Written by: Craig This entry was posted on Friday, July 3rd, 2009 at 7:34 am and is filed under Best Of. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
The 10 Best Post Rock Bands » The Music Mag
The Music Mag | Music Blog in the UK, featuring Unsigned Music
The 10 Best Post Rock Bands
10/ This Will Destroy You
An American Instrumental band formed in 2005. This Will Destroy You has released an EP, Young Mountain, which was originally supposed to be the band’s demo. The EP has received favorable reviews and they then went on to release their self titled album.
9/ World’s End Girlfriend
His work blends elements of electronica and post-rock to create a unique style. The Collaboration they did with Mono called ‘Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain’ – quoted as possibly the great post rock album ever made – means they deserve to be on this list.
8/ Tortoise
Tortoise is an instrumental post-rock group hailing from Chicago. The group is comprised of six members, and the band started off their career in 1994 – possibly at, or near, the front of post rock. Their style of music, being dark, moody, and atmospheric, Tortoise combine various genres into their music such as funk, jazz, dub, electronica, and krautrock. In result you get something extremely jazzy and accessible, yet the music remains soft and mellow, somewhat ambient.
7/ Kayo Dot
‘Choirs of the Eye’ is easily one of the most evocative and genuinely experimental albums to come out in quite some time, and the small amount of buzz the band has generated recently is beyond inadequate. Soaringly melodic and undeniably evil in the way parents and religious groups could never understand, Choirs of the Eye is as moving as it is hideous and hedonistic.
6/65daysofstatic
Ahhh, an English post-rock band! From Sheffield, so even better! Formed in 2001, they have released three full-length albums, the latest of which was 2007′s ‘The Destruction of Small Ideas’. They recently toured with The Cure!
5/ Yndi Halda
Their name means “enjoy eternal bliss” in Icelandic, are a group of English folks who have been playing together for around four years, but have only recently released their first EP. Drawing heavily upon Post Rock giants that came before them, such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Sigur Ros, Explosions in the Sky, et cetera, yndi halda create a unique hybrid that is their own sound, as well as incredibly impacting and emotional.
4/ Mogwai
Everything about them is based on their ability to build up a song from nothing but 2 or 3 notes, and by the end, make it feel like an orchestra and their families had joined in. Each song sets a story for the listener to piece together from what images the flowing riffs and beats conjure up. They don’t spoil it with a vocalist portraying their own ideas over the top, and that’s what gives them a definite edge.
3/ Explosions in the Sky
With the ability to entrance their listeners with simple melodies and instrumentation, Explosions in the Sky have become one of the most well known post rock bands to emerge from the genre. From subtle build-ups to epic crescendos, the band have carved their niche through albums such as “How Strange, Innocence” and “The Rescue”.
2/ Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Often praised as one of the greatest Post-Rock bands, Godspeed You Black Emperor formed in Montreal in 1994. The band began with three members, but usually has 8 or 9, and has contained as many as 15. The group’s unique and volatile sound is a mix of classical, avant-garde, and progressive, with most of their songs broken up into symphonic movements.
1/ Mono
A Japanese post-rock band. Their instrumentals focus on textures of layered guitar melodies along with various string arrangements and pianos.Their music has a very elegant vibe at times, to huge crashes and breakdowns. Their album with World’s End Girlfriend, as mentioned earlier, is possibly the best post-rock album of all time (it’s also very hard to get a copy of!). Their albums such as ‘Are You There’ are must listens.
Have your say on who should be number 1 on our poll:
23 Responses to “The 10 Best Post Rock Bands”
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July 6th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Since writing this, i have listened to Explosions in the Sky.
They should be number 2, they’re better than GSYBE in my opinion, and it’s quite tight for number one.
July 6th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
[...] The 10 Best Post Rock Bands [...]
July 21st, 2009 at 8:48 am
Omg where is God Is An Astronaut? lol.
July 22nd, 2009 at 11:24 am
god is an astronaut is definitly missing…
August 17th, 2009 at 8:18 am
For all the Sigur Ros fans – I love Sigur Ros – One of my favourite bands, but I don’t really categorise them as post rock, despite a lot of people doing so. They are number 1 already on another list on here, so I left them out of this one.
