Godspeed

[artboy]

I have been requesting the few Godspeed tracks on the playlist of late. They have a strange mix of texture and structure reminiscent of bands like ambient Eno, Throbbing Gristle, and VERY early experimental SPK. I know absolutely nothing about this band. If there are other albums (which I can't seem to find online), I would love to hear more on AM!

Thanks,
Artboy

[progdirjim]

I am in the process of ripping most of Godspeed's catalog for addition to AM...

[Yesspaz]

If you like the Godspeed you have heard here, wait until you hear the rest of their material. "Storm" is one of the best pieces of music in the past five years.

[progdirjim]

Originally posted by Yesspaz
If you like the Godspeed you have heard here, wait until you hear the rest of their material. "Storm" is one of the best pieces of music in the past five years.

Let's continue this thread once we get the new stuff up there. I like Godspeed OK, and they are definitely interesting and kind of unique. But I don't agree with some of the more effusive praise that I've heard from Yesspaz and others. I'm curious what others will think. No need to chime in with support, as I'm in the process of adding it; but I would enjoy hearing opinions once you've heard "Storm" or other newer (to AM) Godspeed

[Yesspaz]

"Effusive" - nice :)

Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven should be a prog masterpiece (wait, I mean, once we continue this thread, I'll post that I think Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven should be a prog masterpiece).

[podakayne]

effusive - excessively demonstrative

interesting choice officer Jim, (and i mean that in all pleasantness). i remember the my first listen to Godspeed...it did catch my ear and i brought up the screen to see who or what group had distracted my attention. the title of the album gave me a laugh...but i liked the piece.

i heard more later on AM and was pleasantly surprised i recognized them on the soundtrac of 28 days...it was a good fit there.

i look forward to hearing more.

[Yesspaz]

Well, what do ya'll think of the three new albums on AM by Godspeed?

the EP "Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada'?
the LP "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven"?
the LP "Yanqui U.X.O."?

I really dig it and am curious.

[artboy]

I like it all Yesspaz!!!!!!...I am really into them lately....I love textural angst!!!!.... Mossy gave me a link to a site with downloads of some of their live concerts... check it out!... http://www.archive.org/audio/etreelisting-browse.php?collection=etree


Later

[Yesspaz]

Killer link! Avian, download these for Project Prog.

[Avian]

Tasty - thanks for the heads up. Aural Moon TV is moving along, albeit slowly. Still looking for a bandwidth donator.

[podakayne]

like the new editions to the playlist. cannot say a bad thing about them! they may be an aquired taste for some but my audio palate is quite happy when they play in my ears.

[Lady Roxelle]

Great!

This band´s work is very interesting.I agree artboy, it´s an experimental sound that have a little "gospel" scent. The line is melancholic, but grandious. The instrumental line is in time with the music, and in the right time, the instruments grow up with the time. I like "East Hastings" , from the F#A# album.

Vanila

[Yesspaz]

My two favorite Godspeed Tracks are "Sleep" and "Storm," both from Lift Your Skinny Fists....

"rockets fall on Rocket Falls" also rules, from Yanqui U.X.O.

[Rick and Roll]

Finally heard some Godspeed. I didn't like it.

How's that for a in-depth review?

[KeithieW]

Originally posted by Rick and Roll
Finally heard some Godspeed. I didn't like it.

How's that for a in-depth review?

I wouldn't go as far as Rick and say that I don't like it but I'm not sure I'd rush out and buy their albums.

If I get the urge to listen I'll request on the Moon and wait my statutory hour.

[Yesspaz]

Before passing final jugment, try "Storm" - trust me...

[zvinki]

GYBE strikes me at almost a purely emotional level. The songs seem to breathe (in the sense that the melodies rise and fall) thereby contributing to the whole organic/emotional experience. If you are looking for musical flourishes like Neil Peart's drumming or Ian Anderson's flute you will not find it here. Maybe you need to listen to it without distractions, preferably with the lights real low.

[Rick and Roll]

Not to prolong this discussion, because I'm not going to change my mind, but I don't discern between the type or style of music. I can do mellow and heavy, flourish or unflourish, I just need to like the song.

There's no way I can listen to anything without some distraction. It's just not in my makeup, unfortunately.

I have an issue with lenghty tracks that maybe don't need to be so. There's nothing wrong with a very long track, but repetitive intros (like Echoes) and outros (like Tears For Fears' last tune on "Big Chair") annoy me. And any Eno's ambient stuff just gets on my nerves. A good Moon example is the Greg Howard tour de force. 60 minutes???

Call me unsophisticated, but that's the way I see it.

The Godspeed I heard was a live performance that I got for Yesspaz (he made me a CD of a neat band Stavesacre before) that I thought I'd sample. I'll be sending it out soon.

A lot of bands have good tracks here and there, but I can't hear them all. I certainly will stick my toe back in the water at some point with Godspeed (i'll remember those recommended tracks). I just want to make sure that the croc doesn't bite it off again.

