'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!

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'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
A grainy black-and-white photo of a building in the middle of a desert.
Studio album by
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
ReleasedOctober 1, 2012 (2012-10-01)[1]
Recorded2011[2]
StudioHotel2Tango, Montreal
Genre
Length53:09[4]
LabelConstellation
Producer
Godspeed You! Black Emperor chronology
Yanqui U.X.O.
(2002) 		'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
(2012) 		Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress
(2015)

'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (sometimes stylized in all caps) is the fourth studio album by Canadian post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor, released by Constellation Records. It was their first album since 2002's Yanqui U.X.O.. After reforming in 2010, the group went on tour and silently released the album at a concert in Boston[5] on October 1, 2012, with official release dates on October 15 in Europe and the following day in other countries.[1] The album received positive reviews and has been heralded as a comeback for the collective, winning the 2013 Polaris Music Prize.[6]

The album marked the beginning of a major stylistic change for Godspeed You! Black Emperor, being less technically complex and emphasizing further on drones while abandoning the concept of movements altogether – a compositional format they would continue to employ until 2021's G_d's Pee at State's End!.

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.0/10[7]
Metacritic81/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The A.V. ClubB+[9]
The Guardian[10]
The Independent[11]
Mojo[12]
The Observer[13]
Pitchfork9.3/10[14]
Q[15]
Rolling Stone[16]
Spin9/10[17]

'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! received positive reviews from critics. Eli Kleman of Sputnikmusic stated that the album has "immeasurable breadth and depth" and is a "truly unforgettable experience".[18] Drowned in Sound's Andrzej Lukowski said that the release is "a modestly magnificent record that entirely validates" the band reforming.[19] Mark Richardson of Pitchfork also draws a connection between the group's entire output, finishing his review by calling this "an album of music that is both new and old from a band that we thought we might never hear from again, one we should appreciate while we can".[14] Tyler Kane of Paste gave the album an 8.9 out of 10, writing that, "the time-tested tracks not only showcase the band doing what they do best in notoriously long, dramatic, panic-inducing instrumentals but are also startling reminders on why the band was so vital and lead such a movement to begin with".[20] The Guardian's Dom Lawson gave the album 5 out of 5 stars, because "the Godspeed ethos of wordlessly eliciting universal truths remains as devastatingly effective as ever".[10]

The album was listed 13th on Stereogum's list of top 50 albums of 2012.[21]

The album won the 2013 Polaris Music Prize on September 23, 2013.[22]

Track listing[edit]

The vinyl edition of the album packages the lengthier tracks "Mladic" and "We Drift Like Worried Fire" on a 12" LP accompanied by a 7" featuring the shorter, "drone" tracks "Their Helicopters Sing" and "Strung Like Lights at Thee Printemps Erable".[4] On the 12"'s inner sleeve there are instructions regarding which order the sides are to be played as this differs from most vinyl albums. The vinyl track listing is, in fact: A1 ("Mladic"), B1 ("Their Helicopters Sing"), A2 ("We Drift Like Worried Fire") and B2 ("Strung Like Lights at Thee Printemps Erable"). The CD edition of the album compiles all four tracks on a single disc.[4] "Mladic" and "We Drift Like Worried Fire" are re-workings of previously unreleased live tracks formerly known as "Albanian" and "Gamelan", which have been performed live as far back as 2003.[4]

Compact Disc

  1. "Mladic" – 19:59
  2. "Their Helicopters' Sing" – 6:30
  3. "We Drift Like Worried Fire" – 20:07
  4. "Strung Like Lights at Thee Printemps Erable" – 6:31

12" (A)

  1. "Mladic" – 19:53
  2. "We Drift Like Worried Fire" – 19:57

7" (B)

  1. "Their Helicopters' Sing" – 6:24
  2. "Strung Like Lights at Thee Printemps Erable" – 6:25

Personnel[edit]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor[23]

Technical personnel[23]

  • Howard Bilerman – recording on "Mladic" and "We Drift Like Worried Fire"
  • Charles-André Coderre – cover photo
  • Yannick Grandmont – photography
  • Timothy Herzog – "Atonal Canada" photo
  • Harris Newman at Greymarket – mastering

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
Chart (2012) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[24] 49
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[25] 118
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[26] 95
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[27] 47
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 94
UK Albums (OCC)[29] 41
US Billboard 200[30] 45
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[31] 9
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[32] 13
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[33] 18

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Thiessen, Brock (October 1, 2012). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor Return with First New Album in a Decade". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  2. ^ Bevan, David (May 27, 2011). "Reunited Post-Rock Titans Godspeed You! Black Emperor Currently Working on New Music". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Jurek, Thom. "'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! – Godspeed You! Black Emperor". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 12, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d "Constellation Records: Godspeed You! Black Emperor – "'ALLELUJAH! DON'T BEND! ASCEND!"". Constellation Records. October 1, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  5. ^ Young, Alex (October 2, 2012). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor release first album in a decade!". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  6. ^ Minsker, Evan (September 23, 2013). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor Win Polaris Music Prize". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  7. ^ "'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! by Godspeed You! Black Emperor reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  8. ^ "Reviews for 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! by Godspeed You! Black Emperor". Metacritic. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  9. ^ Heller, Jason (October 16, 2012). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor: 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  10. ^ a b Lawson, Dom (October 18, 2012). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! – review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
  11. ^ Price, Simon (October 14, 2012). "Album: Godspeed You! Black Emperor, 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (Constellation)". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on May 1, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
  12. ^ "Godspeed You! Black Emperor: 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!". Mojo (230): 91. January 2013.
  13. ^ Empire, Kitty (October 21, 2012). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! – review". The Observer. London. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
  14. ^ a b Richardson, Mark (October 15, 2012). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  15. ^ "Godspeed You! Black Emperor: 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!". Q (318): 105. January 2013.
  16. ^ Hermes, Will (November 19, 2012). "Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  17. ^ Weingarten, Christopher R. (October 15, 2012). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor, 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!' (Constellation)". Spin. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  18. ^ Klemen, Eli (October 5, 2012). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor – 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (staff review)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  19. ^ Lukowski, Andrzej (October 8, 2012). "Album Review: Godspeed You! Black Emperor – 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  20. ^ Kane, Tyler (October 16, 2012). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor: 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!". Paste. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  21. ^ "Stereogum's Top 50 Albums Of 2012". December 5, 2012.
  22. ^ "Polaris Music Prize". Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  23. ^ a b "Constellation Records: Godspeed You! Black Emperor – "'ALLELUJAH! DON'T BEND! ASCEND!" – Product Shots". Constellation Records. October 1, 2012. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  24. ^ "Ultratop.be – Godspeed You Black Emperor! – Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  25. ^ "Ultratop.be – Godspeed You Black Emperor! – Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  26. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Godspeed You Black Emperor! – Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  27. ^ "Godspeed You Black Emperor!: Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  28. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Godspeed You Black Emperor! – Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  29. ^ "Godspeed You Black Emperor | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  30. ^ "Godspeed You Black Emperor Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  31. ^ "Godspeed You Black Emperor Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  32. ^ "Godspeed You Black Emperor Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  33. ^ "Godspeed You Black Emperor Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2013.

External links[edit]

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