I didn’t discover Godspeed You Black Emporer on my own. Instead, it was a friend of mine, Rick, who had come to know where my musical tastes were growing, and shoved a disc into my hand. “You’ll like this,” he insisted. “You’ll really like this.”

For many years, I have loved soundtrack music. Discovering post-rock was a natural outcropping of that, but there is an added benefit to post-rock that soundtrack suffers from: it is it’s own movie. Soundtracks are broken up pieces, small bits meant to emphasize with motif the players or themes within a scene, short and to the point. Some great soundtracks are composed as luxurious, fully realized artworks, but most are not.

Post-rock is allowed that space, because it has no constraints. It is not attached to the lines of dialogue or the broad visuals, but is only attached to itself.

But the scope which Godspeed You Black Emporer works is grander still! These are large pieces, influenced by orchestra and electric guitar, relentless and building, magnificent and electrifying.

There are many bootleg concert performances of GYBE, for which I am thankful. Their compositions change slightly within the performances, and they perform rarely in public. (Ironically, the one who introduced me to GYBE failed to mention the one time they performed in Fredericton, so I missed out!) These performances, while somewhat variable in audio quality are superb. In fact, in many cases I think the lo-fi recording actually adds to the overall effect, making this music shine through despite the extra texture of a roomful of people and some fidgety person holding the recorder.

Along with GYBE, I’ve included two other groups which are officially or unofficially side projects of GYBE: A Silver Mt Zion Orchestra and Tra La La Band (SMZ) and Set Fire To Flames. They branch off from the standard orchestral model of GYBE in interesting ways: SMZ added lyric-like poetry to later songs, while Set Fire To Flames took a detour through more experimental instruments and sounds.

All of it comes together here, with a selection of music made casually and quickly, avoiding the trappings of academics or the danger of seeking the ultimate combination of music from among all equally superb cuts.

• Gathering Storm by Godspeed You Black Emperor! from the album Live in Montreal – 12.10.2000.
• rites of spring reverb by Set Fire to Flames from the album Telegraphs in Negative /Mouths Trapped in Static.
• this thing between us is a rickety bridge of impossible crossing/bonfires for nobody… by Set Fire to Flames from the album Telegraphs in Negative /Mouths Trapped in Static.
• fukt perkusiv/ something about bad drugs, schiziphrenics and grain silos… by Set Fire to Flames from the album Telegraphs in Negative /Mouths Trapped in Static.
• This Gentle Hearts Like Shot Bird’s Fallen by A Silver Mount Zion Orchestra & Tra La La Band from the album Born Into Trouble As The Sparks Fly Upward.
• 13 Angels Standing Guard ‘Round the Side of Your Bed by A Silver Mount Zion Orchestra & Tra La La Band from the album He Has Left Us Alone but Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms.

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