History Main / PostRock

Post-Rock has a very confusing history. Some people credit the Music/VelvetUnderground for starting it with songs like "Heroin" which [[BoleroEffect started off extremely quiet and ended in droney, massive climax]]. Other sources give credit to the "{{Krautrock}}" movement of TheSixties and TheSeventies. Another possible UrExample is Music/KingCrimson's slowly unfolding song "Starless", which contains a lengthy, BoleroEffect-laden instrumental passage typical of the genre, while others point to the works of Music/PublicImageLtd (particularly their 1981 album ''The Flowers of Romance''), the short-lived experimental group Music/ThisHeat, and Music/DavidBowie[='s=] 1977 album ''[[Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum Low]]''. Chamber rock bands such as Music/UniversZero and Music/{{Present}} are further candidates, given their lengthy compositions, usage of the BoleroEffect, and incorporation of instrumentation from classical and chamber music as core elements of their sound (see "La Faulx" from Univers Zero's 1979 album ''Heresie'' for a particularly good demonstration of all of these characteristics).

However, all sources seem to agree that the movement "officially" started either in 1991, when Music/{{Slint}} released their album ''Music/{{Spiderland}}'' and Music/TalkTalk released ''Music/LaughingStock'', or in 1988, when Talk Talk released ''Spirit of Eden''. All three albums are considered classics and are extremely influential, and are generally agreed to have been the first albums that coalesced the traits that are now hallmarks of post-rock into a single cohesive unit. The term "post-rock" itself is generally considered to have been introduced as a descriptor for music of this genre in a review of Bark Psychosis' 1994 album ''Hex'' by music journalist Simon Reynolds which appeared in ''Mojo'' in March of that year, although Reynolds claims to have used the term before that review[[note]]he also did not invent it, although he thought he did at the time, but his use of the term does appear to have been the first time it was used to describe this particular genre of music[[/note]]; Reynolds specifically invoked the term when comparing the album to ''Spirit of Eden''. Reynolds [[http://web.archive.org/web/20011202075606/http://www.thewire.co.uk/out/1297_4.htm clarified]] the term in an article for ''The Wire'' published later that year, describing it as music "using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures, rather than riffs and power chords."

PostRock has a very confusing history. Some people credit the Music/VelvetUnderground for starting it with songs like "Heroin" which [[BoleroEffect started off extremely quiet and ended in droney, massive climax]]. Other sources give credit to the "{{Krautrock}}" movement of TheSixties and TheSeventies. Another possible UrExample is Music/KingCrimson's slowly unfolding song "Starless", which contains a lengthy, BoleroEffect-laden instrumental passage typical of the genre, while others point to the works of Music/PublicImageLtd (particularly their 1981 album ''The Flowers of Romance''), the short-lived experimental group Music/ThisHeat, and Music/DavidBowie[='s=] 1977 album ''[[Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum Low]]''. Chamber rock bands such as Music/UniversZero and Music/{{Present}} are further candidates, given their lengthy compositions, usage of the BoleroEffect, and incorporation of instrumentation from classical and chamber music as core elements of their sound (see "La Faulx" from Univers Zero's 1979 album ''Heresie'' for a particularly good demonstration of all of these characteristics).

* Music/DiscoInferno (initially a Music/JoyDivision-style PostPunk band before incorporating field recordings and samples)

* Music/TheDuruttiColumn (another UrExample with their fusion of PostPunk, Ambient guitar-playing)

* Music/DiscoInferno

* Music/{{Jesu}} (mixed with {{shoegaze}}, {{ambient}}, and [[GenreBusting a wide variety of other genres]])

* NoHitWonder: Again, while many bands have received a fair amount of commercial success, hit singles aren't really the province of the genre. In the case of ''Music/KidA'', it was outright {{invoked|Trope}}; Radiohead deliberately chose not to release any singles or music videos for the album, instead opting for a series of "blips," short videos set to brief excerpts from the album.

** Music/DiscoInferno, an UrExample Post Rock band, took this UpToEleven by transforming their instruments into samplers that could be triggered live.

* Music/TheForCarnation

* Music/PublicImageLtd (Sometimes cited as the UrExample)

* Music/TheForCarnation (Side project of Brian [=McMahan=] from Music{{Slint}}; also {{slowcore}})

* Music/ThisHeat (considered alongside Public Image Ltd to be an UrExample)
** 1981 - ''Music/{{Deceit}}''

* Music/TheForCarnation

* Music/{{Rodan}}

Then, in the late 1990's and 2000's bands such as Music/{{Mogwai}}, Music/GodspeedYouBlackEmperor, and Music/ExplosionsInTheSky helped expand the genre even more. Additionally, Music/{{Radiohead}} brought post-rock to the mainstream consciousness with their heavily experimental and electronic-driven NewSoundAlbum, ''Music/KidA'', and its sequel ''Music/{{Amnesiac}}''. Around the same time, a number of SludgeMetal bands started picking up on the genre, resulting in "post-metal" or "atmospheric sludge". (Post-metal has actually been around since at least 1992, with Music/{{Neurosis}}'s [[TropeMaker trope-making effort]] ''Souls at Zero'', but experienced an explosion in popularity during the 2000s with releases like Music/{{Isis}}' ''Oceanic'' and ''Panopticon'' and Music/CultOfLuna's ''Salvation'' and ''Somewhere Along the Highway''). The genre has even been combined with BlackMetal, resulting in fusions like the works of Music/{{Alcest}} and Music/{{Deafheaven}} (whose 2013 effort ''Music/{{Sunbather}}'' became the most favourably reviewed album ''of any genre'' that year). Needless to say, the underground is now littered with PostRock bands.

