No State

Godspeed You! Black Emperor have a new album out, Luciferian Towers, another state of the world address and an attempt to topple global capitalism with noisy instrumental music. Song titles like Bosses Hang Pt I to III and Anthem For No State give you an idea of where their heads are at. If you are familiar with their back catalogue there’s nothing here that will especially surprise you but the power, drama and intensity in the playing are as impressive as they’ve always been.

Anthem For No State Pt III

They Moved Their Exclamation Mark!

Godspeed You!Black Emperor changed their name several years ago, shifting the exclamation mark from the end of the name to after You. I have no idea what the significance of this was. They usually get described as a ‘shadowy Canadian collective’ who make lengthy, apocalyptic, anti-commercial, anti-capitalist, instrumental music.I saw them play in Manchester, I think when Raise Your Skinny Fists To Heaven Like Antennae came out. They sat and stood on stage and played their tracks, almost exactly like the sounded on record. One of my friends left before the end for his train, muttering that they weren’t improvisational enough but I thought they were impressive. I don’t know how many of their albums you actually need but there’s a new one out now called Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! More exclamation marks. Will excessive punctuation bring the system down?

Their Helicopters Sing