The decidedly lengthy, and rather clunkily titled No Title as of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead, is album number eight from this Canadian post-rock collective. It finds the band in a decidedly rough ‘n’ ready 1970s setting- in both its lose & crude production and its sonic pallet which heavily nods towards the more ragged guitar-bound side of both Neil Young and Popol Vuh, as well as general earthy/ rough instrumental country-rock vibe.

I’ll have to admit that my interest/ awareness of  Godspeed You! Black Emperor mostly focuses on their first three albums-  1997’s F♯ A♯ ∞,  2000’s Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven, and 2002 Yanqui U.X.O. I’ve heard bits ‘n’ bobs of later albums, and liked elements- but never really enough to set me alight or want me to replay it.  So when No Title……….., appeared I was expecting a similar response, but I’m surprised/ happy to say I  was very much taken with what the album had to offer- enjoying its general feel of crude/ worn grandeur, and churning/ ragged building-to- -rocking out vibe.

The album in its CD/ digital download format takes six tracks, and just over fifty-four minutes of music. With the vinyl version adding in a thirteen-minute bonus track- but as I’m reviewing the CD version, so  I can’t comment on this track.

The album opens with "Sun Is a Hole Sun Is Vapors"- this begins with these weird sort of bouncing guitar pick tones/ whispers before we move into the slowly wavering & winding up tone of the track- which brings together a rough ‘n’ baying guitar tone, cleaner more wailing atmospheric guitar twangs, loose bass darts, and wavering like harmonica tones. The whole thing sounds like a very heavily stoned Popol Vuh scored a Western.

Moving on we have “Raindrops Cast in Lead”- it opens in a decidedly eerier manner with creaking in wind-like tones and a general hazed-if- lightly warming ambience- bringing to mind the sun slowly coming up on a barren, dusty, and abandoned western town. In time of mid-paced bounding beat kicks- with a ragged ‘n’ baying central guitar riff &  building- if- slight bedraggled string swoon.  As we move along we slow/ pare back for a spaced-out raw/ wail guitar, violin and sample of a busy female Asian voice- before things pick up pace in a nice ragged ‘n’ rocking groove.

The album plays out with "Grey Rubble – Green Shoots" which is prime atmospherically building- then- paring back GY!BE territory. With the tracks tolling guitar layers, grimly bounding bass work, steady- barren drum pattern, and building layers of waving ‘n’ worn strings/ guitars. 

Godspeed You! Black Emperor take Post Rock has always been about emotional honesty/ no thrills production. And with  No Title as of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead, that is once more crystal clear, but this time around there’s a more ragged ‘n’ raw glory to proceedings- which truly enhances the impact & atmosphere of the album/ tracks