimately, disappointing--especially because this band popped onto the scene showing so much promise.

The sophomore studio release from these young Quebecois Krautrockers.

1. "Say Less, Do More" (8:32) Post Rock with Krautrock's simplicity and voice-over. The first two minutes are pleasantly hypnotic, even melodic, but so simple. Interesting things begin to happed with Slowdive-like guitars and more cymbal action from the drums in the third minute, then the post-punk vocal rant enters (sung in accented-English). This could very well have come out of some young angry Brits in the early 1980s--like Joy Division or even The Clash (in their more introspective moments). In the end, there just isn't enough to make this anything more that good solid Post-punk Post Rock (though I do love the contribution of Jessica Moss' violin in the final minutes). (17/20)

2. "SMB" (6:42) pres de Disco Post Rock. Buce sound palette coming from the two guitars but all in all, even with its Post Rock slow-build and cresecendo, it's just too simplistic and unchanging. (8.33/10)

3. "Derive" (8:03) a mysterious, almost cinematic foundation with some great bass play and atmospheric synths, but, in the end, it's just too CAN-like. The crescendoing fourth, fifth, and sixth minutes (mostly from the glissandoing guitars) shows great promise, great energy, but then it all comes crashing down in a JAMBINAI/MONO way before resetting to the opening motif as if nothing had happened. Crazy! (13.25/15)

4. "The Failure of Stiff, Tired Friends" (6:02) smooth and pleasantly atmospheric; parts of this could come from THE CURE or some 1980s (John Hughes) movie soundtrack. I like it. Very much. (8.875/10)

5. "Feet Together, Face Up, on the Front Lawn" (16:36) A heavy start to this one puts them in the realm of Post Rock bands like SLEEPMAKESWAVES and MONO. At the three-minute mark the music shifts radically into a pure CAN mode--even with crazed vocals of the Damo Suzuki kind, but then we quite as drastically and mysteriously shift back to the heavy POST ROCK motif at the end of the fourth minute for a few bars, but then it reverts back into the CAN motif again. Back and forth a couple times before going Post Rock and drawing it out (and down) into a more SWANS-like form and style. Pretty ingenious if derivative. We kind of stay in the Swans and heavy Post Rock realms for the remainder of the song. (26/30)

Total Time 45:55

Quite a disappointment for I had very high expectations for this band after their stunning debut. Still, the album did get better the deeper you get into the album. And, overall, I do like the sound of this band! I am not done with guys yet, yoo doo right!

B/four stars; a solid album of Nouveau Post Rock that, though not as impressive as one might have hoped for after their delightfully refreshing debut, would still make a nice addition to any prog lover's music collection.

Obviously inspired by a specific German band in some way, YOO DOO RIGHT currently are a trio from Montreal, Québec, consisting of Justin Cober (guitar, synth, vocals), Charles Masson (bass), and drummer John Talbot. Thus, distributed via Mothland in June 2022, their second album 'A Murmur, Boundless To The East' covers very much Kraut infected music, but is also equipped with a contemporary post rock and shoegaze twist in equal measure. Based on that requirements they are able to offer an inspired unique flow, surely also due to the involvement of acclaimed record producer Radwan Ghazi Moumneh. And so, step by step, this evokes its experimental free-spirited character over the course, with the result of a well appointed amalgam of song structure and improvisation.

I'm not sure to whom this is adressed especially, but Say Less, Do More certainly is a clever advice concerning many cases in real life. Eh, the song reminds me of New Model Army somehow, especially due to Justin Cober's singing voice. Ebb and flow featuring hypnotic behaviour, deep grooves and lively drums, soaring synths and guitars, Dérive proves the provided skills as no other. Neo Kraut Grandezza! Surprisingly in between, on The Failure Of Stiff, Tired Friends the lead guitar describes some cinematic Ennio Morricone adapted mood. Then later you'll be faced with rather weird lyrics repectively vocals on the extended Feet Together, Face Up, On The Front Lawn. Finally this accentuates the post rock aspect again, including raising monumental guitar walls. My conclusion: great stuff! 'A Murmur, Boundless To The East' definitely marks an enjoyable production.

A French Canadian band who has obviously taken inspiration from CAN but seem to be offering a "What would Can be doing today, in the 21st Century" perspective. Obviously, they think there would be elements of Kevin Shields' My Bloody Valentine sound as well as Post Rock bleeds.

1. "A Certain Sense of Disenchantment" (1:58) teasing space rock sounds and Roman gladiator beats make it sound as if I'm in for a SWANS-like listening experience--but then it ends (and bleeds over to the next song) with some KRAFTWERK-like synth sequencing. (4.25/5)

2. "1N914" (7:05) A hard-driving, metronomic Krautrock song that turns full-on Post Rock. The presence of some KEVIN SHIELDS-like guitar chord bending is awesome. One of the best songs of 2021. (14.5/15)

3. "Marché des vivants" (3:48) Great synth-oriented song. It doesn't hurt that the rhythm section provides us with a flippin' awesome groove that you can really sink your pelvis into. (9.5/10)

4. "The Moral Compass of a Self-Driving Car" (6:33) the groove of the opening of Camel's "Lunar Sea" comes to mind as well as the dramatic stylings and sounds of Post Rock of Virginian band GIFTS FROM ENOLA; there is no Krautrock here--until the three minute mark when the car takes a turn onto the Autobahn. What a smooth, sneaky, seemless switch! I welcome the KRAFTWERK and KEVIN SHIELDS sounds and stylings. (9.25/10)

5. "Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose" (6:00) a more dreamy, contemplative, mostly instrumental song (the Michael Gira-like vocals are only in the second minute) than the previous driving/dancing grooves. New Gold Dream-era SIMPLE MINDS comes strongly to mind. I love--am mesmerized by--the pitch-variant drone throughout the first three minutes. Then it turns ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF/MY BLOODY VALENTINE. (8.75/10)

6. "Join, Be Curst" (4:38) at first, this one has a punk feel (due to its shouted vocal and simple, straightforward pounding drum beat), but then at 1:43 the music switches to a kind of Latin Space sound--what Space Cowboys might sound like from Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone. (8.5/10)

7. "Presto Presto, Bella's Dream" (3:46) the first song I heard by the band and one that reminded me of the fact that I'm not a particular fan of CAN-like metronomic Krautrock. (8.25/10)

8. "Black Moth" (6:49) though there is a modern, almost BLACK MIDI, aspect to this song, it could also very well be a song straight off of a MONO, THE FUTURE KINGS OF ENGLAND, or SLEEPMAKESWAVES album. (12.75/15)

An album that starts off so strongly with its Kevin Shields-spiced version of German Post Rock but then, unfortunately, slips into more monotonous stylings of Can-like Krautrock. Admirable attempt at the melding of the two styles but, ultimately, a failure for having fallen too

B+/4.5 stars; a near-miss to masterpiece level. Definitely a band I look forward to for future releases.