Always great to hear great Canadian talent and “Do Make Say Think” is just that great Canadian talent. Combining jazz style with accoustic guitar, distorted electric and various wind instruments to create a very soothing listening experience. The band is primarily instrumental, although with the talented music being made you hardly need the distraction of vocals. The group started in at the University of Toronto and released their 6th album “Other Truths” on October 20th (2009) and has been getting rave reviews. On a side note I would like to mention Justin Small’s side project “Lullabye Arkestra” which is also a great listen. They are much more on the heavier side of things, a far cry from the easy listening of “Do Make Say Think”, but a great band non the less.  No mention of a Vancouver show on their list of upcoming tour dates… yet. Please take the time to have listen of both bands below.

Lullabye Arkestra

Califone - All My Friends Are Funeral Singers – Krill
Six Organs Of Admittance – Lumnious Night – Cover Your Wounds With The Sky
Do Make Say Think – Other Truths – Say
Krallice – Dimensional Bleedthrough – The Mountain
Converge – Axe To Fall – Wishing Well
Coalesce – Ox EP - Absent In Death
Lightning Bolt – Earthly Delights – Rain On The Lake I’m Swimming In/S.O.S.
Boredoms – SuperRoots10 – Ant 10 Original
Baroness – Blue Record – Ogeechee Hymnal
Grey Machine – Disconnected – Wasted
Moss – Tombs Of The Blind Drugged – Serpent
Flipper – Love – Old Graves

djimi and metroA present: the wonderful and amazing world of wonderful and amazing music

1. Blaqstarr: Shake it to the ground (Switch & Santogold Remix)
2. Golden Silvers: Arrows of Eros
3. Fun Boy 3: The lunatics have taken over the asylum
4. White Noise: Love without sound
5. Bobb Trimble: Glass menagerie fantasies
6. Beak>: I know
7. Lou Barlow: The right
8. Penguin Prison: A funny thing (Monarchy Remix)
9. In Flagranti: Pick-a-trick (djimi’s 2009 favorite rank 3)
10. Yura Yura Teikoku: Sweet Surrender (Remix) (metroA’s 2009 favorite rank 1)
11. Do Make Say Think: Do
12. Exlovers: Wicked Game
13. The Limousines: Very busy people (djimi’s 2009 favorite rank 2)
14. Peter Bjorn & John: Lay it down (The Golden Filter Remix) (metroA’s 2009 favorite rank 2)
15. Cozy Powell: Dance with the devil
16. Crystal Fighters: I love London (80kidz Remix) (metroA’s 2009 favorite rank 3)
17. Bruce Springsteen: State Trooper (Trentemöller Remix) (djimi’s 2009 favorite rank 1)
18. Novack (Fuhlbrügge & Poppe): Don’t Hey C’mon
19. Lil Jon: I do (Pance Party Remix)
20. Atlas Sound: Quick Canal (feat. Laetitia Sadier)

Two nights ago, Toronto-based band Do Make Say Think graced the sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia. I had listened to their albums and have been a fan for some time now, but honestly, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the show. However, upon walking into the wooden-clad church and seeing the 9-piece take the stage, I knew it was going to be a great show.  The group is such a talented bunch, and I feel lucky to have been sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of them.

Words and Photographs by Michael James Murray

You can read more about their approach to music in the interview, which will be posted in the next day or so!

Do Make Say Think took over the beautiful Sanctuary at the First Unitarian Church last night. All three acts on the bill consisted of members from the band. The sets leading up to DMST’s set were a nice suprise to the night by each offering something new.

DMST and sometimes Broken Social Scene member Charles Spearin took the stage with his Happiness Project. He played  several prerecorded interviews with his young daughter and a few of his neighbors. From there, he matched the tones and melodies of the voices to several different instruments to create songs. He had members of DMST join him on stage to play different instruments. At first I was a little skeptical of the whole thing, but it was a very interesting idea that played out well in.

He was followed by his fellow DMST member , Ohad Benchetrit, who played solo acoustic/electric guitaraccompanied by members of DMST. They played a variety of instruments from saxophone to trumpet to bass. His guitar style reminded me of something Jimmy Page would have done 30 plus years ago.

This led way to a killer set from Do Make Say Think, they completely owned the Sanctuary. It was the perfect venue for them to play in. Their wall of noises had lots of room to breathe with the high ceilings and large, open space. Photos/setlist below

Charles Spearin’s Happiness Project

Ohad Benchetrit’s Years

Do Make Say Think

It’s snowing! In Texas!

