Customer Reviews

"This Is Our Punk-Rock," Thee Rusted Satellites Gather + Sing

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is simply put an amazing album. I own every GYBE and ASMZ album, and I'm having a tough time deciding which is the best. This album is up near the top of the list though. I currently would put this album second only to Born Into Trouble... Other reviewers have commented that the "Tra-La-La Choir" parts are annoying, and I totally disagree. The entire first track, including the powerful choir part, is the best piece of GYBE/ASMZ music I've heard. I know this is a matter of taste, but do not let that prevent you from buying this record. Not only does it sound great, IMHO, but it makes the type of political point only found on these type of records. The only annoying part is the train part of the last song, but even that has a point (as anyone who knows GYBE is fully aware of). So, I fully recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of this genre. If you don't own any ASMZ albums, you may want to start with Born Into Trouble As The Sparks Fly Upward, as it is a tad mroe accessible, but this really is a close second. If you are branching out from GYBE, look no further than ASMZ.

Trying to lay a hand on describing the music created by Canadians Godspeed You! Black Emperor and A Silver Mt. Zion is like trying to summarize a cubist painting. It is simultaneously beautiful and haunting; mesmerizing and disturbing; gleeful and despondent. At times it is chaotic and tumultuous, at others a single melody drifts through the speakers. If no other descriptor fits the entirety of their discography, it is brilliant.

The history, philosophy, and politics of this nebulous group of Canadians are well-known, so one can focus on this album as a singularity of their work. The opening track, perhaps my favorite on the album opens hushed, with what sounds like a dance instructor repeating eight-counts. Guitars then drift ever so slowly in, rounding around a few central themes. In typical post-rock fashion, new elements are introduced in a rounding fashion, including voices and the "complete amateur choir" ASMZ assembled for this record. The vocals done in the first third of this track are, for me, one of the highlights of the entire album. Something about the tone and rhythm of that section really strikes a chord with me. The rest of the album bends and swirls in much the same way, with elements added and deleted almost seamlessly as the record wends its way though to its conclusion.

The common complaint, it seems, is the tonal quality of leader Efrim Menuck's (Gasp! A last name!) voice. Unfortunately, we have to look back at the record itself to understand where his voice fits in to the mix. This is most assuredly a concept album, and one with a political agenda. Unfortunately, I can't find a review anywhere that has really parsed out the meaning behind the title of this record. The entire concept of the album is metaphorical; this is rusted satellites gathering together to sing punk rock, songs against the establishment that created them. ASMZ are commenting on the futility of our race for technology, and the waste and disenfranchisement that it leaves careening in its all-consuming wake. We throw satellites into space only to forget about them and let them rust. What was once the pinnacle of our technology becomes an unwanted, outdated, and scorned byproduct. This is those satellites coming to sing a requiem for their own existence, and lash out against their creators.

So we have, in essence, a dirge sung by a group mourning itself. It mourns its own being, and it mourns those who see nothing but creating more of them. It is in this spirit that Efrim begins recording his voice. It is in a spirit wrecked by a crushing grief, and he does a shockingly amazing job of conveying that grief aurally. To record perfectly pitched vocals sung through trained pipes would be to ruin the entire spirit of the record. This record touches on the uselessness of our society's attempts to section our lives off from eachother and nature (The fence around your garden/wont keep the ice from falling), and in doing so shows the loneliness we are having to deal with as a result of this compartmentalization.

All this is done through masterfully woven guitars, strings, percussion, and voices. The music is as lovely as it is haunting. There is even hope woven into the key changes in the final song. This is not only an amazing record, but a shining example of how music can be art, politics, and religion all simultaneously. Go buy it.

What was I thinking? After about three listens, I realized more than ever that this man (Efrim) was the guts behind GYBE! So consistently moving. The dynamics played so well. Such heart and beauty. And those strings... And these melodies-! Album after album. I don't even know which one he was when I saw Godspeed on a D.C. stage. But this is yet another ASMZ disc I joyfully bought new even though I'd been given someone's backup copy already. And I'm not a rich man. And I don't fetishize the art, in fact I get a little annoyed with the way you have to smudge the CD as you pinch and pull it out of those tight Constellation slipcases. So what's that say... I want to bless them cuz they deserve it.

