Godspeed You! Black Emperor* – Asunder, Sweet And Other Distress

As one critic pointed out online, GYBE is still not verbally defining their political stance that fuels their political-paranoia style of post-rock. And considering how much has changed with the advent of the internet and the sheer volume of information/misinformation/disinformation to be found online, means more and more than ever before, every one of us needs to be clear about each other's politics to one another. Can't just angrily/sadly sit in a depressed/darkened room with GYBE albums blasting on the headphones and the curtains drawn, going, "The government's corrupt, maaaaaan." Now we've got a much clearer mental grasp on the political climate and GYBE needs to soundtrack that current climate. It's not enough to say "WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH OUR COUNTRY IS FUCKED" in the liner notes. Tell us WHY you guys think our country is screwed, because music alone here can't define exactly what it is you're trying to say.

So, we got Alleluia in 2012 after a near-decade of silence, and the perceptive few online (amidst the collective 5/5 welcome-back group hug) called it a throwback album. Pretty much, yeah. But one HELL of a throwback album. More powerful than Explosions in the Sky, as emotive as the best of Mogwai without falling into the sad-sack naval-gazing of early post-rock, and featuring the best album production they've ever had (take note, Albini), these guys dropped a bomb right back onto the genre and rocked out in the smoking crater. They've never sounded better than this. Note the train-like *chug*chug*chug* of the crunchy guitar intro 5 minutes into 'Mladic' and you'll picture Godspeed's lean, mean, ferocious machine coming down the rails back home to Mile End where fans like us have been waiting for their return. Their best record since Skinny Fists, bar none. But Asunder is ultimately disappointing because their ideas are treading water (or piss) here.

Mind you, it's not all bad. The first track 'Peasantry' is the clear stand-out here; it's one cohesive whole in and of itself. A beautiful track, worth the purchase of the album alone. Next, we get two tracks of the bored/boring drone stuff that was found on their previous album. Yeah, I know the drones build the listener up to the climax; like many of you, I've been listening to GYBE do that since the F#A#Infinity days. Thing is, those drones only work when the payoff is worth the wait. The 'Piss' climax of this album has a promising first half, only to get a rushed(!) finish for the second half that feels way too Godspeed-by-numbers. Didn't grab at all. Matter of fact, I was stupified by the sudden rush into the drum drop. Compare that to the patient slow-burner finishes of their previous major works and you'll feel the disappointment, too. In other words, it's like a lot of so-called art today: strong opening that grabs your attention and prepares you for something great... only to flounder out thereafter like a flattened whoopie cushion. Considering the nearly decade-long hiatus GBYE had before slamming back into the post-rock genre with Alleluia, I think maybe another decade out would do them some good again.

That, or clearly articulating their band-long paranoia with defining political words to their fans.
C'mon, GYBE. Let's hear it already. In words next time.

(Purchased directly from the Constellation Records website.)