View from the front door

I woke up thirsty, and wandered into the kitchen to get some water. I absentmindedly looked out the window to see this:

“Snow!” I yelled to a sleepy Pumpkin.

Naturally, I ditched the water for hot chocolate and put on Do Make Say Think’s Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn album. Perhaps this seems gratuitous, but all we’ve had in Amarillo was one overnight freeze like a month ago — on Friday, the temperature reached 70.

And supposedly we only get two, maybe three snows per winter. I have to make them count.

Also, upon noticing my snow covered car, I’m reminded I still don’t have a scraper …. looks like I’m using a cassette tape again.

The Happiness Project is Charles Spearin from Do Make Say Think (also performing this Sunday).  He basically interviewed a bunch of people about what happiness is, and created a piece of music from these interviews.  It is REALLY COOL and definitely something you’ll want to see.  I have no idea how he performs it live, but I’m sure it will be moving and beautiful.  Listen below and go to the show.

MP3: “Anna” – Charles Spearin

Do Make Say Think released their new album in October. The full-length record is dubbed Other Truths (great title) and weighs in at four tracks. Each cut runs for at least eight minutes and the track list spells out the name of the band: “Do,” “Make,” “Say” and “Think.” That is the first and last of the gimmicks.

“Do” flirts with Strat-rock and years-dead AOR until its second act, which cleanses the ears with clamor and tones and brass, then a delicate coda. “Make” behaves similarly: a measured, conventional opening gradually achieves Great Wall status, although the track was certainly not recorded with amplifiers set at 11. The volume does not show up until things cool back down at the nine-minute mark.

“Say” introduces a touch of the rural advantage, with cattle drive guitar, open-flame fiddle and gunfight brass. The wild west, indeed. The album closes with “Think” which is paced like a Saturday morning hangover.

This is a fascinating, restrained, and sometimes frustrating album that supports repeated listens, and makes intelligent choices — sometimes they may be too intelligent. For now you can stream it at the band’s Myspace page, linked above. Go do so.

in the spirit of it being sunday night. and since i can’t sleep. i’ve decided to share with you a couple of songs and most importantly what they remind me of.

listening and singing along to this song on repeat every night after i found out my mum had bone cancer, or cancer of the bone, and crying.

walking to school the day after he told me he didn’t want me anymore and trying to tell myself it would be alright.

and to end on a cheerful note:

waking up in the middle of the night, because it is raining against my window and not being able to fall asleep again, getting up to listen to this song and falling asleep on the floor.

stream sendingen her

canadierne i do make say think har i over ti år vært en sikker leverandør av eminent instrumentell rock. på fredag spilte de på john dee, i den forbindelse har bra trommis snakket med bassist charles spearin om blant annet deres nye plate og tilknytningen til plateselskapet constellation.

vi har også snakket med yo la tengo. de kunne fortelle oss hvorfor de egentlig ikke er så opptatt av publikumet sitt, og hvorfor de tror at det er det private og innadvendte med musikken deres som har gitt andre plass til å lade yo la tengos lydbilde med egne intime følelser.

ukas anbefaling er en duo som har spilt i både funk-, hip hop-, jazz- og r&b-grupper. de møttes da de spilte i et bryllup, men spiller langt fra verken hip hop eller bryllupsslagere sammen. tenk heller minimalisme, falsett og silver apples.

ukas klassiker kommer fra en japansk gruppe som like gjerne spiller hard impro som behagelig bossanova. gruppa kombinerer støyelementer og melodier på en måte som får dem som bare gjør det ene eller det andre til å framstå som trangsynte og endimensjonale.

i tillegg kårer vi to vinnere av mum-konkurransen som får 2 billetter hver til konserten neste lørdag. mer info om konkurransen her.

ny musikk fra bl.a: best coast, atlas sound, truls and the trees vs center of the universe.

spilleliste
wetdog – lower leg (angular/captured tracks)
cloud nothings – hey cool kid (bridgetown)
black tambourine – throw aggi off the bridge (slumberland)
a grave with no name – you’re gone (lefse)
glass ghost – the same (western vinyl)
glass ghost – like a diamond (western vinyl)
real estate – fake blues (woodsist)
nice nice – ark drum (warp)
truls/trees vs. center of the universe – terrella (metronomicon audio)
atlas sound – the screens (dwnld:deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com)
small black – kings of animals (transparent)
best coast – when i’m with you (black iris music)
andrew cedermark – hard livin’ (underwater peoples)

intervju med yo la tengo: louisa layne
intervju med do make say think: thomas ballo
ukas anbefaling (glass ghost – idol omen): kristina nesset kjerstad
ukas klassiker (ground zero – plays standards): andreas ervik
teknisk ansvarlig: thomas ballo
i studio: rikke fjell jørgensen og ann kristin traaen

