Godspeed you! Black emperor album review

Godspeed you! Black emperor f#a# ∞ (infinity):

Track Listing
1: The Dead Flag Blues 


i) The Dead Flag Blues (intro) 6:37 
ii) Slow moving trains 3:33 
iii) The Cowboy 4:17
iv) The Dead Flag Blues (outro) 2:00
Total: 16:27


2: East Hastings


i) "Nothing's Alrite in Our Life..." / "The Dead Flag Blues (reprise) 1:35
ii) "The Sad Mafioso..." 10:44
iii) "Drugs in Tokyo" 3:43
iv) "Black Helicopter" 1:56
Total: 17:58


3: Providence


i) "Divorce and fever..." 2:44
ii) "Dead Metheny..." 8:07
iii) "Kicking Horse on Brokenhill" 5:53
iv) "String Loop Manufactures During Downpour..." 4:36
v) "Untitled (untitled silence)" 3:32
vi) "J.L.H Outro" 4:08
Total: 29:02

F#a# ∞ (F-sharp, A-sharp, infinity) was released twice, first in 1997 by Constellation Records and then again on 8 June 1998, by Kranky. It was the first album of the Post-Rock giants Godspeed you! Black emperor. It contains all kinds of instruments from violins to glockenspiels. "The Dead Flag Blues" starts with word from an unfinished film by  Efrim Menuck, in which he describes a derelict city, where the government is corrupt and the inhabitants are drugged. Behind this is a haunting melody played on strings. It then grows into a crescendo which is slightly Western. East Hastings is far more depressing and emotional. It starts with bagpipes over the screaming of a street preacher. Then "The Sad Mafioso" part starts, with its slow guitar lines until it reaches the vocals. The vocals are devoid of lyrics, but rather a "Dah dah dah dah". Then the instruments begin building and building until i reaches it's climax and ends.
 "Providence" is 29:02, a very long track. It starts with some speaking and then is played over by a glockenspiel, horn and violin. Then when the tune has ended a singing woman takes over, distorted and strange. Then after a rather military-based melody the phrase "Where are you going" starts to be sung. Then the music leads off again,
classic Godspeed, jumping from part to part with such magic.


The whole album is melodic and haunting with tunes played with such power and force that when listening, you loose yourself in the track. A marvellous piece of music.


Rating: 9/10
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