Quite simply, post-rock music these days can be described as music that uses rock instruments, but without the rock vocals and lyrics. Today’s post-rock bands also often include classical instruments such as piano and violin, or get technical with some laptop electronics.
However, the term was originally coined in the 1990s to describe bands such as Stereolab and Bark Psychosis, bands who employed lyrics and the traditional rock guitars, bass and drums, yet who added their own experimental aspects such as psychedelic electronics, Moog synths and ‘noise’.
Influenced heavily by the Shoegaze and psychedelia genres, these ’90s bands were seen as ‘arty’, coming after all that was ‘rock’ about that era. They came after the mega rock of stadium-filling hair metal bands in the 1980s, such as Kiss and Whitesnake. They came during and after the misery of Grunge. They employed the noise and drones of Shoegaze, but added electronics, which were swiftly gaining popularity in genres such as early house and drum n bass. In fact, Bark Psychosis’ front man formed his own drum n bass project after the band split.
Two other bands who gained a lot of attention and praise for their music in the 1990s were Mogwai and Tortoise. They could be described as the very first post-rock bands as we understand the genre to be today.
Mogwai, in particular, have a sound similar to that of a film soundtrack. They play lengthy, orchestrated rock, employing guitars, bass, drums and classical instruments. They also sometimes use vocals. Still around, and seen as one of the pioneers of modern post-rock, Mogwai paved the way for the popular bands known as ‘post-rock bands’ today.
Gaining huge popularity in the early to mid 2000′s, purely instrumental rock bands began to gain a lot of attention. Bands such as Explosions in the Sky, 65daysofstatic, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and This Will Destroy You, all featured the characteristics of a rock band, but without a vocalist.
And these bands are what we know post-rock to mean today. Long, passionate, instrumental pieces, where the guitars and whatever other instruments, all tell a story. Lyrics are not needed. Indeed, sometimes the poetic and lengthy song titles and band names tell us a tale, too.
Post-rock is a beautiful genre to explore, with each band being very different to the next, each one employing different sounds and atmospheric qualities with their instruments (or laptops, as the case may be).
The reasons for its popularity may be buried in a boredom with modern rock bands and their limited lyric writing skills. Post-rock’s popularity may have developed from the ’80s and ’90s obsession with atmosphere and creating noise, and these modern bands are continuing the trend. Or it may simply be that it is unique, epic, poetic, passionate music, which resonates with all classes, ages and sexes, whatever your mood may be.
This is a blog where you can discover this genre of music, read news, reviews and informative articles. You can also submit some. Just ask.