Last night I listened to the latest Mono album, Hymn To The Immortal Wind, and for the first time in a few years I really connected with a Post Rock album. Recorded with long term producer Steve Albini and backed by a 28-piece chamber orchestra, the record is an epic, almost definitely overblown, yet beautiful hour of music that aims straight for the gut. To put it simply, if this record fails to grab you on some emotional level, then there is very little chance of you finding any worth in it. It operates entirely on the level of the heart, creating grandiose, cinematic arrangements that result in inevitably huge crescendos and climaxes. There’s nothing particularly original to be found here, only the bands extreme proficiency for their art.

So after listening to the album I checked out some reviews, where I stumbled across an interesting idea. In Pitchfork’s review, written by Cosmo Lee, it is argued that Mono have reached a point in their career where they resist critical analysis. In Lee’s own words;

“The Japanese instrumental quartet has no lyrics to parse. It has little pop culture impact. The group has many imitators, but it remains superior. It is no longer formally interesting. For 10 years, it has unfurled long songs with quiet beginnings and stormy climaxes. Mono albums are different in the way AC/DC and Motörhead ones are: they contain new combinations of old ingredients. Once a band establishes itself in music’s canon– and Mono has, next to post-rock colleagues Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky– one either accepts or rejects its formula. The formula then replaces the canon as the critical yardstick. Now we compare Mono against itself.”

This is a strange, somewhat confusing,  position for a music critic to take. On the one hand, Mono’s tried and tested formula is very difficult to bring new meaning to using words. We live in a world where music is discussed to its death. It is pored over, celebrated and criticized until it is battered into the ground, leaving nothing left to be said. This is pretty much the reason why music journalism, as a profession, doesn’t really appeal to me. Music journalism, at its best, gets to the heart of what makes something special, but at its worst will take all the joy out of that thing and replace it with words. Words that get thrown around and removed of all their meaning. ‘Atmospheric’, ‘psychedelic’, ‘progressive’, ‘derivative’ – these are words that are written without a moments thought or consideration, and that don’t really describe anything. I could find you a hundred reviews of Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion that descirbe it as psychedelic, but very few that explain why.

I am almost definitely guilty of this, which is why I’m not a journalist. Music is a very abstract and difficult thing to describe, so when you remove elements like lyrics and cultural impact, as Post Rock often does, then understandably this job becomes even harder. Now the journalist has two less tools to try to make sense of it all, and has to look for different themes to attach their critical hooks onto.

After I had listened to Hymn To The Immortal Wind, I listened to the latest Do Make Say Think album, The Other Truths. This is another celebrated Post Rock album from 2009, and is a brilliant, yet vastly different record from Mono’s. Where Mono are happy to play along with variations of a quiet to loud dynamic, Do Make Say Think’s arrangements are more varied and complex. While the songs still play with heavier and softer moments, the movement from one to another is not predictable or predetermined from the outset. It’s here that I can return to Lee’s argument, because for all the reasons that make the Do Make Say Think album a much better album technically, It’s the Mono record that I find more enjoyable.

The reason why I prefer the Mono record should, then, form the basis of any criticism or praise. To argue that Mono are a good band because they are ‘emotive’ or make you ‘feel’, doesn’t really cut it in critical terms. Of course, emotion might be why you enjoy the music, but emotion must be deconstructed like anything else. Otherwise its just another word like ‘atmospheric’ or ‘psychedelic’ that doesn’t really mean anything beyond ‘vaguely dramatic sounding’. There are reasons why Hymn To The Immortal Wind is better than previous Mono albums, just as there are reasons why I find it more enjoyable than anything by Explosions in the Sky. One of these reasons might be the increased weight and texture offered by the orchestra, another might be the restraint and expertise demonstrated in the build-ups; these are areas that should be explored by journalists rather than dismissed under a blanket marked “emotional, too difficult to describe”. Are Mono and bands of their ilk beyond critique? Of course not, it’s just bloody difficult.

Download: Mono – Ashes In the Snow MP3

Nick: WHAT??!!

do make…

do

do make

do make

say think

say think

do make say think.

where are they from?

Canada.

they strangely remind me of the Dublin band…jimmy….

