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September 21, 2005
clustering darkness forever ok?
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Albanian
Since about midsummer of 2003, GY!BE have been on a break. Apparently, the members of the band wanted some time off to work on their other projects (Silver Mt. Zion, Fly Pan Am, Et Sans, Hrsta, Exhaust, etc. there's about 4 side projects per person). There were rumors of a break-up, but members of the band have come out to say that Godpseed will get back together, at some point (even if it's 10 years down the line).
'Albanian' is an unreleased track that Godspeed had been playing live during their "Yanqui U.X.O." tour (the one where they were detained in Oklahoma on suspicion of terrorism, thanks to a particularly dim-witted gas station attendant), and along with the gorgeous half-hour long 'Gamelan', is the only indication of what their next album might sound like, whenever they do get around to recording it.
It starts quietly enough: a guitar rocking back and forth, staccato drums, and quick, slashing strokes on the violin and cello. Efrim, Roger, and Dave begin to lay down a steady stream of static and heavily distorted chords- but the focus of this track is the strings, courstesy of Sophie and Norsola. The main theme, which is an ascending, off-balance phrase, is spun out again and again, over the dual drums and in between Efrim's screwdrivered and reverbed guitar interrogations. But the most interesting portion of this piece comes about 6 minutes in, when they quiet things down a little bit, and let themselves ride out the groove they've established. What's suprising, at least for GY!BE, is that during this one minute window of calm, they bust out a few quick, utilitarian guitar solos that sound absolutely amazing. The remainder of the track expands and contracts according to their usual methods, but the strings never lose their primacy- it's a slightly different voice for them, which is a good thing.
'Gamelan' too is just outrageously pretty. It definitely hearkens back to their "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" work, but sounds way more, well, positive and life-affirming than anything from that album (or anything else they've ever done, for that matter).
'Albanian' is taken from a show that GY!BE performed on March 4th, 2003 in D.C. Versions of 'Albanian' and 'Gamelan' are both actually available here, from a show the band played on May 14th 2003 in France.
Posted by Kevin at September 21, 2005 01:34 AM