[podakayne]

not to worry Keithie, Rick...i do think certain avenues of prog..."art" rock, "performance", "ambient"... is an aquired taste and may not fit the palatte of all...i was taken the first time i heard them...could be due to an exposure to simular music of this "type" in a modern dance setting...

i had a fabulous teacher in highschool...Jnigthing just made a comment in the black box " I hit a wrong number...wasn't all of that fond of it. Guess I can't like EVERY song here."

i think that fits...i suspect this reaction may be repeated with the Enid selections...but who knows.

[progdirjim]

I'm enjoying this discussion.

I'm probably about midway between Rick and Spaz on this one. I like Godspeed - but I'm not thoroughly excited by them. I also don't see the huge difference in the songs - in fact, to me, they mostly sound alike. Yes, the notes are different. But all of their songs have the same melancholy and brooding sound, and the pattern of tension buildup-release-buildup again and fade is fairly identical in all their pieces.

One piece mixed in now and then - great. Listen to even a whole album - boring. But that's just my opinion - I could be wrong...

[Rick and Roll]

It's the structure. Perfect analysis, Jim. Thank you for nailing it down, sometimes I have trouble putting subjective thoughts into objective phrases.

I have the same problem with Anglagard. 3-5 minute intro, discordant repetition, buildup, fade.

[podakayne]

and so i acquiesce to these kinds of compositions...bravo, jim you broke it down concisely.

[Yesspaz]

Jim and Rick, you are hitting exactly what the press' #1 critique of Godspeed is. Here's a quote from AllMusicGuide's review of "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven":

"The main complaint voiced by critics of Godspeed's music is that their works just repeat the same pattern: start out sparse and slow, build-build-build, crescendo. While there are certainly crescendos, there is no such predictable pattern repeated among the works on Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven — it's loaded with dynamics, unexpected sections, strong emotions and beauty.
The album opener, "Storm," is a leap for GYBE! that, alone, makes this release worth getting."

Another track from that album, "Antennas to Heaven," is perhaps the hardest to listen to because it's 6 minutes of ambience, then the "unexpected section" that's really loud, then about a 6 minute build/crescendo, then 6 more of ambience. Although I like it, that's the kind of piece that I think you are hearing, Rick. "Storm," "Static," and "Sleep" are the three that have less of an emphasis on crescendos, but there still are some there. AllMusicGuide doesn't put GYBE! in the prog section, but the "Post-Rock/Experimental, Indie Rock, Space Rock, Experimental Rock" section. I think the Post-Rock and Experimental Rock tags are appropriate, rather than a "pure" prog tag. Although I would make the case that GYBE! is one of the more progressive of the Post-Rock bands (along with Billy Mahonie, Mogwai, Tortoise, Tarentel, Fontanelle, Pele, etc...).

Like Jim, I'm loving this discussion (especially since it's 'my fault' :D ).

Peace out.

[Rick and Roll]

I have an aversion to music reviews from those sources, so to be compared really stings!

The lack of vocals too can keep the "sameness" tag on a band. Last night, after the California Guitar Trio show, a guy says "I was expecting them to sing some" - I had to laugh, since that person probably thought they were bland, too (which of course, they're not). I have some neat little anecdotes from the show which I may post later.

I was trying to stay away from the purely subjective aspect of a critique, but I must say even in the loud parts, I don't like the music.

Again, I'll still try them again. If Mikey can try life cereal, I can listen to some skinny fists.

[KeithieW]

GSYBE have always reminded me of 2nd division Tangerine Dream.

Sorry Yesspaz, I know how you feel about this band but that's just my opinion.

You may say that what I say is nonsense but that is what i feel at this moment. I WILL request some more when I know I'm going to be around to hear it played. I may change my mind..........IT'S BEEN KNOWN TO HAPPEN!

I, too, like this discussion.

Spazz, my man, you seem to generate more discussion than most!!!!! What IS your secret???? :)

[Yesspaz]

Originally posted by Keith Waye

Spazz, my man, you seem to generate more discussion than most!!!!! What IS your secret???? :)

Sparkling personality :D

[progdirjim]

no, supplying AM with BAD bands....:D :D :D
;) ;) ;)

[KeithieW]

Originally posted by progdirjim
no, supplying AM with BAD bands....:D :D :D
;) ;) ;)

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cruel!!!!

[Yesspaz]

yeah, I happen to think that:

Billy Mahonie, Tarentel, Iona, Godspeed, The Letter E, Pink Floyd, Turing Machine, Don Caballero, The Appleseed Cast, Annie Moses Band, Journey, Mike Oldfield, Neal Schon, Tony Palacios, Unwed Sailor, American Football, Adiemus, Geddy Lee, King Crimson ProjeKcts 1-4, P.O.D., Rush, Steve Howe, and dozens of individual tracks..

ALL SUCK!

[Rick and Roll]

You don't want me to go through that list, do you??????

[Yesspaz]

Opinions, opinions, opinions.

My high school basketball coach used to say opinions are like anuses. Everybody's got one and they all stink.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally posted by Yesspaz
yeah, I happen to think that:

Billy Mahonie, Tarentel, Iona, Godspeed, The Letter E, Pink Floyd, Turing Machine, Don Caballero, The Appleseed Cast, Annie Moses Band, Journey, Mike Oldfield, Neal Schon, Tony Palacios, Unwed Sailor, American Football, Adiemus, Geddy Lee, King Crimson ProjeKcts 1-4, P.O.D., Rush, Steve Howe, and dozens of individual tracks..

