All Is Violent, All Is Bright - God Is An Astronaut (2005)
Besides blathering on about my own favorite music, I consume a ton of content about other people’s favorite music. This week, I’m taking some advice. This one was recommended from Youtuber Wyattxhim’s Top 40 Favorite Albums Of All Time - YouTube
Niels and Torsten Kinsella are twin brothers who record structured, measured, loud post rock as God Is An Astronaut.
There’s a lot of build-and-release that you’d expect from post rock, but it’s very evenly played on both ends. Lots of reverb and created space, even when the guitars get crunchy.
Things like big riffs and solos are necessarily sacrificed for the sake of atmosphere. And that atmosphere is unfailingly serious but beautiful.
Even at its loudest, the brothers never really lose control. The whole thing ebbs and flows in sequence without ever raging; any violence it might be doing is organized and efficient.
Tracks I Liked
All Is Violent, All Is Bright - a particularly slow-building track that takes time to develop a lot of melodic ideas
Suicide By Star - my vote for best track, but mostly because I’m such a sucker for double-bass-drumming, expecially in non-want-to-rip-your-head-off settings.
Remembrance Day - from one of the loudest songs into one of the calmest without skipping a beat
