“THIS RECORD IS ABOUT ALL OF US WHO ARE WAITING FOR THE BEGINNING, AND IS AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING DEMANDS=EMPTY THE PRISONS, TAKE POWER FROM THE POLICE AND GIVE IT TO THE NEIGHBORS THEY TERRORIZE. END INFINITE WARS AND OTHER FORMS OF IMPERIALISM. TAX THE RICH UNTIL THEY ARE POOR. MUCH LOVE TO ALL THE OTHER LOST AND LOVABLE, THESE ARE TIMES OF DEATH AND OUR SIDE HAS TO WIN. SEE YOU ON THE ROAD WHEN THE NUMBERS DECLINE”.
These are the words that accompany the release of this new album by the Canadians. We all know how they have always been politically charged in their albums, although always instrumental, and we all know or almost all know their ideas of rebellion and anarchy. They have carried these ideas with them for 25 years. But aside from this, the sociopolitical content they embrace, Godspeed is primarily about feeling, more than technique (obviously, there is technique), harmony, and melody. They are an expression of what the human soul feels. For this reason, like all their albums (yes, always faithful to their formula, but they are one of the few acts that can afford it), this new album must be absorbed and lived, felt.
4 tracks, as per usual, 2 long, very long: about 20 minutes each of classic emotionally charged ups and downs, of which only they seem to have the perfect formula; from almost maximalist volleys like Branca/Swans, to the beautiful string and synth incursions, to magnificent Floydian crescendos. 2 shorter ones (ahem, yes...we're still around 6 minutes), which draw almost bucolic landscapes with new (or almost) ambient drone bursts (the last track Our Side Has to Win is beautiful in this sense).
Everything as expected, therefore, but although the inspiration has almost never been lacking for our friends, perhaps due to the current situation, here it reaches significant levels and brings the bar back to heights that haven't been heard for a while.
As I said, Menuck and company are sensation, they are the human soul laid bare through music that, starting from collective improvisation, becomes emotion.
Their best album in quite some time.
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