Review Summary: A great Post-Rock Album, and unique for it's genre.
Do Make Say Think is a yet another Canadian Post-rock band. The members of the band are Ohad Benchetrit, who contributed horns, guitar and keyboard, Dave Mitchell and James Payment handle the the percussion, Justin Small plays guitar and keyboard, and Charles Spearin, who played bass, and guitar as well as contributing keyboard and horns. Benchetrit and Spearin have also done work with Broken Social Scene, a canadian indie rock collective. (or army. depends on how you look at it.)
Being canadian, Do Make Say Think draws many comparisons to their countrymen, Godspeed You! Black Emperor. While both are classified correctly as post-rock, the two bands are very different. while GY!BE is more classical and experimental, and probably more (but not completely) indicative of the genre as a whole, DMST has a definite pop bent, which is an interesting and unique influence for a band like this, at least in my listening experience.
You, You're A History In Rust kicks off with "Bound To Be That Way". The First time I listened to it, I didn't get past the first two minutes before thinking, "Screw it, I'll just listen to Laughing Stock."(Talk Talk. That's another review for another day.) The drums in this song are jazzy and articulated, and the piano sparse. at about 2:14, the song picks up with finger picked riff and transfers into a more upbeat song while still maintaining a jazz undercurrent. After this, we have "A With Living". while far from being a terrible song, I just don't like it. I think the band likes this song and tried to make it good, but to me, it just doesn't click well.
The next song, the excellent "The Universe!" is probably most indicative of DMST's pop influence. It starts with an uncomplicated, catchy, two-note, power chord riff and powers through, unabashed in its' simplicity. Next, we have "A Tender History In Rust", "Herstory Of Glory",and "You, You're Awesome". "A tender Hisory In Rust" starts out with some synths, and then seamlessly glides into some gretat acoustic riffing."Herstory of Glory" has some great strings, driving bass, and cool little piano flourishes."You, You're Awesome" has a bit of a blues/country influence which suits the song really well.
Closing the album are the songs "Executioner Blues" and "In Mind". the former is one of my favorite songs of all time, being catchy, and oddly danceable. In "Executioner Blues", we are treated to blaring horns, smooth drums, and unobtrusive, yet ever present guitars. "In Mind" closes the album on a good note. It begins with a folkish feel and ends with singing and fuzzed-out guitars, much in the vein of Neutral Milk Hotel.
While not the best I've heard, You, You're A History In Rust is pretty damned good. I highly recommend buying it.
Pros
* unique
* "Executioner Blues" and "The Universe!" are incredible.
Cons
* "A With Living" was not very good.
* Though not prominent, the singing felt kind of out of placed.
B
