Godspeed You Black Emperor in General

Godspeed You Black Emperor! are a 9-piece 'collective' based in Montreal, Canada. Their name is taken from the translation of the title of a Japanese film about motorcycle gangs. They play long, instrumental pieces on cellos, guitars, drums, glockenspiel and brass instruments, and use spoken monologues taken from recordings of preachers, street ranters and actors. They don't sing. There are three generally available CDs: f#a#oo (1997, 3 tracks, about 75 mins) slow riot for new zero kanada EP (1999, 2 tracks, 29 mins) lift your skinny fists like antennas to heaven (2000, 4 tracks, about 88 mins) They have attracted hyperbole ...  Read the complete review

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, hailing from Montreal, are a curious band; brilliant and bland by turns. This may sound an odd statement but I find it?s true. Yanqui UXO is brilliant. I mean from the first moment brilliant. The whole album, consisting of 3 mammoth tracks, are just sublime. The album is a work of genius; I?m not kidding. Every note, every inflection and sound is taut with emotion. Though the tracks last 20 minutes (approx) apiece they?re flawless, magnificent pieces of music. I?ve sat at my desk at work while listening to this and wanted to cry so much that I was amazed that I didn?t. It?s stunningly powerful and almost unbearable emotive. ...  Read the complete review

I bought "lift yr skinny..." from GYBE quite a while ago. I bought it because my friend had told me that I would like them. So I heard some MP3's and I liked what I heard. They at one time had I believe 18 members in their band. Which is amazing, and i guess makes them an orchestra. but they are no less. their music is very soft and quiet at some points in the album, and the music builds into a beautiful luminiferous cage of unwanted babies. they are absolutly wonderful. there are a lot of bands that are compared to godspeed, like stars of the lid. they are nothing like godspeed. but that doesnt mean their good. but no one else can amount to ...  Read the complete review

Long, big, epic, ungainly. You could criticise Godspeed with those words, but you'd have to miss out the words Beautiful, and moving. Post-rock is the genre that Godspeed you black emporer are dragged into, kicking and screaming... i mean, who wants to be pigeonholed these days? Defining their music is difficult, 'experimental guitar music' just sounds terrible doesn't it? They're like crafted, pieces. The last album was on two cd's, consisting of two tracks on each, and there are peaks, of noise, and melody, and lulls, where you can take a breather. The music feels like things have been taken away from it, it ...  Read the complete review

Rising up like a sleepy dragon, the music of Godspeed You Black Emperor is like nothing else you will ever hear. From minimal beginnings the sounds slowly build up, instrument by instrument until an almighty cacophony of noise and music is exploding from every direction. The music this band plays creates a unique atmosphere that defies description. The first album is an amazing achievement and the second album promises to be more of the same. Open your mind to some of the most amazing sounds you are likely to hear all year! ...  Read the complete review