Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Antennas To Heaven

  by Benjamin Howarth

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

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Godspeed You Black Emperor first achieved notoriety last year after their slot at the Bowlie Weekender festival. They currently comprise of nine members who do not give their surnames and who live some kind of idealised anti-capitalist life in a squat in Montreal, Canada. But the most remarkable thing about this band is their music which is unforgettable. There are four tracks on this double album which each run to twenty minutes each. This will sound strange to anybody who does not have their album "F#a#oo" or the exceptional "Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada E.P." but after this band has been heard it will make perfect sense. Each track comprises of three or four pieces joined together and none have vocals, although the band sometimes play radio recordings that have been heavily distorted over the top of their music. That technique is used more sparingly on this record. Twenty minute songs may sound outrageously boring but there is such an epic quality to this music that it has never been heard before. The strings which form the base of their sound work wonderfully with powerful drumming and guitars. There are fantastic melodies and a build up from eerie near silence to waves of sound, which never resort to just noise. On this album is some of the strongest material they have ever produced, particularly 'Gathering Storm' from the first track and "Monheim" from the third track. I honestly cannot find any fault with this album, except that it progresses little from their previous work. This a minor fault, however, because there is not a band in the world that has produced music of this depth and power. At the moment they are probably pioneering the formula that a rock band can work with to a greater extent than anyone else. They are the band you expect Thom Yorke would really like Radiohead to be - but the most important thing is that they sound fantastic and, chances are, you will be playing this album for years to come. Whilst this band have their critics (Melody Maker printed off a NO TUNE! sign to hold at their concerts),not having an opinion on them is foolish because they are sure to become one of the most important bands of the period. This album is completely essential ! Compulsory ! MY ALBUM OF THE YEAR.

Track Listing:-

1 Lift Yr Skinny Fists
2 Like Antennas To Heaven
3 Gathering Storm
4 I'l Pleut Amourir
5 Welcome To Barco
6 Cancer To Wers
7 On Holy Road Hi Way
8 Terrible Canyons Of Static
9 Atomic Clock
10 Chart #3
11 World Police
12 Friendly Fire
13 The Buildings
14 They Are Sleeping Now
15 Murray
16 Monheim
17 Broken Windows
18 Locks Of Love Pt 3
19 Moya Sings
20 Baby O
21 Edgy Swing Set Acid
22 Glockenspiel
23 Attention Monami
24 She Dreamt She Was A Buldozer
25 Deathkamp Drone
26 Antennas To Heaven

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