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{{genrebox|name=Post-rock |
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|color=crimson |
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|bgcolor=white |
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|stylistic_origins= [[Experimental music|Experimental]], [[Minimalist music|Minimalism]], [[Ambient music|Ambient]], [[Classical music]] [[Krautrock]], [[Progressive rock]], [[Indie rock]], [[Space rock]], [[Shoegazing]], [[Art rock]], and [[Electronica]] |
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|cultural_origins= Mid-[[1980s]], [[United Kingdom]] and [[United States]] |
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|instruments=[[Guitar]] – [[Bass guitar|Bass]] – [[Drums]] – [[Synthesizer]] – Other less common instruments, such as [[Saxophone]], [[Oboe]], [[Glockenspiel]]s, [[Piano]], [[Cello]] or [[Violin]]s. |
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|popularity=Limited, exists mostly within the indie scene. |
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|regional_scenes=[[Music of Quebec|Montreal]], [[Music of Iceland|Iceland]] and [[Music of Illinois|Chicago]] |
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}} |
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'''Post-rock''' is a [[music genre]] characterized by the use of [[musical instrument]]s commonly associated with [[rock music]], but utilizing [[rhythm]]s, [[harmony|harmonies]], [[melodies]], [[timbre]], and [[chord progression]]s that are not found in rock tradition. Simply put, it is the use of 'rock instrumentation' for non-rock purposes. Practitioners of the genre's style typically produce instrumental music.<ref name="The Wire May 1994"/><ref name="Pitchfork"/><ref name="allmusic"/> |
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As with many musical genres, the term is arguably inadequate as a concise descriptor: for example, [[Don Caballero]] and [[Mogwai (band)|Mogwai]] were among the more prominent bands of the 1990s described as post rock, but the two bands' music has very little in common besides the fact that they are both largely instrumental. As such, the term has been the subject of backlash from listeners and artists alike.<ref name="Under the Radar">{{cite web|url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/Issue%201/Interviews/Mogwai/mogwai.html|title=Under the Radar interview with Dominic Aitchison|first=Mark|last=Redfern|publisher=Under the Radar|accessdate=2006-11-28}}</ref> |
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Although firmly rooted in the [[Indie (music)|indie]] scene of the 1980s and '90s, post-rock's style bears little resemblance musically to that of [[indie rock]].<ref name="allmusic"/><ref name="Pitchfork"/> |
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==Post-rock== |
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===Origin of the term=== |
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The term 'post-rock' was coined by critic [[Simon Reynolds]] in his review of [[Bark Psychosis]]' album ''[[Hex (album)|Hex]]'', published in the March 1994 issue of ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'' magazine. Reynolds expanded upon the idea later in the May 1994 issue of ''[[The Wire (magazine)|The Wire]]''.<ref name="The Wire May 1994">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20011202075606/http%3a//www.thewire.co.uk/out/1297_4.htm|title=Simon Reynolds' article on post-rock|publisher=The Wire|first=Simon|last=Reynolds|accessdate=2006-11-28}}</ref><ref name="The Wire 20">{{cite web|url=http://www.thewire.co.uk/about/history.html|title=The Wire 20|accessdate=2006-11-28|publisher=[[The Wire (magazine)|The Wire]]}}</ref> |
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He used the term to describe music "using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of [[timbre]] and textures rather than [[riff]]s and [[power chord]]s." He further expounded on the term, {{cquote|Perhaps the really provocative area for future development lies... in [[cyborg]] rock; not the wholehearted embrace of Techno's methodology, but some kind of interface between real time, hands-on playing and the use of digital effects and enhancement.}} |