The "big 4" of post rock are, generally, considered to be Music/ExplosionsInTheSky, Music/SigurRos, Music/GodspeedYouBlackEmperor, and Music/{{Mogwai}}.

Post-Rock is a very hard-to-define genre. Generally, it's a style that needs to be heard to understand. While the genre might be associated with long compositions with crescendos, many post-rock bands, especially from the "first wave" write relatively short songs. Most commonly defined as a band that uses traditional rock instruments to play non-traditional rock music, whether it be modern classical, ambient, noise, or so on, though there are occasional exceptions

However, all sources seem to agree that the movement "officially" started either in 1991, when Music/{{Slint}} released their album ''Music/{{Spiderland}}'' and Music/TalkTalk released ''Music/LaughingStock'', or in 1988, when Talk Talk relased ''Spirit of Eden''. All three albums are considered classics and are extremely influential, and are generally agreed to have been the first albums that coalesced the traits that are now hallmarks of post-rock into a single cohesive unit. The term "post-rock" itself is generally considered to have been introduced as a descriptor for music of this genre in a review of Bark Psychosis' 1994 album ''Hex'' by music journalist Simon Reynolds which appeared in ''Mojo'' in March of that year, although Reynolds claims to have used the term before that review[[note]]he also did not invent it, although he thought he did at the time, but his use of the term does appear to have been the first time it was used to describe this particular genre of music[[/note]]; Reynolds specifically invoked the term when comparing the album to ''Spirit of Eden''. Reynolds [[http://web.archive.org/web/20011202075606/http://www.thewire.co.uk/out/1297_4.htm clarified]] the term in an article for ''The Wire'' published later that year, describing it as music "using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures rather than riffs and power chords."

Throughout the TheNineties bands such as Cul de Sac, Tortoise, Labradford, Bowery Electric and Stars of the Lid helped mold the genre into what it resembles now. The movement sparked mainly from three different cities with their own separate scenes: Chicago, Glasgow, and Montreal.

* Music/{{Weakling}} (mixed with BlackMetal; arguable TropeMaker for BlackMetal and post-rock fusions, although Fluerety arguably performed them even earlier)

However, all sources seem to agree that the movement "officially" started either in 1991, when Music/{{Slint}} released their album ''Music/{{Spiderland}}'' and Music/TalkTalk released ''Music/LaughingStock'', or in 1988, when Talk Talk relased ''Spirit of Eden''. All three albums are considered classics and are extremely influential. The term "post-rock" itself is generally considered to have been introduced as a descriptor for music of this genre in a review of Bark Psychosis' 1994 album ''Hex'' by music journalist Simon Reynolds which appeared in ''Mojo'' in March of that year, although Reynolds claims to have used the term before that review. [[note]]He also did not invent it, although he thought he did at the time, but his use of the term does appear to have been the first time it was used to describe this particular genre of music.[[/note]] Reynolds [[http://web.archive.org/web/20011202075606/http://www.thewire.co.uk/out/1297_4.htm clarified]] the term in an article for ''The Wire'' published later that year, describing it as music "using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures rather than riffs and power chords."

!!Bands that are generally considered to be post-rock (post-metal included):

Then, in the late 1990's and 2000's bands such as Music/{{Mogwai}}, Music/GodspeedYouBlackEmperor, and Music/ExplosionsInTheSky helped expand the genre even more. Additionally, Music/{{Radiohead}} brought post-rock to the mainstream consciousness with their heavily experimental and electronic-driven NewSoundAlbum, ''Music/KidA''. Around the same time, a number of SludgeMetal bands started picking up on the genre, resulting in "post-metal" or "atmospheric sludge". (Post-metal has actually been around since at least 1992, with Music/{{Neurosis}}'s [[TropeMaker trope-making effort]] ''Souls at Zero'', but experienced an explosion in popularity during the 2000s with releases like Music/{{Isis}}' ''Oceanic'' and ''Panopticon'' and Music/CultOfLuna's ''Salvation'' and ''Somewhere Along the Highway''). The genre has even been combined with BlackMetal, resulting in fusions like the works of Music/{{Alcest}} and Music/{{Deafheaven}} (whose 2013 effort ''Music/{{Sunbather}}'' became the most favourably reviewed album ''of any genre'' that year). Needless to say, the underground is now littered with PostRock bands.

* NoHitWonder: Again, while many bands have received a fair amount of commercial success, hit singles aren't really the province of the genre.

* Music/FallOfEfrafa

* Music/BarkPsychosis

** Music/DiscoInferno, an early Post Rock band, took this UpToEleven by transforming their instruments into samplers that could be triggered live.

** Music/DiscoInferno, an early Post Rock band, took this UpToEleven by transforming their instruments into live samplers.

* {{Sampling}} and SpokenWordInMusic: Perhaps due to the influence of Music/GodspeedYouBlackEmperor and Music/{{Swans}}, these are frequent characteristics of post-rock music, as well as music influenced by the genre. Music/{{Slint}} also did a lot of the latter trope. Music/DiscoInferno took this UpToEleven by transforming their instruments into live samplers.