Social Graffiti: “f#a#(infinity),” Godspeed You Black Emperor!

By Charles Young
George Washington High School

Godspeed You Black Emperor! is a loosely-based Canadian band that defies conventional precepts. In fact it’s not even really accurate to refer to the group as a band. It’s more of a ragtag orchestra meets cult meets experimental art project.

Its ranks oscillate from three to 20, and its members play a range of instruments from glockenspiel to a full string section. Its name, in which the exclamation point is often moved around, is taken from a Japanese documentary about a motorcycle gang called the Black Emperors.

GYBE! has released three albums and an EP, all of which were first put out on vinyl. Although the band went on indefinite hiatus in 2003, it hasn’t broken up.

GYBE has been labeled as everything from punk and post-rock to progressive and classical. The band, though, has managed to elude a single set of words that defines it.

This is never more true then on its first full-length album, “f#a#(infinity).” The title refers to the notes on which each side of the vinyl record began and the note that it ends on — infinity. This is because on the record the last track ends in a locking grove that causes your record player to play the album endlessly.

Only three tracks long, the record still lasts more than an hour. Each song, or suite, is made up of multiple parts, which are specified and named only on the original vinyl liner notes.

The album is not for the casual listener. It’s an experience meant to confront its listener, meant to be heard in one continuous sitting, as one cohesive body of art.

It opens with “Dead Flag Blues,” a 17-minute swirling orchestral nightmare representing despair and all that is libertine in the world. It begins with a gravelly-throated man reciting a horrifying poem about the end of the world.

“We’re trapped in the belly of this horrible machine, and the machine is bleeding to death,” he howls.

In the background, electric humming and slowly playing strings that up to disaster. “I said kiss me. You’re beautiful. These are truly the last days. You grabbed my hand and we fell into it like a daydream or a fever.”

Then the track dissolves into joyless strings that swell and collapse with waves of violence and inhumanity, conjuring images of the darkest human realities.

But in the end, after all the chaos, comes a few moments of peace. The music is still sad and dirge-like but with a note of optimism. A lone fiddle plays amidst a sea of soft bells and a xylophone, as if to say that despite all the evil and cruelty in the world, there is still hope.

The record closes with “Providence,” which lasts nearly half an hour. First is an on-the-street interview with a crazy man who claims that the world is, in fact, not going to end any time soon, that conditions will just continue to decline.

This segues into a furious stomping of drums, blistering violins and guitars. It forces you to think that, despite all that is going on in the world, we can join together through the willpower of the human sprit and make a change, even if that change is only in our hearts.

This fades into otherworldly chants of “Where are you going?” as though the aggressors are taunting and provoking.

In the instrumental gaps, this album leaves you no choice but to examine yourself. This record is like when you first read Nietzsche — you are confronted with so much unquestionable truth that attacks your basic value systems that you feel equal parts rage, disgust and fascination. You want to put it down, but you can’t. You’re drawn to it.

Check out Charles’ playlist of the month below, exclusively at wvflipside.com.

Social Graffiti: October playlist

1. "Digital Love," Daft Punk: As of late, I have been really getting into electronica and dance music. This is a great cut from the electro Parisian duo.

2. "All Is Violent, All Is Bright," God Is An Astronaut: This is the definition of a post-rock rock band. The band plays spinning, twisting instrumental music that can't be ignored. Plus, it's one of the all-time great band names.

3. "Hometown Unicorn," Super Furry Animals: This is gorgeous modern psychedelia. With almost nonsense lyrics and Beach Boys style harmonies, it evokes so many different time periods and styles of music.

4. "Beautiful Girls," Sean Kingston: Great beat, great lyrics, great song. I love the line "Back in '99, watching movies all the time, when I went away for my very first crime." This means he would have gone to prison when he 9.

5. "I Was a Lover," TV on the Radio: This is true poetry. Amidst the crashing distortion, there are really great comments about politics and our society.