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In a July 2005 entry in his blog, Reynolds claimed he had used the term "post-rock" before using it in ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'', previously using it in music newspaper ''[[Melody Maker]]''.<ref name="blissblog">{{cite web|url=http://blissout.blogspot.com/2005_07_01_blissout_archive.html#112140209965630241|title=Simon Reynolds' blog entry on 2005-07-14|first=Simon|last=Reynolds|accessdate=2006-11-28}}</ref> He also said he later found the term to not be of his own creation, saying in his blog, "although I genuinely believed I was coining the term, I discovered many years later it had been floating around for over a decade." The term was used by American journalist [[James Wolcott]] in a 1975 article about musician [[Todd Rundgren]].<ref name="Wolcott">{{cite web|url=http://toddstuff.home.comcast.net/articles/TR-creem-exile.html|title=Todd Rundgren - Street Punk in Self-Imposed Exile|first=James|last=Wolcott|date=July 1975|accessdate=2007-09-30|publisher=Creem magazine}}</ref> |
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===Historical development=== |
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====Early precedents==== |
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Post-rock appears to take a heavy influence from late '60s U.S. group [[The Velvet Underground]] and their "dronology" — "a term that loosely describes fifty percent of today's post rock activity." <ref name="Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music">{{cite book| isbn=0826416152|authorlink=Simon Reynolds|editor=Cox, Cristoph and Daniel Warner|last=Reynolds|first=Simon|publisher=Continuum International|pages=359|title=Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music}}</ref> [[Public Image Ltd]] (PiL) were also pioneers, described by the ''[[NME]]''<ref name="Plastic Box">{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/public-image-ltd/641|title=Plastic Box album review|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=NME}}</ref> as "[a]rguably the first post-rock group." Their second album ''[[Metal Box]]'' (1979) almost completely abandoned traditional rock and roll structures in favor of dense, repetitive [[dub reggae|dub]]- and [[krautrock]]-inspired soundscapes and [[John Lydon]]'s cryptic, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. The year before ''Metal Box'' was released, PiL bassist [[Jah Wobble]] declared, "rock is obsolete."<ref name="Frieze">{{cite web|url=http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/heavy_metal/|title=Heavy Metal|publisher=Frieze Magazine|first=Simon|last=Reynolds|date=November 2007|accessdate=2008-01-15}}</ref> ''[[Flowers of Romance (album)|Flowers of Romance]]'' (1981), their third album, was an even more radical departure, emphasizing rattling percussion and abstract [[tape music]]. |
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====1990s post-rock==== |
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Bands from the early [[1990s]], such as [[Slint]], or earlier, such as [[Talk Talk]], were later recognized as influential on post rock.<ref name="Pitchfork"/> Slint's ''[[Spiderland]]''<ref name="Pitchfork"/> and [[Talk Talk]]'s ''[[Laughing Stock]]''<ref name="Sputnik Music">{{cite web|url=http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=6911|publisher=Sputnik Music|title=Talk Talk — It's My Life review|first=Chris|last=Jackson|date=2006-05-15|accessdate=2007-03-29}}</ref> are credited as giving birth to post-rock.<ref name="allmusic"/> |
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[[Image:Mogwai-799171169.jpg|thumb|right|Post-rock group [[Mogwai (band)|Mogwai]] performs at a 2007 concert.]] |
