instrumental
Danger Invites Rescue
It’s no secret, I’ve clearly got a fetish for progressive/post-rock/metal or whatever us kids are calling it these days. Isis, Pelican, Del Rey, and Russian Circles are among my favorites… but these guys are all pretty well known at this point (some more than others obviously). I’ve recently found another band among this genre that brings a fresh look.
Station | Russian Circles
I know I just reviewed Russian Circles’s first album, and yes I posted it only a couple days after Station was released… but now I’ve had about a month for Station to grow on me. I was a little unsure about it the first few listens, but now I can say with confidence that Station is one of the best instrumental rock albums I own.
A Pyramid For The Living | Del Rey
I have a semi-daily ritual of laying down on couch, popping in my headphones, and cranking some good music. Some people like come home from a long day of work and zone out to some TV or maybe grab a cold-one. I like to just lay down and relax to music. Del Rey, another great instrumental rock band from Chicago, is one of those bands that’s perfect for said scenario. It’s very chill, yet busy, instrumental rock.
Enter | Russian Circles
Russian Circles, although hailing from the Chicago math rock scene, doesn’t really fall into the genre exclusively. I’m sure I’ll get some criticism out of this, but I think they’ve found a really solid mix of the two genres. I hear a mixture of Isis , God is an Astronaut, and Pelican… with just the right amount of math rock.
Progressive Jazz | The Bad Plus
Remember when I said you don’t listen to enough Jazz. Then I reminded you that it was true. Well, it is true, I did say that, and you still don’t listen to enough jazz. I’ve got another jazz band that everyone should check out. The Bad Plus is a three piece band consisting of a piano, upright bass, and one hell of a drummer.
God Is An Astronaut
Our first set of music videos focus on a band from Ireland that goes by the name of God Is An Astronaut. We started listening to them about 9 months back when they released their latest album Far From Refuge (2007). They are an amazing instrumental-only band which you can jam out to without ever feeling the need for lyrics. I love bands like that. Though lyrics wouldn’t hurt, they can do without them and still produce quality music.
Mr. Beast | Mogwai
Usually, if everyone says so-and-so is great, you have to check them out… they suck. That’s not always true, but I’m just playing the odds. Mogwai was one of those bands that seemed like everyone but me knew. What I didn’t realize was that the only people suggesting it were people equally as obnoxious as me.
The Real Guitar Heroes
I’ve heard far too many conversations about ‘great’ guitarists that seemed to exclude the obvious choices. Well here’s my chance to list a few of the great guitar players that I feel aren’t referenced enough, and this time I’m armed with audio clips.
The Next Step | Kurt Rosenwinkel
I’ll bet ten bucks that you don’t listen to nearly enough jazz. Don’t lie. I certainly don’t. I’ve been on such a long quest of seeking out obscure rock bands that I sometimes forget about other genres. But if you’re a fan of jazz guitar fused with some sax, you’ll dig Kurt Rosenwinkel.
Samus Octology | Irepress
One of the best albums I’ve listened to in a long time. I bought their album after Dan found their name on the list of bands to play with God Is An Astronaut (who we were going to see perform at the Ottobar in Baltimore, MD).
