Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress
| 'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress' | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Godspeed You! Black Emperor | ||||
| Released | 31 March 2015 | |||
| Studio | Fidelitorium, Hotel2Tango, The Pines | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 40:23[1] | |||
| Label | Constellation | |||
| Godspeed You! Black Emperor chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 84/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| A.V. Club | A-[4] |
| Drowned in Sound | [5] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[6] |
| The Guardian | [7] |
| Paste | 9.3/10[8] |
| Pitchfork | 7.6/10[9] |
| Spin | [10] |
| Sputnikmusic | [11] |
Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress (Stylized as 'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress'[1]) is the fifth studio album by Canadian post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor, released on 31 March 2015. The album was recorded with Electrical Audio engineer Greg Norman in studios in North Carolina and Montreal.[1][12] The album is the first to feature completely new material since the band re-formed in 2010.[13] It is also, with the exception of the vinyl version of F♯ A♯ ∞, the group's shortest full-length LP to date, timing in at just forty minutes.
The album was announced on 24 February 2015; the group also shared an excerpt of "Peasantry or 'Light! Inside of Light!'" on SoundCloud.[14] On 24 March 2015, Constellation Records streamed the album on their SoundCloud.
Critical reception
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from music critics, the album has received an average score of 84, indicating "universal acclaim".[2]
Pitchfork rated the album 7.6 out of a possible 10 and Mark Richardson described the album as a "different kind of transaction" and that while listening to the album "You have to let your guard down" as that Godspeed "transforms feelings into compelling records. They're still on track.".[15] Writing for Exclaim!, Nilan Perera called the record "a beautiful, concise blast that conveys this band's musical essence."[6]
Track listing
The album's four tracks are based on "Behemoth", played live numerous times since 2012 and previously recorded onstage for the concert series We Have Signal.[16]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Peasantry or 'Light! Inside of Light!'" | 10:28 |
| 2. | "Lambs' Breath" | 9:52 |
| 3. | "Asunder, Sweet" | 6:13 |
| 4. | "Piss Crowns Are Trebled" | 13:50 |
Personnel
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor
- Thierry Amar – bass guitar, double bass
- David Bryant – electric guitar, Portasound, organ, drones
- Aidan Girt – drums
- Timothy Herzog – Drums and drones
- Efrim Menuck – electric guitar
- Mike Moya – electric guitar
- Mauro Pezzente – bass guitar
- Sophie Trudeau – violin, drones
- Karl Lemieux – 16mm film projections
- Technical personnel
- Greg Norman – recording, mixing
- Harris Newman at Greymarket – mastering
Charts
| Chart (2015) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC)[17] | 37 | |
| US Billboard 200[18] | 129 |
References
- 1 2 3 "GY!BE - 'Asunder, Sweet And Other Distress' - Constellation Records". Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- 1 2 "Metacritic Review". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2015-03-29.
- ↑ "Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress". AllMusic. 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ↑ "Godspeed You! Black Emperor punctuates chaos with hope". A. V. Club. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ↑ "Album Review: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Asunder, Sweet And Other Distress". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- 1 2 Perera, Nilan (March 31, 2015). "Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress". Exclaim!. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress review – a resolute, defiant return". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ↑ "Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress Review". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ↑ "Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. 2015-04-01. Retrieved 2015-04-01.
- ↑ "Review: Godspeed You! Black Emperor Renew Their Orchestral Bombast on 'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress'". Spin (magazine). Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ↑ "Sputnikmusic Review". Sputnikmusic. 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2015-03-29.
- ↑ "Godspeed You! Black Emperor – "Pleasantry Or 'Light! Inside of Light'" (Excerpt) & 'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress' Details". Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ↑ "Godspeed You! Black Emperor announce new album". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ↑ "Godspeed You! Black Emperor Announce New Album Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress". Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ↑ "Godspeed You! Black Emperor Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress Review". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress review – threat and grandeur". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ↑ "Godspeed You Black Emperor | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ↑ "Godspeed You Black Emperor – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Godspeed You Black Emperor. Retrieved 4 November 2015.