August 30th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
awesome awesome list, to bad …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead isnt on here or Set fire to Flames but you can only put 10 lol
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:00 pm
If not Sigur Rós, then you should put your ten mofo on Nr.1.
They are so much better than any Post-Rock band I heard so far. They should be more popular than any of those bands on this list. -> http://myspace.com/yourtenmofo
September 4th, 2009 at 1:24 am
Okay Red VIII. I’m going to make a revised list as I’ve missed God is Astronaut – who definitely deserve to be on the list, and I don’t think Mono should be number one really.
Haven’t heard of Ten Mofo before. Just checked their myspace and from the first song they sound fantastic. A definite addition to the list!
Will also look in to you will know us…and set fire to flames
November 26th, 2009 at 7:28 am
Why can I not find ‘Flies are Spies From Hell’ if you havent heard them I think you should have. Excellent group of 5 young lads from Chichester area who have the skill and ability to draw you in and blow your minde.
New LP just out.
November 26th, 2009 at 7:29 am
Why can I not find ‘Flies are Spies From Hell’ if you havent heard them I think you should have. Excellent group of 5 young lads from Chichester area who have the skill and ability to draw you in and blow your minde.
New LP just out. Try my space etc…
March 7th, 2010 at 11:00 am
There is so much stuff missing and so much stuff that should NOT be there at all. For example, The Post Rock album is “Spiderland” from Slint. Then anything from June Of 44, Aerial M and so on. Post rock has been around for so long and this list doesn’t include so many masterpieces that it almost hurts. It makes me sad. I need a hug now.
May 8th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Fantastic post, I bookmarked your blog so I can visit again in the near future, All the Best
May 10th, 2010 at 9:46 am
wtf what about DMST do make say think ! they are the best!
August 25th, 2010 at 4:36 am
I am just making a blog related to this. If you allow, I would like to use some of your content. And with full refernce of course. Thanks in advance.
December 7th, 2010 at 1:30 am
This list should be revised, I don’t like it
February 10th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Well, good post, Mogwai,EITS,GYBE and Sigur Rós are one of the greatest.
An absolutely ridiculous error you made, Mono on the first place? Really? Well the band is awesome. But they don’t have the quality of many post rock bands that are out there. For example, I love God Is An Astronaut. It’s one of the greatest post rock bands nowadays. It’s not on the list.
Sigur Rós isn’t on the list too.They are so known around the world because of their great music.
Anyway… still a good post!
April 12th, 2011 at 10:44 am
I just want to start of saying that it’s aways tough making these top 10 list as their are so many bands and preferences out there, which makes pleasing all readers impossible to do. Now, I like every band on your list, but I just have to say that Do Make Say Think, A Six Parts Seven, and Caspian are incredible post-rock bands and deserve some acknowledgement on this page, if you guys haven’t listened to any of these bands yet you should really give them a chance!
June 2nd, 2011 at 4:34 am
for me, 65daysofstatic is always no.1. but i respect your opinion. and yes you should include GIAA
July 5th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Who makes this list, WHERE IS SIGUR ROS?
August 24th, 2011 at 8:30 am
can you guys put name of “youth pictures of florence henderson” on that chart?
October 27th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
you guys should check Mauna Kea.probably better than most of the list.
November 27th, 2011 at 4:28 am
Tracktitles for a post-rock album (Vol. 1):
1. The future is the home of memory.
2. SandRecorder.
3. Let’s get away from traffic!
4. Coming up with disguises.
5. Outside of the singing malls.
6. Shaking hands with movers.
7. FogSpeaker.
8. Crooked hands of the pop-station.
9. Selling the light of the city.
10. Do you understand the code?
Strinda Typing/2011
May 10th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
What about a lot of the early post-rock bands like Talk Talk, Slint, Bark Psychosis, Disco Inferno, etc? I mean, hell Talk Talk practically invented post-rock (at least in it’s most purest definition), but yet they don’t get a top 10 mention?