Post-Rock

Post-Rock [ p ʰ əʊstɹɒk ] is a collective term for different varieties of rock, on the one hand very strongly related to alternative or indie rock, on the other hand offer hints of the progressive rock of the 70s and refer to the Krautrock. Similar to other courses with the prefix the hybrid status post should be indicated, in which the post-rock is located: on the one hand is this music into the realm of rock music, on the other hand, they tried these to overcome, at least in its conventional form. Known representatives are Tortoise, Stereolab, Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The genre came to the early 1980s and continues to this day.

Origins and Development

As a precursor to the post-rock shoegazing the wave of the 80s and 90s is considered, which has overlap with the post-rock in part, such as their representatives. The origin of the term " post-rock " is in the early 90 's, when English music critic for bands like Bark Psychosis or Disco Inferno were looking for a new categorization. Klangen these two bands have very different, as can be observed today that under the term post-rock an enormous wealth is aggregated from bands that often have little in common. However, they stand out so far mostly from the " rest" of rock music from when they consciously try to go beyond conventional forms of rock music.

On one hand, arises in this way a wide range of musical ways and means, especially since most of these bands such deliberately looking the other hand, groups of bands have in certain places repeatedly made ​​that rely on similar means, get inspired from each other and often just sound similar. These mostly the scenes in Chicago and San Francisco, but sometimes Montreal and Weilheim be counted. But is also a world the phenomenon observed that the initially progressive flow in itself seeks refuge and more on "best means " falls back than actually looking new.

Musical agent

The term thus, unlike for example, reggae and blues, less a style within the music as a smorgasbord of action and modes of perception against the rock, mostly the typical attitude and pose of rock music are negated. The works of the intentioned bands often sound very different, but they usually operate in varying degrees of the following elements:

• Abandoning the conventional traditional rock verse-chorus structure
• Supporting the use of electronic instruments and computers, Sample technologies and / or various outdoor scenes
• In part over a long title, often over 10, sometimes over 20 minutes playing time
• Structures longer than in the rock area common to many using over several minutes evolving topics
• Frequent use of several minutes of repetitive sound patterns and structures that are connected to ambient music and therefore often used as a film music (eg, Sigur Rós, Godspeed You Black Emperor; ! both in the Danny Boyle - movies 127 Hours and 28 Days Later )
• Use of acoustic instruments ( such as piano, violin, cello, timpani, xylophone, etc., such as Rachel's, Buddy & The Huddle )
• Penchant for unusual rhythms and "odd" time signatures
• Minimalist or even almost orchestral arrangements
• Substantial or complete absence of vocals, partial waiver lyrics at replacement by onomatopoeic vocals ( Sigur Rós ) or strong distortion of the vocals ( up beyond recognition ) ( Mogwai )
• Concentration on the music as such, texts (if any) and statements into the background; with Godspeed You! Black Emperor stipulates explicit political references and reality references to the record covers
• Bridges between different musical concepts, including, for example, to chamber music (Rachel 's) or to electronic music
• Modest stage shows without much effort, focus on music

Several notable bands

Bark Psychosis, Disco Inferno, Slint and Talk Talk are usually referred to as the founding fathers of the genre. Other influential bands are:

• Aereogramme (Scotland )
• A Silver Mt Zion ( Canada )
• Explosions in the Sky (USA)
• God Is an Astronaut (Ireland )
• Godspeed You! Black Emperor (Canada)
• Leech ( Switzerland )
• Mogwai (Scotland )
• Mono ( Japan)
• Pelican (USA)
• Radian ( Austria )
• Sigur Rós ( Iceland )
• Stereolab ( UK / France)
• Tortoise (USA)
• This Will Destroy You (USA)