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Originally used to describe the music of such bands<ref name="allmusic"/> as [[Cul de Sac (group)|Cul de Sac]],<ref name="Birdhouse.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.birdhouse.org/words/scot/post_rock.html|title=The Post-Rock Phenomenon|accessdate=2007-03-29|publisher=The Utne reader|first=Scot|last=Hacker|date=July 1996}}</ref> [[Stereolab]],<ref name="Epitonic">{{cite web|url=http://www.epitonic.com/index.jsp?refer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epitonic.com%2Fartists%2Fstereolab.html|title=Stereolab biography|accessdate=2007-03-29|publisher=Epitonic|date=2001-08-27|first=Jesse|last=Ashlock}}</ref> [[Laika (band)|Laika]],<ref name="VH1">{{cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1124379/20000924/laika.jhtml|accessdate=2007-03-29|date=2000-09-24|title=Laika Kick Off U.S. Tour In Seattle|first=Doug|last=Levy}}</ref> [[Disco Inferno (band)|Disco Inferno]],<ref name="Epitonic_DI">{{cite web|url=http://www.epitonic.com/index.jsp?refer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epitonic.com%2Fartists%2Fdiscoinferno.html|title=Disco Inferno biography|accessdate=2007-03-29|date=2001-08-10|publisher=Epitonic|first=Jeanne|last=Acceturo}}</ref> [[Moonshake]],<ref name="Dusted Reviews">{{cite web|url=http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/1232|title=Dusted Reviews review of Minamo — Beautiful|accessdate=2007-03-29|date=2004-01-26|publisher=Dusted Magazine|first=Charlie|last=Wilmoth}}</ref> [[Seefeel]],<ref name="Pitchfork">{{cite web|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/10241-the-lost-generation|title=The Lost Generation|accessdate=2007-03-29|date=2005-07-11|first=Nitsuh|last=Abebe|publisher=Pitchfork Media}}</ref> [[Bark Psychosis]], and [[Pram (band)|Pram]],<ref name="The Wire May 1994" /> post-rock grew to frequently be used for a variety of [[jazz]] and [[krautrock]] influenced, largely instrumental, and [[electronica]]-tinged music made after 1994.<ref name="Pitchfork" /><ref name="allmusic"/> |
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[[Image:Domakesaythink01.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Post-rock group [[Do Make Say Think]] performs at a May 2007 concert.]] |
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[[Tortoise (band)|Tortoise]] is also widely considered as being among the founders of the movement.<ref name="Stylus">{{cite web|url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/tortoise/a-lazarus-taxon.htm|title=Review of Tortoise's A Lazarus Taxon|first=Todd|last=Hutlock|publisher=Stylus Magazine|accessdate=2006-11-28|date=2006-09-01}}</ref> After the second Tortoise [[Vinyl record|LP]] ''[[Millions Now Living Will Never Die]]'', the band became a post-rock icon.<ref name="Pitchfork"/><ref name="Splendid">{{cite web|url=http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=1081734856339505|title=Tortoise — It's All Around You|first=Phillip|last=Buchan|publisher=Splendid Magazine|date=2004-04-13|accessdate=2007-03-29}}</ref> Many bands (e.g., [[Do Make Say Think]]) began to record music inspired by the "Tortoise-sound."<ref name="Textura">{{cite web|url=http://www.textura.org/archives/d/domakeandyetreview.htm|title=Do Make Say Think — And Yet review|publisher=Textura|date=Feb. 2003|accessdate=2007-03-29}}</ref> |
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In the late 1990s, [[Chicago]] was the home base for a variety of post-rock associated performers. Both [[John McEntire]] of Tortoise and [[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]] of [[Brise-Glace]] and [[Gastr del Sol]] were important producers for many of the groups.<ref name="Scaruffi">{{cite web|url=http://www.scaruffi.com/history/cpt521.html|title=The History of Rock: The Nineties|first=Piero|last=Scaruffi|date=2005|accessdate=2007-03-29}}</ref> |
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One of the most eminent post-rock locales is Montreal, where [[Godspeed You! Black Emperor]] and similar groups, including [[A Silver Mt. Zion]], [[Do Make Say Think]], and [[Fly Pan Am]] record on ''Constellation'', a notable post-rock record label.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://media.www.mcgilltribune.com/media/storage/paper234/news/2002/11/19/AE/Post-Rock.A.Movement.Of.The.90s.Still.Kickin-326959.shtml|title=Post-rock: a movement of the 90s still kickin'|date=2002-11-19|publlisher=the McGill Tribune|accessdate=2007-03-29|first=Ian|last=Weinberger}}</ref> These groups are generally characterized by an aesthetic rooted in, among other genres, [[musique concrète]], [[chamber music]], and [[free jazz]].<ref name="Aural Innovations" /> |