Jimmy Cake? that’s not too strange.

yeah, and as a result I quite like it.

is Canada the only country producing bands these days?

or are they all from Lithuania and Mozambique, and just saying they are from Canada?

what do you see when you look at the cover?

what cover?

the cover for this album.

oh ok, I ehh….I see a man in a boat?

or someone looking out a window, by a chair.

I see the Grim Reaper looking out the top window of a bus.

no, I don’t see that.

there’s not much emotional impact is there?

too much of it is what I call decorative.

it’s a bit of a musical mish-mash, like they throw everything into it.

and it’s a bit mechanical.

as far as I’m concerned, if you’re into that kinda thing, The Jimmy Cake is much much better, considerably better.

it’s not unpleasant, it’s just not exactly fascinating.

occasionally it gets very close to wallpaper.

Remember when Ireland had more Post Rock bands then half-built apartment complexes?

http://www.myspace.com/domakesaythink

1 de noviembre (domingo) – Simone White + Victoria Williams @ Kafe Antzokia (20.30h) [Metro: Abando]

4 de noviembre (miércoles) – Do Make Say Think + Years + Happiness Project @ Kafe Antzokia (20.30h) [Metro: Abando]

6 de noviembre (viernes) – Los Planetas + El Veloz Murciélago Hindú @ Santana 27 (21h) [Metro Bolueta]

6 de noviembre (viernes) – The Pepper Pots @ Santana 27 (24h) [Metro Bolueta]

7 de noviembre (sábado) – The Eastpak Antidote Tour: Anti-Flag + Alexisonfire + Four Year Strong + The Ghost of a Thousand @ Kafe Antzokia (21.30h) [Metro: Abando]

7 de noviembre (sábado) – Nick Oliveri @ Balcón de la Lola (21h) [Metro: Abando]

8 de noviembre (domingo) – Richie Kotzen @ Rock Star Live (19h) [Metro: Ansio / Barakaldo]

13 de noviembre (viernes) – Nueva Vulcano + Ya Te Digo @ Balcón de la Lola (21h) [Metro: Abando]

13 de noviembre (viernes) – The Quireboys @ Kafe Antzokia (21.30h) [Metro: Abando]

19 de noviembre (jueves) – Heineken Greenspace: Micah P. Hinson + The Duke and the King + Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears @ Santana 27 (20.30h) [Metro: Bolueta]

20 de noviembre (viernes) – Heineken Greenspace: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart + Atlas Sound @ Santana 27 (20.30h) [Metro: Bolueta]

21 de noviembre (sábado) – The Lemonheads + Thee Brandy Hips @ Kafe Antzokia (21.30h) [Metro: Abando]

27 de noviembre (viernes) – L.A. + Elastic Band + Alex Ferreira @ Azkena (20.30h) [Metro: Abando]

28 de noviembre (sábado) – The Nu Niles + Juke Box Racket @ Crazy Horse (22h) [Metro: Deusto]

9 άτομα επί σκηνής.. όπως και να το κάνεις είναι εντυπωσιακό..

]]> http://cinematicmusic.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/this-will-destroy-you-do-make-say-think/ Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:00:06 +0000 gwos http://cinematicmusic.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/this-will-destroy-you-do-make-say-think/

Hello all,

Welcome to the home of cinematic music. First order of the day is a couple of gig reviews, This Will Destroy You who played at Underworld, Camden (21/10/09) and Do Make Say Think at The Scala, Kings Cross (22/10/09).

(Above: Front cover of ‘Young Mountain EP’, This Will Destroy You – 2006)

I have been looking forward to these gigs for a while, and they didn’t disappoint. Firstly, This Will Destroy You played a truly amazing gig! The sound was pretty awesome, enough bass for everyone to feel their bodies rumble. The bass player seems to have a knack for doing this as he plays chords on his 5 string most of the time. You could tell they’re one of those bands who tour constantly because their set was perfectly tight and progressed effortlessly. They opened with the mighty “A Three-Legged Workhorse” which instantly set the scene for an epic journey into their universe, and gradually dragged the crowd in, pulsating to the slow rhythm of the crescendo. Every track, despite being similar sounding to the next, gave you everything you could hope for from dreamy soundscapes to heavy climaxes. I remember being particularly blown away by “Burial on the Presidio Banks” which comes in with a beautiful melody on the guitar, and erupts at the end when everyone turns on the overdrive.

