Dear readers, in the past few months there has been a slight shift in the scope of bands Heavy Blog covers. This is due in part to changing staff and their favorite genres but also to a host of excellent releases within this new scope. I am of course referring to the many mentions and dealings with the genre known as post rock. Containing a wide array of emotions and styles, post rock is often characterized by ambiance and the blending of many different styles: jazz, rock, progressive and metal. Bands such as sleepmakeswaves, This Will Destroy You and Solstafir are now household names where only a few years ago they would have been obscure. However, the genre still contains a multitude of bands that stay beneath the public eye, creating in relative anonymity. We are here to change that.
I am proud to announce our new segment, the Post Rock Post. Similar to our “Hey! Listen to This!” segment, this reoccurring…thing will bring to light one band each time but will be dedicated to the Post Rock genre and its brethren. We’ve already covered acts like The Samuel Jackson Five in the past but we felt that it would be a good idea to give this genre a slice of its own. So, without further ado, I present to you Rumour Cubes!
At its pulsing core, Rumour Cubes remind one of sleepmakeswaves, that quintessential post rock band. Lilting guitars play across ambient soundscapes, with the kick drums and bass puncturing groovy holes in the aural tapestry. The mix between slower songs and more upbeat passages is also reminiscent of the aforementioned, Australian group, with the balance being maintained but slightly leaning towards rockier, uptempo songs. But Rumour Cubes are not just another post rock act. Rumour Cubes have a violinist.
More than just a gimmick, the violin adds volumes to their latest album, Appearances of Collections. Whether it is on the emotional closer ‘That’s How The Light Gets In’ (a Leonard Cohen reference I was delighted to find), where it paints a soaring yet somber melody, or on upbeat and hectic ‘Do Not Go Gently’ (a Dylan Thomas reference I was delighted to find) where it accentuates the rest of the instrumentation, the violin is an amazing addition to this band. However, no where is that heard more than in the melancholic and heartbreaking ‘There Is A Crack in Everything‘. You’re just going to have to listen to it for yourself, right below. See you next time, dear readers! We’ll have more post rock for you as this has been the Post Rock Post.
-EK