Post-Rockathon

Finally, the big post-rock post has arrived!
First of all, for people that have no clue what this post-rock stuff is about; post-rock is a style in modern rock music which isn't easy to put into some simple classifications. This is because there are many many different sounds in this 'genre'.
Mainly, post-rock is epic, mostly instrumental music. It's music that tells a story without using many words, it's music that could be a soundtrack for a movie, but here, the music tells us more than the actual movie would do.
You really have to take your time for this music, most post-rock, in my experience, isn't music that you can just give a quick listen when you have 5 minutes of spare time. Many post-rock songs are quite lenghty as well, tracks over 10 minutes aren't exceptional. Vocals are sometimes added, but are used more as an instrument on its own than as as a channel of poetical release.
In this post i'll give you some songs from known and lesser known instrumental bands out there, just be aware that there really are alot of great bands in this genre, and that this is just a really small part of it.
Take your time for this.

Alright! let's start off with some of our own upcoming post-rock talent, the Flemish band Tomàn. These guys have been touring through Europe, have a record deal in the US and are really climbing up the ladder of fame! This song is from their latest full release ‘Perhaps We Should Have Smoked The Salmon First’ which I bought recently (really great album!). I like this song especially cause of the vocals between the first and second minute and the mysterious yet catchy atmosphere afterwards.
Tomàn - They Storm In (No Knock)

Mogwai is a well-known band in the post-rock world, coming from Scotland and making post-rock with their own unique sound. They played on Werchter in 2006. This song is one of my favorites from the album Mr Beast (2006).
Mogwai - Travel is Dangerous

Pele was a band on the Polyvinyl Records label, coming from Milwaukee and making instrumental music, sometimes flirting with jazz. They made several albums but stopped after 7 years in 2004. I haven’t found many tracks yet, but I kinda like this one.
Pele - Black Socks

Next, we have one of the most well known bands in the post-rock area of today: Explosions In The Sky. They've just released their latest album ‘All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone’ where they add a piano to their repertoire, but still continue employing their known succes-techniques of building up climaxes with simple chords and then letting it all explode into a beautiful wall of sound. They are coming to Brussels next week and we at MIFW are all gonna check them out! They are also playing in Leuven in april, so since the show in Brussels is sold-out, you still have a chance to see them in Leuven!
The song posted here is the last track from their latest album, which shows you how the piano fits perfectly into their music.
Explosions In The Sky - So Long, Lonesome

It seems our Northern friends from Holland are keeping some treasure over there as well, like the band We Vs. Death, those guys add a trumpet to create their own sound.
We Vs Death - My Dog Is Watching Me

Red Sparowes’ post-rock approach is much more dark than what you've heard in this post yet, it’s very epic and narrative and tells us a story about a farmer in communist China during the Great Leap Forward.
Red Sparowes - Alone And Unaware, The Landscape Was Transformed In Front Of Our Eyes

Next, we have the Italian boys from Giardini di Mirò, with an Explosions In The Sky-like guitar use.
Giardini di Mirò - Dancemania

The Samuel Jackson Five from Norway have already been mentioned here 2 posts below, where you can also find 2 of their other songs. Last Saturday we went to see them in Brughes on the Music in Mind festival where they played a great BAM!-in-your-face set.
The Samuel Jackson Five - Easily Misunderstood

Last but most definitely not least, give it up for the band that has meant so much for the post-rock sound of today: Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Formed in the nineties and being cited as one of the biggest influences in the post-rock genre, Godspeed is also famous for their beautiful yet very long and epic songs that can easily go over 20 minutes. It's possible you even heard them already without knowing, like in the opening sequence of the British movie '28 Days Later' where the main character walks trough the streets of an abandoned London after he wakes up in an empty hospital.
The track in this post is from their EP ‘Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada’ and is, with its 11 minutes, quite short in Godspeed terms. It builds up slow but then gives you an amazing musical treat by ending with real greatness, superb!
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Moya