Artist of the Day: Maybeshewill

Esteemed German philosopher Friedrich Nietzche wrote of music that it "has no need at all of images and concepts but merely tolerates them as accompaniment." The message distilled: lyrics are fine, but the music is the most potent part of any composition. Maybeshewill, one of the finest post-rock outfits to come out of the United Kingdom, seem to have taken Nietzche's analysis to heart. While most post-rock is characterized by painstakingly arranged harmonies with unique instruments- such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor's experiments with the french horn- Maybeshewill's music is a veritable cacophony of typical rock instruments by comparison.

A Year in Post-Rock: 2011

To be quite honest, 2011 has been a fairly mild year for top tier post-rock releases. No Mono, no Godspeed You! Black Emperor (called it), and no Pg. Lost. Sadly missing, sure, but that isn’t to say that 2011 has been a complete bust for the genre. In fact, this year, more so than ever in recent memory, bands have been breaking the mold, and setting off on paths that progress the genre even further. There have been a lot of breaths of fresh air imbued into the tired formula, creating a wonderful bevy of albums that have made 2011 one hell of an excellent year for post-rock. Here is just a sample:

Mogwai - Earth Division:
Alright, alright, this may not be the Mogwai release that you were expecting. However, their latest album, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, left a lot to be desired. This little gem of an EP sounds somewhat different than anything else the band has done before. It’s lush and beautiful; a record that relies less on gimmicks, and more on the sheer excellence of Mogwai. A true stand out.