ALL SUCK!

Are you saying you supplied Aural Moon with Rush, Geddy Lee, and Pink Floyd?

[Rick and Roll]

Originally posted by Yesspaz
Opinions, opinions, opinions.

My high school basketball coach used to say opinions are like anuses. Everybody's got one and they all stink.

What no assume quote too?

[progdirjim]

Originally posted by Rick and Roll


Are you saying you supplied Aural Moon with Rush, Geddy Lee, and Pink Floyd?

Yesspaz donated Relics, Obscured By Clouds, the More soundtrack, the Zabriskie Point soundtrack, and a bunch of rare to pretty rare Pink Floyd; Geddy Lee's "My Favorite Headache", and he tried to donate Rush "Vapor Trails", though coincidentally I had acquired it elsewhere.

Yesspaz's sense of music is intact. His sense of humor is hurting, though, if he thought I was serious with my "bad bands" comment...

Though I wish he'd stop with the Mike Oldfield. I'm not adding any more Oldfield until Amarok is cut down to size
;)

[Yesspaz]

My sense of humor is as refined as, well, something you refine. I knew that the bad bands thing was a joke, but so was my "these bands must suck" post. I thought I was obviously being over the top. Sorry. I guess some of my humor is just too subtle... :rolleyes: :cool:




PS, What?!! Not adding Tres Lunas and Songs of Distant Earth because of Amarok?!! Say it ain't so Jim, say it ain't so! BTW, I agree with cutting Amarok into thirds or fourths. In fact, I saw a thing where Oldy himself had timed out where his logical breaks were, because he obviously recorded it in chunks and edited it together. I'll try to track that down.

[progdirjim]

Spaz, I'm just a bit burnt out on Mike after hearing Amarok three times in the last two weeks. Tres Lunas and Distant Earth will probably be added in entirety. Just gotta get excited about it...

[Yesspaz]

I found it!

Hey Jim, here's your Amarok breakdown.... Now you can edit Amarok into three 20 min chunks or four 15 min chunks. Although it would be painful, I'm sure you could listen to Amarok one time and follow along with this and find the best breaks and chop it up. Better yet, I'll buy Amarok and do it myself and send it to you(it's on my list anyway, but I'll bump it from way down to "next").
It'll be a while though. Why not just delete it from the playlist for now, and then replace it with my edit when I get it to you? Hey! Now that's a plan.


0:00 Fast Riff Intro
2:32 Intro
5:46 Climax I - 12 Strings
6:18 Soft Bodrhan
7:20 Rachmaninov I
8:35 Soft Bodrhan 2
9:29 Rachmaninov II
9:56 Roses
10:42 Reprise I - Intro
12:45 Scot
13:16 Didlybom
15:00 Mad Bit
15:56 Run In
16:11 Hoover
18:00 Fast Riff
19:57 Lion
21:57 Fast Waltz
23:42 Stop
24:33 Mad Bit 2
24:46 Fast Waltz 2
25:06 Mandolin
26:07 Intermission
26:23 Boat
29:27 Intro Reprise 2
32:07 Big Roses
33:13 Green Green
34:24 Slow Waltz
36:04 Lion Reprise
37:05 Mandolin Reprise
37:47 TV am/Hoover/Scot
39:50 Fast Riff Reprise
42:22 Boat Reprise
43:32 12 Rep / Intro Waltz
44:12 Green Reprise
44:46 Africa I: Far Build
48:00 Africa I: Far Dip (**)
48:46 Africa I: Pre Climax
49:32 Africa I: 12 Climax
50:24 Africa I: Climax I
51:00 Africa II: Bridge
51:17 Africa II: Riff
51:34 Africa II: Boats
51:52 Africa II: Bridge II
52:10 Africa II: Climax II
54:22 Africa III: Baker

HEALTH WARNING
This record could be hazardous to the health
of cloth-eared nincompoops. If you suffer from this
condition, consult your Doctor immediately.

[Yesspaz]

PDJ, I just bought Amarok on half.com. Soon you will have an edited version of Amarok.



We now return you to your regulary scheduled Godspeed discussion:

Let's see, how to restart the discussion? Hmm... Ok:

"Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" is the best prog-rock double album since ______?"

[KeithieW]

"Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" is NOT the best prog-rock double album since ever!"

That honour goes to (at this moment in time) "Tales from Topographic Oceans"

[Yesspaz]

I have been misunderstood yet again!!!

That's a fill-in-the-blank type question. For example...

Guy 1 - "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" is the best prog-rock double album since Tales From Topographic Oceans.

Guy 2 - "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" is the best prog-rock double album since The Wall.

Guy 3 - "No, you're both wrong. 'Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven' sucks like a Hoover vacuum."

Guy 4 - "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" is the best prog-rock double album since ___________."

[KeithieW]

It was a limey attempt at a wind up!!!!!

And you took the bait :)

[Yesspaz]

I'm so freaking gullible. D'oh!:rolleyes: