By Neil Prakash
In an era where most music is accessible in seconds and everyone with an internet connection can have an opinion, music criticism and music journalism as a whole is a dying art form. People are now more than ever going to platforms like Twitter and Reddit for musical discourse rather than turning to traditional music publications. Now listening to music is no longer a commitment that you have to make by buying a record or cd and understandably, most people would rather engage in discussion rather than get lectured by a paid opinion-haver on what to like and not to like. With the recent news of one of the most popular music publications Pitchfork being acquired by media conglomerate GQ followed by massive layoffs and restructuring, the future of music journalism is being called into question.
In a world where almost all different styles and genres of music are at our fingertips, ironically we are far more susceptible to falling into echo chambers in a crucible of online music discourse. Value judgements on art and music are now more than ever based on consensus rather than quality.
This is exactly why music criticism is still relevant in not only presenting music of a variety of different genres, but more importantly to also go the extra mile to contextualise the music and how it fits into genres as well as the cultural landscape as a whole. Even while toeing the line of pretentiousness, a critic’s intentions are noble in that they attempt to go beyond personal opinion when discussing the aesthetic significance of a record. They negotiate its position in musical tradition and popular music history and provide the reader with the knowledge and tools to form their own opinion.
The value of music journalism can even go beyond this, with it helping create one of the most exciting genres in modern rock music. Post-rock as a term and genre label was created and popularised by legendary music critic Simon Reynolds in the early 90s, and as a genre with no real geographical constraints the community that authenticated bands were journalists themselves. Post-rock bands today would not exist in the same way they do now without the influential reviews of records such as Spiderland by Slint and Laughing Stock by Talk Talk that pushed the boundaries of what rock music could be. Modern post rock falls victim to gentrification much like most other genres but it’s undeniable that it has produced some of the most interesting and influential rock music of the past few decades.
For anyone interested in post-rock and has the patience to sit through long instrumental tracks here are a few recommendations:
The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place- Explosions in the Sky: This is a perfect entry level post-rock album since it features many of the bells and whistles that would come to define the genre yet is relatively straightforward. At its core every song is long and instrumental, built around simple yet layered guitar melodies that build into thunderous and euphoric climaxes.
Talk Talk- Laughing Stock: This is the album that’s considered the starting point of the genre. Originally a synthpop and new wave genre english band Talk Talk transitioned into a more minimal sound and a focus on exploring texture which set them apart from all their contemporaries, leading to the iconic review by Reynolds. This ethos of emphasising meandering sonic exploration over catchy songwriting helped redefine what rock music could be.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor- f#a#∞: Godspeed is arguably one of the most critically acclaimed bands of all time, and their debut album is a great entry point into their star studded discography. In complete contrast, this record can only be described as the soundtrack to the apocalypse. Bleak and existential, the spoken words sections and instrumentals invoke an indescribable sense of dread, which are occasionally juxtaposed with hopeful and uplifting sections.
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