I was delighted to see that the gig had sold out too! One of my mates, desperate for a ticket as he was, had to squeeze a ticket out of the bouncer to get in! I went to see them in 2008 and the venue definitely wasn’t sold out. Hopefully they can start earning some money now! It must be quite rewarding for them to know that their constant touring is paying off, maybe they’ll move on to a bigger venue next time.. I had a chat with them afterwards and they came across, as always, as really genuine, unpretentious people and mentioned something about a NEW ALBUM COMING SOON! They also spoke about a record label they have started called Light Lodge which should be interesting to investigate. It was quite funny actually, I went up to the merchandise table where they were sitting afterwards and in amongst the various T-shirts and fridge magnets there was a small hand-written note saying “we appreciate any fans helping us out with some smoke” with a poorly sketched weed leaf next to it. When I asked Andrew the guitarist about it, he shrugged and said “well.. you know.. a band on the road…”. Moral of the story is; if you get a chance to go and see them don’t blow it because they are pioneers in instrumental music and will give you a live music experience to remember!

(Above: Front cover of This Will Destroy You’s self-titled debut album – 2008)

Do Make Say Think- these guys are from Canada, one of Constellation records’ bands who also put on a mighty show! The night started with 2 support acts; The Happiness Project and Years which are side projects of the band, and both were amazing. Both were instrumental with samples but they were the perfect warm-up acts for the headliners. I think everyone was wondering if they would know when the support acts ended and DMST started because the band members are the same, the crowd cheered anyway and the most dedicated fans gave a clue as they recognized the opening track immediately. Having listened to the albums before hand, a thought that occurred to me a lot was where is the bass? but live I can tell you, I could feel my ear drums quivering! That venue has a wicked sound system! Their music is far less minimal than some other canadian instrumental bands, due mainly to one of the guitarists who is very good at finger-picking and writing complex guitar parts. They’re sound is very rich and folky, but also quite big at times when all 9 musicians join in with trumpets, violins and loops. I was disappointed that they didn’t play my favorite track “A Tender History in Rust” but all in all it was a great night! They, unlike TWDY, spoke a little between tracks, bantering about their adventures and giving a bit of background to the songs which was nice and appropriate given that the Scala is quite an intimate venue.

Check them out-

Thats all for now, back soon!

I came across a copy of Charles Spearin’s Happiness Project today and feel so much richer for it. Spearin, founding member of Do Make Say Think & member of Broken Social Scene has put together an album based around the melodies of everyday conversation. For this, his first solo project, Spearin recorded interviews with people in his neighbourhood (including his own daughter) on the subject of happiness and then set about writing music to match the cadence of the voice; cadence and vocal inflection driving the creation of the music. The result, Spearin describes as neighbourhood melodies… the natural, unselfconscious music of speech.

As a poet, this concept really drew me in, as this is something we explore (or should) in the creation of every poem… the music words make when spoken. This is a truly unique spoken word album and one well worth delving into. Get all the news here at The Happiness Project.

Και γυρνάς από βραδιά εντελώς φιάσκο μιλάμε (που έπρεπε να είναι γαμώ τα βράδια κατά τ’άλλα) και δεν έχεις χαρτάκια γαμώ το σόι μου. Και σκέφτεσαι (εγώ δηλαδή, όχι εσύ) πόσα πράγματα έπρεπε να έχεις αναφέρει τόσο καιρό που σε έχουν φάει οι εξετάσεις, οι μετακομίσεις, τα βιογραφικά, οι αιτήσεις, τα αεροπλάνα και τα ρέστα..
Κι έχουμε και λέμε:

γιατί μεταφέραμε χωρίς επεισόδια ένα κιλό καπνό στο Βορρά και ήταν μια φοβερή, αν μη τι άλλο, εικόνα..

γιατί αυτό το 7, γενικώς κινείται στα πλαίσια της μυθολογίας..

γιατί είδαμε τους Nobunny στη Στοκχόλμη (τους Nobunny και τις άλλες 2 μπάντες που είναι οι Nobunny σε άλλους σχηματισμούς..) και ήταν ένα υπέροχο garage-punk live ό,τι να’ναι και μέσα σε βάρκα (με 10 φορές καλύτερο εξαερισμό από το Αν.. κρίμα που δεν καπνίζουν για να το τεστάρουν και να βγω σωστή) ..

