Festwca

Yes, okay, but it’s not like they’re just copying Neu and that’s it. They have (had) something new to say, don’t you think?

I wouldn't call them avant-garde. But I wouldn't define them as rock either, let's say they were on the border. Mannerism of the Can: up to Tago Mago, OK. Then (in their own words) they started to become too good at what they were doing, they were all exceptional musicians, impeccable technique. Mannerism in that sense, over time they became too perfect performers.

How beautiful! These Middians, on the other hand, haven't told me much more. But I will listen again, oh yes, I will listen again.

I've got it: Toner Low! Even though they are more orange, really. These MoRkObOt seem interesting at first listen. Noise, astral post-doom, even math-rock appears here. And there.

The covers of the four albums are as many post-accident photographs.

Affordable side of the avant-garde: if we want to consider Tortoise "avant-garde," well, they're quite accessible to everyone. Melodic, rock, not too easy but also not indigestible bricks.

I made a brief mention of the DVD: "video, live" :) So, there are the music videos for Salt the Skies, Dear Grandma and Grandpa, Glass Museum, "Seneca," Four Day Interval, and "The Suspension Bridge At Iguazú Falls." Some of them (the more abstract ones) are interesting but overall a bit of a bore, while others that lean more towards atmosphere (landscapes, etc.) are more digestible. The highlight, of course, is the live section: Live at Primavera Sound 2005, Live in Toronto 1996, Live at Deutches Jazz Festival 1999, Live on "Chic-A-Go-Go" 2005, Live for "Burn to Shine." I don't remember exactly what all these live performances are like, but the one from '96 is definitely the tastiest (even though it's not the best quality) and they had Pajo on guitar there. I recall a nice home jam session from the others and the jazz festival where they "duet" with a famous black saxophonist (I believe). There’s especially a lot of use of the xylophone (or whatever kind of instrument it is) in the live performances.

@bjork68: post-rock is a term used to encompass very different things, the meaning of which I find incomprehensible. After rock? I can understand post-punk, post-hardcore, they are subsequent expansions of sub-genres of rock. Post-rock, who knows? Often it’s ambient-rock, sometimes mellow psychedelia, progressive, electronic, in short, a bit of everything. In the end, it tends to include more or less everything that is instrumental, and in my opinion that’s a mistake: let’s call it instrumental rock! I can understand when it's related to a specific school: let’s call the Louisville school (slint and a select lovely company) post-rock. The Tortoise are Neu! projected into the 90s, neither more nor less: kraut. The atmosphere that Stoopid talks about (maybe I misunderstood) I don't find it in Tortoise...

Bisius, the sample is taken from Sea Legs, perhaps the most Sabbath-like of the bunch (just to keep the picky ones away). @pretazzo: no pachydermic doom here, but rock'n'roll that's sometimes quite fast (Kill Ugly Naked is even a punk piece!).

Damn the Roadburn!!! Out of 35 bands, 25 that I love (because I don’t know the others :) If I could find the money to go and some crazy person to join me...