In a previous post I said I won’t be reviewing “solo projects”. My rationale behind that is that as both a musician and a consumer of music, I think it is extremely important to be part of a band. I also said I’d explain further in a later post.

Well, that post is this post.

I’d like to start off by stating that I have absolutely nothing against bedroom musicians. I was and, to a smaller extent, still am one. It’s awesome. It’s fun. It’s how you learn new things about composition, recording, editing, mixing… It will also, in all but the most extraneous exceptions (cough Cloudkicker cough), get you absolutely nowhere, especially in the world of post-rock.

I bring up Cloudkicker because for the past seven years they’ve been making awesome instrumental metal albums that overflow easily (and in my case, with open arms) into the realms and listening circles of post-rock. As of this posting...

Artist: Moonlit Sailor

Album: We Come From Exploding Stars

Label: Deep Elm

Released: February 25, 2014

If you were to imagine that Explosions in the Sky were to make a record heavily influenced by and the emo and indie pop scenes, We Come From Exploding Stars from Swedish post-rock band Moonlit Sailor would probably be that album.

The best way to describe the quartet’s fourth album, released through indie label Deep Elm, is “post-rock with pop sensibilities and hooks”. Heavily syncopated, unique guitar melodies separate We Come From Exploding Stars from the vast majority of it’s contemporaries. The guitar melodies have a vocal quality that almost seem to have you making up your own words to go along with them. While it would be a stretch to call any of the songs “danceable”, don’t be surprised to find yourself being easily moved along and enjoying the rhythmic landscape that...

Are my hands sweaty? Does my breath stink? Oh man, I bet my fly is down… again.

Alright… here we go.

My name is Ian and I like post-rock. I’ve been listening to it for years, and it has gotten to the point where I’d like to think that I might know the difference between good and bad post-rock. You’re free to call me a hipster, but frankly I don’t think my flannel collection is expansive enough for that title, and the only pair of skinny jeans I own are skinny on me because I’ve gotten fat.

Obviously, taste and personal preference are subjective. However, I don’t see the point of starting and maintaining a blog telling people what they shouldn’t listen to. So I’ll only be posting reviews of things that I think are worth both my, and more importantly, your time. All reviews should hover around the 500 word mark. Because paying attention is hard. I’m sure you’ve got important stuff to...