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Canadian post-rock outfit [[Godspeed You! Black Emperor]] and Scottish group [[Mogwai (band)|Mogwai]] were among some of the influential post rock groups to arise during the turn of the 21st century.<ref name="ARTNOISE">{{cite web|url=http://deepfrybonanza.com/artnoise/?page_id=62|date=2005-05-05|title=Constellation Interview|publisher=Deep Fry Bonanza}}</ref><ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url=http://wm07.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=77:2682|title=AllMusic summary of post-rock|publisher=allmusic|accessdate=2007-09-22}}</ref> |
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In the early [[2000s]], the term had started to fall out of favour.<ref name="Stylus" /> It became increasingly controversial as more critics outwardly condemned its use.<ref name="allmusic"/> Some of the bands for whom the term was most frequently assigned, including [[Cul de Sac (band)|Cul de Sac]],<ref name="Cul de Sac Interview">{{cite web|title=Cul de Sac Interview|url=http://people.bu.edu/nsmith/interview.htm|accessdate=2006-11-29}}</ref><ref name="Cul de Sac Interview 2">{{cite web|title=Interview with Cul de Sac's Glenn Jones|url=http://www.furious.com/PERFECT/culdesac.html|publisher=Perfect Sound Forever|accessdate=2006-11-29|date=1998-03|first=Dave|last=Lang}}</ref> [[Tortoise (band)|Tortoise]],<ref name="Stylus" /> and [[Mogwai (band)|Mogwai]],<ref name="Under the Radar" /> rejected the label. The wide range of styles covered by the term, they and others have claimed, rob it of its usefulness.<ref name="SFGate">{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2005/05/12/derk.DTL|title=Hear & Now|date=2005-05-12|accessdate=2007-03-29|publisher=San Francisco Gate|first=Derk|last=Richardson}}</ref> |
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Today, despite criticism of the term, post-rock has maintained its prominence. Post-rock outfits [[Explosions in the Sky]], [[Pelican (band)|Pelican]] and [[Mono (Japanese band)|Mono]] have risen in popularity, showing the longevity of the disputed genre.<ref name="Gigwise">{{cite web|url=http://www.gigwise.com/contents.asp?contentid=29326&p=2|title=Bang On: Explosions in the Sky|first=Laura|last=Babbili|date=2007-03-15|accessdate=2007-03-09|publisher=Gigwise}}</ref> |
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Post-rock bands are still emerging; [[Hreða|HREÐA]], [[65daysofstatic|65daysofstatic]], [[Youthmovies|Youthmovies]] and other such bands still maintain the fundamental principles of the genre. Though it can be argued that post-rock as a genre has been rendered obsolete through change of attitude and natural evolution, it is still a musical description and genre, yet to dissipate.<ref name="About.com">{{cite web|url=http://altmusic.about.com/od/genresstyles/p/post_rock.htm|title=What is Post-Rock? A Genre Profile|first=Michael|last=Keefe|accessdate=2007-12-03|publisher=About.com}}</ref> |
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==Musical characteristics== |
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[[Image:Reykjavik05a-01.jpg|thumb|right|Post-rock group [[Sigur Rós]] performs at a 2005 concert in [[Reykjavík]].]] |
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The post-rock sound incorporates characteristics from a variety of musical genres, including [[ambient music|ambient]], [[jazz]], [[electronica]], and [[experimental music|experimental]].<ref name="allmusic"/> The traditional method of power chords is replaced with timbre and texture for guitar-play while the song and voice is abandoned by its ambiance. The rebellious overtones of rock as we remember it is no longer the theme for post-rock groups. In fact, utilizing dub reggae, hip hop, and rave, post-rock manages to create an androgynous and softer means of subversion. The clubs were also a response to the emergence of a new post-rock vibe where musicians escaped musical genre lables and traded ideas. <ref name="Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music"/> Early post-rock groups also often exhibited strong influence from the [[krautrock]] of the '70s, particularly borrowing elements of "[[motorik]]", the characteristic krautrock rhythm.<ref name="allmusic"/><ref name="Aural Innovations">{{cite web|url=http://www.aural-innovations.com/issues/issue16/postrok1.html|title=What Exactly Comes After Post-rock?|last=Henderson|first=Keith|publisher=Aural Innovations|date=June 2001|accessdate=2007-09-28}}</ref><ref name="The Net Net">{{cite web|url=http://www.thenetnet.com/reviews/newelec.html|title=What You Need to Know About Electronica|accessdate=2007-09-28|publisher=The Net Net|first=Chris|last=Tweney|date=May 1997}}</ref><ref name="Birdhouse.org"/> |
