2020-03-01 Total Guitar

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MARCH 2020 TOTAL GUITAR

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A genrecornerstoneofresounding

influence,Godspeed’sgloweringdebut

isoftenmanylistener’sfirstforayinto

experimentalrockmusic,a workofdark,

labyrinthinebeautythatreflectsthe

independentspiritofitscreators,notably

theDIYpunkethosofguitaristEfrimMenuck.

A sequenceof free-flowingmovementsand

interludes,EastHastingsis byfarthemost

guitar-drivenpiecehere,asausterepicking

shiftstoa thrashingcrescendoofdistortion,

ablyemployedby filmmakerDannyBoylein

hisapocalyptichorror 28 DaysLater.

DownloadEastHastings

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Slintwereoneof thefirstfishto crawl

fromtheprimordial,post-rocksea,

emergingfromthe1980sAmerican

hardcorescenewitha soundthatcombined

complexguitarstructureswitha bleak,

introspectivepalette.MuchofSpiderland’s

unsettlingatmospherecanbeattributedto

guitaristDavePajo’sdissonantguitarlinesand

unusualuseofharmonics,particularlyonthe

proto-mathrockofBreadcrumbTrail.Good

Morning,Captain’s machine-likedronebrings

thetensiontobreakingpoint,anddespite

thealbumbeingpunctuatedwithmomentsof

sonicviolencethroughout,thegut-wrenching

finaleis consideredtheband’sfinestmoment.

DownloadGoodMorning,Captain

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Experimentalwithoutbeinginaccessible,

proggywithoutbeingoverblown,the

sophomorereleasefromChicago’s

Tortoiseis analbumthatilluminates

thepossibilitiesoftraditionalrock

instrumentation.Describedasanexploration

of“texture,spaceandmood”,manyofthese

songsaredrivenbyjittery,jazz-likerhythms

ontowhichubiquitouspost-rockaxemanDave

Pajoaddsembellishmentsandtonalaccents.

Thoughtheopening20-minuteoddityDjed

mayprovea littletooaimlessforsometastes,

follow-uptrackGlassMuseumrewardsthe

listenerwitha slabofslow-burningmathrock.

DownloadGlassMuseum

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Oneofpost-rock’strademarksis an

eagernesstoambushtheunsuspecting

listenerwithtorrentsofhellishnoiseasa

kindofpost-saunacoldplunge,andExplosions

InTheSky’searlyworkis fullofsuchmoments.

Thegroup’sthirdoutingis moreaffable,

though.There’slittlediversitybetweentracks,

saveperhapsthebrisk,martialdrummingthat

bookendsthealbum,butwhatremainsis

neverthelessa breathtakingexampleof

whatinstrumentalrockmusiccando.

DownloadYourHandInMine

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Stalkingtheborderbetweenpost-rock

andheavieractslikeRussianCircles,

RedSparowesoffera thoroughly

guitar-driventakeonthepost-rockformula.

There’saneclecticmixhere,fromEmmaRuth

Rundle’scleanleadsofA Swarmtoguitarist

BryantCliffordMeyer’seuphorictrem-picking

thatsmothersGivingBirthToImaginedSaviors.

Thoughhardlyreinventingthewheel,it’shard

toarguewiththeskillRedSparowesdisplay,

particularlyasRundle’seerie,shimmering

droneringsacrosstheclimaxofcloserAsEach

EndLoomsAndSubsides.

DownloadAsEachEndLoomsAndSubsides

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Unconventionalmusicrarely

translatestomasspopularappeal,

butthehaunting,existentialweirdness

of Iceland’sfinestsonshasprovena happy

exceptiontotherule:frontmanJónsi’s

preferenceforplayingelectricguitarwith

acellobowgiveshighlightsGlósóliand

Hafsólan absolutely unique, shape-shifting

quality. Although the constraints of bowed

guitar mean there’s perhaps less technical

nuance on offer than some would like, the

dream-like textures of Svefn-g-englar and

terrifying black hole of feedback that closes

Popplagid make for a fascinating journey.

Download Popplagid

DON’TMISSOUT

SLINT

SPIDERLAND(1991)

ALSORECOMMENDED

TORTOISE

MILLIONSNOWLIVING

WILLNEVERDIE(1996)

WORTHA SPIN

EXPLOSIONS

INTHESKY

THEEARTHISNOTA

COLD DEAD PLACE (2003)

WILDCARD

REDSPAROWES

THEFEARISEXCRUCIATING,BUT

THEREINLIESTHEANSWER(2010)

BACK TRACK

PEOPLE ✪ NEWS ✪ NOISE

LIVE!

SIGUR RÓS

INNI (2011)

THEN TRY

GODSPEED YOU!

BLACK EMPEROR

F# A# ∞ (1998)