Explosions In The Sky - The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place

This one is blatantly obvious to most of my friends, but I gotta put it up for the uninitiated. Explosions In The Sky, from Austin, TX, play pretty instrumental, guitar based music; this is one of the most moving albums I've ever listened to. There is an accurate quip from a review of this album saying that if this album will crush anyone who has a heart. TRUUUTH! These dudes also composed the film score for that football movie "Friday Night Lights" if you've seen that. If you've never heard of this band, you are behind the times and are seriously missing out. Get this record, spark a bowl, and start it up...you'll see.

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Earth - Hex & The Bees Made Honey In The Lions Skull

Earth has been around a looooong time. After starting in 1989 in Seattle, Earth has evolved from being the forebearers of brain melting fuzz-laden drone into the slightly more accessible, yet much more intricate brand of slowcore they are today. Taking influence from a vast array of styles, from Sabbath to Hank Williams, and following a 9 year hiatus, Earth released Hex; Or Printing in the Infernal Method in 2005. It was the first to signal the change of style, one no longer dependent on the loud fuzzy drone.  Hex is much more subtle, crawling along with clean and low-gain guitars and drums, all perfectly sparse, driving you into a hypnotic state as they build layer and layer of sound, creating a sonic space that seems to envelop you like molasses, trapping you in their tidal push and pull. And though their approach was already unique enough, Earth found themselves taking it a step further with 2008's The Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull. Adding keys and lapsteel, and recruiting legendary jazz/prog guitar aficionado Bill Frisell, they continued the evolution found on Hex, taking their newly found sound into the 5th dimension. Both of these records are just mind melting. No vocals, no pretension. Only sweet, sweet jam.

 Hex; Or Printing in The Infernal Method

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The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull

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Growing - Color Wheel

THIS POST WILL NOT BE FOR ALL! But if you are open minded to music and sound, this record will blow your mind. Hailing from Olympia, Washington and now based in NY, these dudes transcend the concept of a noise band. This record is made entirely on guitar and bass, although you'll be quite hard pressed to pick out any guitar or bass sounds. These guys use nothing but analog effects (MAYBE a few digital, but don't think so...) to create soundscapes that will take you to another planet. If you have ever had any sort of heavy psychedelic experience, you will understand every second of this record. If you've never done drugs in your life, this band sounds the way drugs make you feel. They have several records, all a little different, but this one is definitely one of the best. Again, I warn any "mainstreamers" that this may not be your thing, but if you get this record and listen to it from start to finish (sober OR duped to the gills), you'll come out with an expanded point of view on life and your own existence. PLEASE at least give this record a shot. It certainly changed the way I think about music.

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