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Post-rock. What exactly does that mean? I’ve tagged a few artists with said genre, but really that’s just to make it easier to find. I have a problem with labeling bands as post-rock. That’s like making good rock it’s own genre. To me, post-rock is just where rock has developed over the past decade or so. I’ve come across one band in particular that has managed to distinguish itself from the pack and isn’t particularly all that well known.
Video Interview | Avishai Cohen
What better way to celebrate our 100th post?! I had the pleasure of seeing Avishai Cohen live at his first of 8 performances at the Blue Note in NYC this past labor day weekend, and to top it off, Nirav managed to secure some time to interview him.
Danger Invites Rescue
It’s no secret, I’ve clearly got a fetish for progressive/post-rock/metal or whatever us kids are calling it these days. Isis, Pelican, Del Rey, and Russian Circles are among my favorites… but these guys are all pretty well known at this point (some more than others obviously). I’ve recently found another band among this genre that brings a fresh look.
Nefertiti | Miles Davis
Aside from my newly found interest in the Avishai Cohen Trio, Miles Davis is the first name that pops in my head when someone sparks a conversation about jazz. I’m sure this is the case for a lot of people, but have you really taken the time to listen to his albums in entirety, or are you like me and are just vaguely familiar enough to carry on a conversation with other jazz enthusiasts? He had several masterpieces, but would you be able to pick out your favorite? Maybe it’s just my nature to pick less obvious, but my choice is Nerfetti.
World’s Fastest Guitar Player
World’s Fastest Guitar Player - I was skeptical at first too, but tell me playing Flight of the Bumble Bee at 320 bpm isn’t impressive.
Station | Russian Circles
I know I just reviewed Russian Circles’s first album, and yes I posted it only a couple days after Station was released… but now I’ve had about a month for Station to grow on me. I was a little unsure about it the first few listens, but now I can say with confidence that Station is one of the best instrumental rock albums I own.
A Pyramid For The Living | Del Rey
I have a semi-daily ritual of laying down on couch, popping in my headphones, and cranking some good music. Some people like come home from a long day of work and zone out to some TV or maybe grab a cold-one. I like to just lay down and relax to music. Del Rey, another great instrumental rock band from Chicago, is one of those bands that’s perfect for said scenario. It’s very chill, yet busy, instrumental rock.
Post-Rocked Jazz | The Samuel Jackson Five
I’ll be honest, I purchased The Samuel Jackson Five strictly for the name. I can’t quite remember, but I’m pretty sure I saw their name under one of those “listener’s also bought” type categories when purchasing the new album by Russian Circles. I suppose they both somewhat fit into the Chicago math rock scene. However, there are two key differences between the two bands. The Samuel Jackson Five has a much more apparent jazz influence and even a little experimental rock from time to time. The other difference is that The Samuel Jackson Five isn’t from Chicago, but instead Oslo, Norway.
Enter | Russian Circles
Russian Circles, although hailing from the Chicago math rock scene, doesn’t really fall into the genre exclusively. I’m sure I’ll get some criticism out of this, but I think they’ve found a really solid mix of the two genres. I hear a mixture of Isis , God is an Astronaut, and Pelican… with just the right amount of math rock.
Progressive Jazz | The Bad Plus
Remember when I said you don’t listen to enough Jazz. Then I reminded you that it was true. Well, it is true, I did say that, and you still don’t listen to enough jazz. I’ve got another jazz band that everyone should check out. The Bad Plus is a three piece band consisting of a piano, upright bass, and one hell of a drummer.
