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Mono:
Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky,
It seems that I get a lot of instrumental post rock here at Left Off The Dial, and I find myself lacking new and innovative ways to describe and critique this music. Its not that I think the English language lacks the ability to properly describe the music no well, actually I do, but thats not the problem here. If there has ever been an entire genre stuck in one giant creative rut, it is the brand of instrumental post-rock characterized by scene stalwarts Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Sure the details change, but really, from band to band and album to album, there is no real sense of innovation or development, which might not be a negative if all of these albums didnt sound pretty much the same. The sad thing is, all this is coming from a fan. As a college DJ, Mogwais Young Team floored me and changed my expectations of instrumental music, and G.Y.B.E.s Lift Your Skinny Fists like Antennas to Heaven furthered my excitement. But personally, from those high-water marks, all the crescendos, bombastic rock-outs and quick decrescendos have sounded pretty darn similar. Perhaps this is being unfair to Mono. This album is, in fact, good. They make this brand of music very well. If your music library can hold more soft/loud orchestral rock, buy this. In an effort to continue my evenhandedness, I will point out a few distinguishing details about Mono and this album of theirs. They are from Japan. This is their third album. The recording of this album is, at least in part, influenced by a Japanese folktale. The album was produced by Steve Albini. Now some typical adjectives used to describe this type of music: symphonic, lush, hypnotic, layered, soaring, apocalyptic, shimmering, titanic, thundering, lengthy, haunting There, all my bases are covered.
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