Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! [2012]
 

Previously unannounced and released at a show in Boston last night.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb...snepo1_500.jpg

1. "Mladic"
2. "Their Helicopter's Sing"
3. "We Drift Like Worried Fire"
4. "Strung Like Lights at Thee Printemps Erable"

I love unannounced releases.

It's excellent. It's better than Yanqui and easily on par with Slow Riot. It's not going to outdo their classics, LYSF and F#A#, but it's definitely a worthy addition to their catalog.

Edit: btw, here's the artwork.
http://cdn.stereogum.com/files/2012/...end-Ascend.jpg

The first two tracks, 'Mladic' and 'Their Helicopters' Sing', didn't particularly grab me on the first listen, but 'We Drift Like Worried Fire' and 'Strung Like Lights At Thee Printemps Erable' are fantastic. Like previous GY!BE albums this will probably make a few listens to really get into but it is a welcome addition. Also, no monologues :(

Bloody hell I only found out about this album two hours ago, more bands should release albums with minimum notice. It makes things interesting and surprising.

I expected to give this a 'good' at best because I haven't really been into the post-rock much lately. But I was wrong. They had me at Mladic. Excellent.

Yep. This is my album of the year.

Sooo much better than Yanqui, I was quite let down by that album, it lacked almost everything that made me love this band in the first place (I blame Albini). This one is amazing, IMO right up there with lift your skinny fists.

The scratching (was it trying to create needle on vinyl or radio distortion between stations?) at the start of each track was irritating, but other than that minor fault I don't really have anything too negative to say about this record.

I'm not a big post-rock fanboy, I find the genre to be swamped in a small-minded pretension but this record was good.
The two 20 minute tracks were given the right amount of time to develop and progress, and you could hear the range of influences in the pieces.
The other two tracks were quicker paced but still structured incredibly tightly, every nuance had a purpose and wasn't just there for the sake of it.

A good album to listen to given the right frame of mind I'd like to wager.
I listened to this whilst at the loch (lake) today, and the album fitted the October setting.

I rated good.

The scratching was there because what you heard was a vinyl rip. There is no digital leak yet.

Ah, I see. I feel rather ridiculous now.