#fainfinity

[tylermcnamer]

The gruff male voice speaks, “I said, ‘Kiss me you’re beautiful / These are truly the last days,’“ into echoes of guitar notes and swelling acoustic drones. These are the sounds of a culture in decline – not the fictional apocalypse that comes with one explosive blow, but the slow decay of humanity we witness every day. And Godspeed react with a deeply sorrowful sound. Their long instrumental tracks ebb and flow, expand and contract with guitars, bowed strings, hypnotic percussion and other classical, rock and jazz instruments. They exist as a large group of musicians (about nine) who tend toward anonymity, collective creation and improvisation. Their records’ liner notes give little information about them and they keep their public presence to an unassuming minimum; their music is a well meaning. Ever-present throughout their recordings are poetic monologues and tapes of man-on-the-street cynical rants about politics and cultural oppression. In lieu of vocals, these passionate speeches and interviews are not didactic, but they create a texture of struggle – a match for their tense, wandering orchestrations.

- Napster

“Kiss me you’re beautiful / These are truly the last days” had been used in Godspeed You Black Emporor’s first song.

East Hastings is their second song that takes a more surreal approach to the post apocalyptic theme.

East Hastings, to me, is more terrifying to listen to than the other tracks in their debut album, F#a#infinity.

[green-tunic-of-destiny]

[theexiledguitarist]

[hapysongs]

The Dead Flag Blues - Godspeed You! Black Emperor

[itsthelinernotes]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A#∞ With the official announcement of a new GYBE album (confirming that leaked press release was legit) I thought why not post another GYBE album. One very near and dear to me. This album is really responsible for my real obsession with record collecting. I had just begun to collect records and I got a turn table for my 18th birthday (the one you see here). That day I went to a friends house. We were just relaxing and he was like "you got to hear this album". When the needle dropped and the voice came in on Dead Flag Blues I think my words were "I've been looking for this my whole life." I had never heard any GYBE or post-rock or anything too far outside what was on the radio. My record collection at that point was %99 my dads old collection and a new copy of Moving Pictures. My friend then started showing me each of the pieces of paper contained within. He also showed me the etchings in the dead space. I figured he had found this album in the attic of an abandoned building. Maybe aliens had put it here or it was haunted. Either way I was slack jawed. Then he pulled out the penny which had been crushed by the train. I was completely mesmerized by the music and the packaging. When the locked groove at the end of the album hit, I couldn't bring myself to stop the record. I've been pretty much chasing that high ever since. I can't remember when exactly I bought my copy but it was probably within a day. When I found a copy at the store I thought to myself "...didn't this have a different cover?" My friend had the version with the water-tower, but I didn't know there were variants, I chalked it up to the magic of the album. Now I have all the GYBE studio albums and I've seen them live twice. I'll be getting a copy of Luciferian Towers the day it drops. . . . . . #godspeedyoublackemperor #GYBE #fsharpasharpinfinity #FAinfinity #FA∞ #FsharpASharp∞ #Constellation #ConstellationRecords #vinyl #records #nowplaying #nowspinning #Thelinernotes #albumart #vinyligclub #recordcollector #vinylgeek #recordcollection #vinyladdiction #albumart #vinylcollectionpost #records_feature

[sisyphus-exe]

You grabbed my hand and we fell into it,

Like a daydream, or a pizza.

[epicrapbattlesofherstory]

Providence // Godspeed You! Black Emperor

[ragtagreviews]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F♯ A♯ ∞

Bleak. The one word that can describe this album, is bleak. In fact, I made it about 6 minutes into the first track of this album during my first listen, and had to take a break because I felt sick. The music I heard scared me. I came back to it a little while later with the knowledge of what I was getting into and had a more pleasant experience.

Though the album is only three tracks long, it lasts more than an hour. In that hour, what you will hear will disturb you but it will make you better for it. It paints a picture of a very bleak future using samples of things from train sounds to the shouting of the homeless on the streets of Canada, the county the band is from. A mixture of these samples, guitar melodies, and spoken word pieces allow for an album that keeps you guessing at every turn.

Since the tracks making up the album are so few in numbers, but so long in run time, you notice less what tracks you like, but more what movements of songs you really like. For example, there is a movement in the first track The Dead Flag Blues that I really love, but my favorite movement is probably in the final track Providence.

This album is hard to hate. Aside from the few people that have just told me that it was boring, the only feedback I have received has been very positive. If you are looking for a place to start with this band, i'd say this is the album for you. Just, go into it with an open mind and be prepared for it to sting a little bit when you get finished.

5/5