I've always been a fan of ASMZMO.... their other releases have a certain depressing yet uplifting feel to them. so when I purchased this album I was expecting just that. And I got a little bit more, I found this album to be more listenable than their previous releases. So of course this turned me on. The Choir idea that has been presented on this album is very innovative, and interesting... they pulled it off very well. not to mention the solid grooves that are created are very endearing and beautiful. enjoy this album as you would a nice hotdog.

The first track, "Sow Some Lonesome Corner So Many Flowers Bloom", introduces the major theme of the album; that being a return to the basics of intense orchestral composition, with the introduction of vocal arrangements.

As a fan of both Godspeed and Silver Mt. Zion, I'm electrified by this new release. Order it from their record co. for $10 total.

The fact that other reviewers have said that the voices on this recording are irritating is insane and insulting. Just listen and you can hear the heart that goes into the vocals. The vocals fit in with the whole idea of Gybe and Asmz perfectly. To hear some graceful, soul-filled voice would be almost unnatural. The repetition aspect is borrowed from Gybe, so it isn't anything suprising to hear, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

This is one of the most beautiful albums I own. It never bores me for a second, and I can't say the same for any prior ASMZ or GYBE album. I love the vocals and wouldn't want them to sound any "better". I love that there ARE vocals on every track. It's the most powerful thing I've heard since Sigur Ros's ( ).

This is a fantastic album by a very intriguing band. The beginning of the album is practically flawless, the first two of four tracks are amazing beyond belief. Tracks three and four take some getting used to, but are almost equally good. What is so fascinating about this band is the similarities yet profound differences between Godspeed You! Black Emperor and ASMZ. There are members from GY!BE in ASMZ which would make up for the similarities, but the sound of ASMZ is such more minimal than the epic sound of Godspeed. Not to mention the lyrics. What sets this album apart from the rest of the ASMZ releases is the choir, which is most closely seen on their newest release "Horses in the Sky". I personally love the choir, but i can see where some wouldnt. As good as this is, i think any new listener should start with "He has left us alone but..." because i believe that that is the most easily accessible.

it took me a long time to get around to buying this album. I never really had much interest in it as i was a fan of godspeed you black emporer
but not a huge one. but i always found my self asking what if explosions in the sky sung or bestter yet what if god speed had some sort of a choir. even though
im a big fan of an instrumental song i always find my slef wondering what if... so after learning that this band did in fact have a singer and a choir i drove straight to my local
cd store and with the amazing packaging how could i not buy it. I own over 1500 cd and im pretty sure this cd will fall in to my top 10 for sure and thats after just 2-3 listens.
Its everything i was hoping for. for me its like they have taken every good part of all the post rock, ambient bands out there. the choir parts are amazing with great sing along moments. The only bad thing i could say about this album is that in the last song the middle section gets dragged out for to long the high pitched noise and then the train its nothing to worry about though just thought that annoying sound went on for a little to long. At the momsnt this band could almost be the perfect band for me. i have just ordered 3 of there other cds from the bands record label and cant wait to hear them.. although i dont expect them to be as good as this record. Iv read alot of reviews about this band and nilly every second person complains about the singer and how he is always off key. who friggin cares his voice fits the music perfect if you want a perfectly polished voice in post rock then listen to sigur ross. this band does remind me of a more brutal more in ya face sigur ross witch is a good thing..
sorry for this crappy review but im just so excited..
thanks

Marred by unneccesary repetition in lo-fi sing alongs with effrin's confusion with equating vulnerability with consciously garbled vocals, there is still some triumps to be found throughout, expecting at least nothing less from this crew..I hope the constant creative output from effrim on these projects does not water down his intake with godspeed, as unfortunate as it is, the most amazing moments on this disc come when he ushers in that beautifully doomed gutair sound he has crafted and articulated so well for his true band...