Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

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• Electronic/Experimental, Instrumental

Music reviews of Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

Music Review: There's more to a band than its name.
Rating: 4 Stars

More of an instrumental "collective" than a band, they claim anywhere from six to nine members in the band at any given time, although they generally boast a string section, multiple guitars and percussionists. Even though they undeniably fall within the modern "rock" medium, Godspeed You Black Emperor! composes in a very symphonic soundscape. They strongly recall late 20th century minimalism in that they value dynamics, texture, and interplay above singable melodies. Because of this, fans of melodically-driven music will most assuredly not appreciate the best attributes of "Lift yr. Skinny Fists...". Almost all melody is executed in instrumental ostinato riffs, rather than proper melody. Some people believe that music without melody is without worth, but I believe that one of the basic tenets of music is the creation of tension through harmony and dynamics, and the eventual release of that tension. This is the realm that Godspeed You Black Emperor! heriocally explores. Minimalistic patterns in the style of Phillip Glass interweave into textures that crescendo, explode, and then recede into almost imperceptible whispers on strings and cymbals.

"Lift yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" is largely instrumental, but occasionally textures will subside to reveal dialogue delivered in a man-on-the-street style. Presented like an undercover news reporter, these vignettes make clear social and political statements that paint a politically aware and vividly humanistic picture. Some of these taped conversations are more obtuse in their meaning than others, but all are interesting in their ability to convey cognitive ideas in the musical framework. One of my favorites is the "They don't sleep on the beach anymore" segment. In it, an older man tells of his recollections of Coney Island in its glory days, and how times have changed. It's actually quite touching, and the underlying atmospheric texture enhances its feelings of intimacy.

Sonically, the best reference that I can suggest is to King Crimson's more atmospheric work from the 70's (in particular, "Starless and Bible Black"), without the technical chops that band boasted (perhaps like Pink Floyd al la "Ummagumma"). The use of the string section may be responsible for this, filling the dual role of David Cross' solo violin and the ever-important mellotron texture that Crimson was using at the time. Combine this with sheets of organic electric guitar and aggressively melodic bass playing and you have a psychedleic sound that is both contemporary and retro, like an analog version of "Kid A".

At two CD's basically tracked as one song, focused listening can be admittedly difficult. While it is obvious that there is musical structure, it is fascinatingly difficult to say how much of the music is structured and how much is improvised. I suggest listening while indulging in a period of zen-like activity, like driving on a solitary road trip or doing menial housework, when you can allow your attention to wander in and out of the music. You will find that parts of it grab your attention, while other parts insidiously allow your attention to wander. Soon, you will get an idea of how the piece works as a whole, and the logic of its teleology.

So why not a perfect rating? Although "Lift yr. Skinny Fists..." is a fascinating album, a very good argument could be made that the repetition of the crescendo-to-explosion-then-start-all-over-again formula tends to become just that: a formula. I will wager, however, that this group is a spiritual experience in a live situation, and that this human connection is lost on record. It is always a challenge to capture this aspect in a studio situation, and even more so within the adventurous genre that Godspeed you Black Emperor! is working in. They may be able to do it, but I'm not sure if they quite do it here.

The lowdown: A brutally honest and beautiful recording that will either move or bore you, depending on what you are into. To really appreciate "Lift yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven", you must allow yourself to be mesmerized by it. It's the soundtrack to your most gut-wrenching personal tragedy, but it also blossoms into a hopeful flower. It represents nameless emotions, like a color that you can't describe, or a feeling that you don't want to. However, if you are looking to get blown away during the first listen, you might have varying degrees of satisfaction.

Description of Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

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