Mono Holy Ground Live in NYC

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Those of you not from upstate NY may have a hard time relating to just how brutal our winters are.  Not just in terms of temperatures or precipitation, but the length of time that they last, and the amount that it really does get to us up here.  Granted we all have pretty tough winter skin, and multiple layers of clothing on most of the time, but it does begin to beat you down when the sun is only out till 5pm.   This has been the longest winter for me in recent memory, and I am glad to say that as it (hopefully) is winding down.  As we prepare for the few months of beauty that upstate has each year, it is good to listen to something that reflects on the conflict and beauty of what  almost 7 months of cold can do to us.  Enter Mono (the band, not the ailment).

After being on a post-rock kick for the past two months, I felt like I needed a break.  I figured moody, ethereal and drone-y seemed a little one dimensional to keep writing about.  However…I hadn’t listened to Mono.  Now I have, so anyone reading this will have just ONE more post-rock album blog to trudge through.  Feel free to skip ahead if you think you know how this one goes.

Mono: Holy Ground *Live in NYC* is an incredible journey for the mind.  I can equate it to being stranded in the snow, forced to reflect upon the decisions that have lead up to the present.  A bold statement?  Yes.  But as a proprietor of introspective  head trips, I am all for this type of ambient guitar washy-ness (plus did I mention that there is an orchestra behind them?), and the album builds to so many climaxes that it lets the band’s dynamic range move it along rather than relying production tricks.

   I can only hope that Premier Guitar does a “rig-rundown” (youtube video explaining their pedal boards, amp choices and guitars) on these guys soon.  I want to learn their ways.  The fact that this album is live and sounds so damn good is incredible.

So after today, no more post-rock reviews for a while…I just listened to the new Saint Vincent,  so keep your eyes out next week!

Mogwai - Rave Tapes

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Despite my love for the delay pedal as an integral part of a bands guitar sounds…somehow in all my years of post rocking, Mogwai escaped my ears.  I’m not proud of it, but I’ll own up to it and say this...After listening to “Hardcore Will Never Die…But You Will” and their new album “Rave Tapes”, they will not pass me by again. 

            Post-rock is defined by Wikipedia as “a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and ‘guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures’ not traditionally found in rock. Post-rock bands are often without vocals”.  While this is accurate to a certain degree, the genre has certainly evolved since its roots in the early 90’s.  Sigur Ros, Moving Mountains, Mogwai, Don Caballero, Tortoise, and Explosions in the Sky are good jumping off points for those new to the genre. 

             “Rave Tapes” is primarily without vocals.  It is a moody journey through gorgeous textural soundscapes, and an exploration of dynamic contrast.  The band will move seamlessly from drone-rumble guitars into clean delay-laden riffs that force themselves into the foreground.  The rhythm section is joined by synthesized reinforcement and keeps the record sounding fresh and adds excitement certain sections. 

            Mogwai is nothing if not consistent.  They deliver a record that sonically complex and instrumentally sound.  This is a group of incredibly talented musicians and their 19-year career is full of sonic wonderlands to explore.  If you are new to the band, “Rave Tapes” is a good starting point, and opens up the doors to their extensive back catalogue.  If you are a longtime fan, listen to “Rave Tapes” and feel free to post lengthy responses to this about how ignorant I am of the bands true genius from their early years.  Don’t worry, by the time I see any backlash I will have listened to as much of their discography as I can get my hands on, and will have some kind of sardonic reply.  “Rave Tapes” is a great album all the way through.  Mogwai is a band worth knowing well.  Keep post-rocking out.

 Buy "Rave Tapes" On Vinyl

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