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Post-rock compositions often make use of repetition of musical motifs and subtle changes with an extremely wide range of dynamics. In some respects, this is similar to the music of [[Steve Reich]], [[Philip Glass]], and [[Brian Eno]], pioneers of [[minimalism]].<ref name="Aural Innovations"/> Typically, post-rock pieces are lengthy and instrumental, containing repetitive build-ups of [[timbre]], [[dynamics (music)|dynamics]] and texture.<ref name="The Wire May 1994"/> |
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Vocals are often omitted from post-rock; however, this does not necessarily mean they are absent entirely. When vocals are included, the use is typically non-traditional: some post-rock bands employ vocals as purely instrumental efforts and incidental to the sound, rather than a more traditional use where "clean", easily-interpretable vocals are important for poetic and lyrical meaning.<ref name="allmusic"/> When present, post-rock vocals are often soft or droning and are typically infrequent or present in irregular intervals. [[Sigur Rós]], a band known for their distinctive vocals, fabricated a language they call 'Hopelandic', which has been described by the band as "a form of gibberish vocals that fits to the music and acts as another instrument".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/band/faq.php#07|title=Sigur Ros frequently asked questions|accessdate=2006-11-28|publisher=Eighteen Seconds Before Sunrise}}</ref> |
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However, in lieu of typical rock structures in the vein of "verse-chorus-verse," post-rock groups generally make greater use of soundscapes. As Simon Reynold's "Audio Culture" states, "A band's journey through rock to post-rock usually involves a trajectory from narrative lyrics to stream-of-consciousness to voice-as-texture to purely instrumental music." <ref>{{Citation|last=Reynolds|first=Simon|author-link=Simon Reynolds|editor-last=Cox|editor-first=Christoph|editor2-last=Warner|editor2-first=Daniel|year=2004|title=Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music|isbn=978-0826416155}}</ref> Reynolds' conclusion defines the sporadic progression from rock, with its field of sound and lyrics to post-rock, where samplings are stretched and looped. |
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Some bands, such as [[Rachel's]] and [[Clogs (band)|Clogs]], combine post-rock with classical music, while others such as [[Godspeed You! Black Emperor]] are so far removed from [[popular music]] in their sparseness of arrangement and use of repetition, that they are frequently compared to [[minimalism]].<ref name="allmusic"/> |
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Wider experimentation and blending of other genres have recently taken hold in the post-rock scene. [[Isis (band)|Isis]] and [[Pelican (band)|Pelican]], among others, have fused [[heavy metal music|metal]] with post-rock styles. The resulting sound has been termed [[post-metal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/09/19/features/heavy.php|publisher=International Herald Tribune|date=2005-09-20|first=Jon|last=Caramanica|accessdate=2007-09-28|title=The alchemy of art-world heavy metal}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
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* [[List of post-rock bands]] |
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* [[New Prog]] |
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* [[Post-metal]] |
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==References== |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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==External links== |
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* [http://web.archive.org/web/20011202075606/http%3a//www.thewire.co.uk/out/1297_4.htm Reynolds' article] |
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* [http://www.thesilentballet.com The Silent Ballet: A Post-Rock Webzine] |
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* [http://www.mp3blog.ch/mp3blog/?cat=1 Post-Rock Mp3 Blog] |
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{{Alternativerock}} |
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[[Category:Rock music genres]] |
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[[Category:Alternative music]] |
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Revision as of 13:20, 28 January 2008
Post-rock | |
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Stylistic origins | Experimental, Minimalism, Ambient, Classical music Krautrock, Progressive rock, Indie rock, Space rock, Shoegazing, Art rock, and Electronica |
Cultural origins | Mid-1980s, United Kingdom and United States |
Typical instruments | Guitar – Bass – Drums – Synthesizer – Other less common instruments, such as Saxophone, Oboe, Glockenspiels, Piano, Cello or Violins. |
Regional scenes | |
Montreal, Iceland and Chicago |
Post-rock is a music genre characterized by the use of musical instruments commonly associated with rock music, but utilizing rhythms, harmonies, melodies, timbre, and chord progressions that are not found in rock tradition. Simply put, it is the use of 'rock instrumentation' for non-rock purposes. Practitioners of the genre's style typically produce instrumental music.[1][2][3]
As with many musical genres, the term is arguably inadequate as a concise descriptor: for example, Don Caballero and Mogwai were among the more prominent bands of the 1990s described as post rock, but the two bands' music has very little in common besides the fact that they are both largely instrumental. As such, the term has been the subject of backlash from listeners and artists alike.[4]
Although firmly rooted in the indie scene of the 1980s and '90s, post-rock's style bears little resemblance musically to that of indie rock.[3][2]
Post-rock
Origin of the term
The term 'post-rock' was coined by critic Simon Reynolds in his review of Bark Psychosis' album Hex, published in the March 1994 issue of Mojo magazine. Reynolds expanded upon the idea later in the May 1994 issue of The Wire.[1][5]
He used the term to describe music "using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures rather than riffs and power chords." He further expounded on the term,
Perhaps the really provocative area for future development lies... in cyborg rock; not the wholehearted embrace of Techno's methodology, but some kind of interface between real time, hands-on playing and the use of digital effects and enhancement.
In a July 2005 entry in his blog, Reynolds claimed he had used the term "post-rock" before using it in Mojo, previously using it in music newspaper Melody Maker.[6] He also said he later found the term to not be of his own creation, saying in his blog, "although I genuinely believed I was coining the term, I discovered many years later it had been floating around for over a decade." The term was used by American journalist James Wolcott in a 1975 article about musician Todd Rundgren.[7]
Historical development
Early precedents
Post-rock appears to take a heavy influence from late '60s U.S. group The Velvet Underground and their "dronology" — "a term that loosely describes fifty percent of today's post rock activity." [8] Public Image Ltd (PiL) were also pioneers, described by the NME[9] as "[a]rguably the first post-rock group." Their second album Metal Box (1979) almost completely abandoned traditional rock and roll structures in favor of dense, repetitive dub- and krautrock-inspired soundscapes and John Lydon's cryptic, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. The year before Metal Box was released, PiL bassist Jah Wobble declared, "rock is obsolete."[10] Flowers of Romance (1981), their third album, was an even more radical departure, emphasizing rattling percussion and abstract tape music.
1990s post-rock
Bands from the early 1990s, such as Slint, or earlier, such as Talk Talk, were later recognized as influential on post rock.[2] Slint's Spiderland[2] and Talk Talk's Laughing Stock[11] are credited as giving birth to post-rock.[3]
Originally used to describe the music of such bands[3] as Cul de Sac,[12] Stereolab,[13] Laika,[14] Disco Inferno,[15] Moonshake,[16] Seefeel,[2] Bark Psychosis, and Pram,[1] post-rock grew to frequently be used for a variety of jazz and krautrock influenced, largely instrumental, and electronica-tinged music made after 1994.[2][3]
Tortoise is also widely considered as being among the founders of the movement.[17] After the second Tortoise LP Millions Now Living Will Never Die, the band became a post-rock icon.[2][18] Many bands (e.g., Do Make Say Think) began to record music inspired by the "Tortoise-sound."[19]
In the late 1990s, Chicago was the home base for a variety of post-rock associated performers. Both John McEntire of Tortoise and Jim O'Rourke of Brise-Glace and Gastr del Sol were important producers for many of the groups.[20]
One of the most eminent post-rock locales is Montreal, where Godspeed You! Black Emperor and similar groups, including A Silver Mt. Zion, Do Make Say Think, and Fly Pan Am record on Constellation, a notable post-rock record label.[21] These groups are generally characterized by an aesthetic rooted in, among other genres, musique concrète, chamber music, and free jazz.[22]
Canadian post-rock outfit Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Scottish group Mogwai were among some of the influential post rock groups to arise during the turn of the 21st century.[23][3]
In the early 2000s, the term had started to fall out of favour.[17] It became increasingly controversial as more critics outwardly condemned its use.[3] Some of the bands for whom the term was most frequently assigned, including Cul de Sac,[24][25] Tortoise,[17] and Mogwai,[4] rejected the label. The wide range of styles covered by the term, they and others have claimed, rob it of its usefulness.[26]
Today, despite criticism of the term, post-rock has maintained its prominence. Post-rock outfits Explosions in the Sky, Pelican and Mono have risen in popularity, showing the longevity of the disputed genre.[27]
Post-rock bands are still emerging; HREÐA, 65daysofstatic, Youthmovies and other such bands still maintain the fundamental principles of the genre. Though it can be argued that post-rock as a genre has been rendered obsolete through change of attitude and natural evolution, it is still a musical description and genre, yet to dissipate.[28]
Musical characteristics
The post-rock sound incorporates characteristics from a variety of musical genres, including ambient, jazz, electronica, and experimental.[3] The traditional method of power chords is replaced with timbre and texture for guitar-play while the song and voice is abandoned by its ambiance. The rebellious overtones of rock as we remember it is no longer the theme for post-rock groups. In fact, utilizing dub reggae, hip hop, and rave, post-rock manages to create an androgynous and softer means of subversion. The clubs were also a response to the emergence of a new post-rock vibe where musicians escaped musical genre lables and traded ideas. [8] Early post-rock groups also often exhibited strong influence from the krautrock of the '70s, particularly borrowing elements of "motorik", the characteristic krautrock rhythm.[3][22][29][12]
Post-rock compositions often make use of repetition of musical motifs and subtle changes with an extremely wide range of dynamics. In some respects, this is similar to the music of Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and Brian Eno, pioneers of minimalism.[22] Typically, post-rock pieces are lengthy and instrumental, containing repetitive build-ups of timbre, dynamics and texture.[1]
Vocals are often omitted from post-rock; however, this does not necessarily mean they are absent entirely. When vocals are included, the use is typically non-traditional: some post-rock bands employ vocals as purely instrumental efforts and incidental to the sound, rather than a more traditional use where "clean", easily-interpretable vocals are important for poetic and lyrical meaning.[3] When present, post-rock vocals are often soft or droning and are typically infrequent or present in irregular intervals. Sigur Rós, a band known for their distinctive vocals, fabricated a language they call 'Hopelandic', which has been described by the band as "a form of gibberish vocals that fits to the music and acts as another instrument".[30]
However, in lieu of typical rock structures in the vein of "verse-chorus-verse," post-rock groups generally make greater use of soundscapes. As Simon Reynold's "Audio Culture" states, "A band's journey through rock to post-rock usually involves a trajectory from narrative lyrics to stream-of-consciousness to voice-as-texture to purely instrumental music." [31] Reynolds' conclusion defines the sporadic progression from rock, with its field of sound and lyrics to post-rock, where samplings are stretched and looped.
Some bands, such as Rachel's and Clogs, combine post-rock with classical music, while others such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor are so far removed from popular music in their sparseness of arrangement and use of repetition, that they are frequently compared to minimalism.[3]
Wider experimentation and blending of other genres have recently taken hold in the post-rock scene. Isis and Pelican, among others, have fused metal with post-rock styles. The resulting sound has been termed post-metal.[32]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Reynolds, Simon. "Simon Reynolds' article on post-rock". The Wire. Retrieved 2006-11-28.
- ^ a b c d e f g Abebe, Nitsuh (2005-07-11). "The Lost Generation". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "AllMusic summary of post-rock". allmusic. Retrieved 2007-09-22.
- ^ a b Redfern, Mark. "Under the Radar interview with Dominic Aitchison". Under the Radar. Retrieved 2006-11-28.
- ^ "The Wire 20". The Wire. Retrieved 2006-11-28.
- ^ Reynolds, Simon. "Simon Reynolds' blog entry on 2005-07-14". Retrieved 2006-11-28.
- ^ Wolcott, James (July 1975). "Todd Rundgren - Street Punk in Self-Imposed Exile". Creem magazine. Retrieved 2007-09-30.
- ^ a b Reynolds, Simon. Cox, Cristoph and Daniel Warner (ed.). Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music. Continuum International. p. 359. ISBN 0826416152.
- ^ "Plastic Box album review". NME. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
- ^ Reynolds, Simon (November 2007). "Heavy Metal". Frieze Magazine. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
- ^ Jackson, Chris (2006-05-15). "Talk Talk — It's My Life review". Sputnik Music. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ a b Hacker, Scot (July 1996). "The Post-Rock Phenomenon". The Utne reader. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ Ashlock, Jesse (2001-08-27). "Stereolab biography". Epitonic. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ Levy, Doug (2000-09-24). "Laika Kick Off U.S. Tour In Seattle". Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ Acceturo, Jeanne (2001-08-10). "Disco Inferno biography". Epitonic. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ Wilmoth, Charlie (2004-01-26). "Dusted Reviews review of Minamo — Beautiful". Dusted Magazine. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ a b c Hutlock, Todd (2006-09-01). "Review of Tortoise's A Lazarus Taxon". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved 2006-11-28.
- ^ Buchan, Phillip (2004-04-13). "Tortoise — It's All Around You". Splendid Magazine. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ "Do Make Say Think — And Yet review". Textura. Feb. 2003. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Scaruffi, Piero (2005). "The History of Rock: The Nineties". Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ Weinberger, Ian (2002-11-19). "Post-rock: a movement of the 90s still kickin'". Retrieved 2007-03-29.
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Henderson, Keith (June 2001). "What Exactly Comes After Post-rock?". Aural Innovations. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
- ^ "Constellation Interview". Deep Fry Bonanza. 2005-05-05.
- ^ "Cul de Sac Interview". Retrieved 2006-11-29.
- ^ Lang, Dave (1998-03). "Interview with Cul de Sac's Glenn Jones". Perfect Sound Forever. Retrieved 2006-11-29.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ Richardson, Derk (2005-05-12). "Hear & Now". San Francisco Gate. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ Babbili, Laura (2007-03-15). "Bang On: Explosions in the Sky". Gigwise. Retrieved 2007-03-09.
- ^ Keefe, Michael. "What is Post-Rock? A Genre Profile". About.com. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
- ^ Tweney, Chris (May 1997). "What You Need to Know About Electronica". The Net Net. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
- ^ "Sigur Ros frequently asked questions". Eighteen Seconds Before Sunrise. Retrieved 2006-11-28.
- ^ Reynolds, Simon (2004), Cox, Christoph; Warner, Daniel (eds.), Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music, ISBN 978-0826416155
- ^ Caramanica, Jon (2005-09-20). "The alchemy of art-world heavy metal". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2007-09-28.