γιατί έχουμε λιώσει το Other Truths των Do Make Say Think, και μας έχει αρέσει παααααααάρα πολύ.. σίγουρα περισσότερο από το You, You’re a history in rust.. κι ας μην το συγκρίνουμε και με τίποτα πιο παλιό με τον κίνδυνο να υπερβάλλουμε μιας και δεν έχουμε ξεπεράσει τις 30-40 ακροάσεις ακόμη.. κι αύριο θα τους δούμε και live και θα μας φύγει το εφηβικό μαράζι που τους χάσαμε εκείνα τα παλιά τα χρόνια..

κι άλλα τέτοια τέλος πάντων..

do make say think’s sixth studio album entitled “other truths” is, in the groups own words, “the ultimate distillation” of their musical message. four tracks long, each named after one word of the groups name. each of the four tracks is markedly different in style. “make” is a less chaotic track, a construction of more streamlined simplicity. “say” layers guitar riffs over each other as if they are holding a conversation while “think” is a melancholy, emotional piece that follows the axiom that less is more and in doing so creatives a thoughtful and contemplative feeling. “do” (the track here in question) is a conventional post rocker with rises, crashes and falls but does so with great energy and an almost electronic feel.

DMST's Other Truths will drop from Constellation Records on October 20th

PREVIEW: DOWNLOAD Do Make Say Think’s “Do” MP3
WE GIVE IT: 17/20 Watts

As Toronto’s Do Make Say Think entered the studio to put together their sixth record since the group’s inception in 1995, they’ve made an obvious move back to their post-rock roots. The product, The Other Truths, is easily the group’s finest release to-date, and one that surely sits atop the genre’s seas of Explosions in the Sky-impersonators.

The group has its origins in a sparsely adorned Toronto classroom, where the original members would work out informal instrumental jams. On each of the room’s four walls were the words Do, Make, Say and Think. Not only did the group adopt this as their namesake, but then decided to use the vaguely motivational philosophy as the track titles for their latest four-track LP.

The album has a distinctly natural feeling to it from start to finish. The instrumentals, which are accompanied at times by wordless vocals from Akron/Family, were recorded in a surprisingly hi-fi manner, bringing out every intricacy that the players use to give the album its unyielding feel of solidarity through the LP’s movement.

True to their roots, DMST approaches each of the record’s four tracks in an unpredictably structured way. Yet they manage to allow the songs, which all continue for 8-12 minutes each, to still sound like merely well-executed studio jams. This organic feeling permeates the entire record and makes listening to it effortless, but still incredibly rewarding.

Upon listening to the album, it’s all too easy to lump DMST in with the rest of today’s post-rock instrumental groups, who often take advantage of a glazy-eyed audience to turn out spontaneous jams that too often merely blend into one another when put on a record. Despite the fact that the LP is only four tracks, DMST manages to separate the selections extremely well, giving each a clearly individual drive behind the music. Note the transition from the album’s opener, “Do,” a driving, yet lighthearted track, to the album’s second track, “Make,” which possesses an unmistakably darker, more introspective feel.

From start to finish, the record is a post-rock masterpiece that will continue to define the genre in true DMST fashion. The collection is a must-have for any instrumental fan, and an album to be reckoned with by instrumental rock’s sea of wannabes.

– John Luposello

for Discorder Magazine

Other Truths

Do Make Say Think

(Constellation)

These, and other truths...

Ambient post-rock veterans return to the basics with their sixth album Other Truths, an homage to their tradition of continuous instrumental wall of sound leading to psychic oblivion. Along with musicians from Akron/Family and Lullabye Arkestra, the album sounds much like a live exploration of humanity’s deepest commonality: the process between thought and action.

“Do” starts up optimistically, with catchy distorted guitar riffs, building up to a montage of almost cataclysmic orchestral proportions. The second song “Make” follows the same structure, but is far more emotive and thoughtful, as if it was reaching for authenticity. Not a stranger to brass instruments, the trumpet and saxophone add tremendous sensual texture to “Say.” Like their other albums, Other Truths is nearly entirely instrumental, which gives a sensation of dialogue between the passages and the instrument groups themselves.

The end trails off contemplatively with their fourth track “Think,” a slow meticulous exploration of this other and final truth — the fourth facet of the human condition.

It defies belief that we have yet to mention Do Make Say Think.  (A common theme, lately, I admit.)  Their latest LP Other Truths is due October 19 and 20, so I’m putting it on our Best of 2009 watch list.

Until then, stream — among other tracks — “Bound To Be That Way” (from You, You’re A History In Rust) at their last.fm page. It combines genie-out-of-the-bottle post rock with jazz and jam. Apply liberally on your choice of toast or croissant. Repeat.