Reviewed by: Ian Mathers
Reviewed on: 2007-01-24

Posted 01/24/2007 - 04:26:41 AM by meatbreak:
	Ian - you turned me on to Goslings with your review of between The Dead last year, and I cannot thank you enough for it, really. Between the Dead was a thick serpentine album of dense noise smothering steel cabled songs. Grandeur of Hair pushes that noise closer together, shoring up reserves of doom-laden slow motion riffs that uncoil through foggy feedback, casting long shadows of songs across thick-boned skeletal frames. Beneath these swirling clouds lie immense shapes as if this band are impertinently hiding perfection beneath a veil that demands the attention it takes to reveal them. Your friend who was 'eafened but renewed' found the same experience with this as I did with Atari Teenage Riot's Brixton live album. I've played that to a few people with the express purpose of having them be able to listen to their whole record collection as if fror the first time. maybe I'll try it with this on some new people too.
Posted 01/24/2007 - 09:19:47 AM by BoobMcNair:
	You use big words. "Coruscating?" Coruscating brings NOTHING to mind! I don't know, maybe the process of making cardboard?
Posted 01/24/2007 - 09:35:27 AM by meatbreak:
	Really Boob? Does coruscating - a word whose meaning is actually suggestive of sparks and flashing light - really mean nothing to you? Not all cardboard is corrugated if that's what you're trying to imply. I suggest you listen to this album, very loud, and see if this leviathan noise doesn't rub something off on you. And also, I think Ian is actually saying that he has the urge to use that word because it seems like it should be suitable, but actually doesn't quite fit. Anyone know the intransient verb for a synaesthetic dull shear?
Posted 01/24/2007 - 11:59:28 AM by grandbanks:
	Really, what are you getting at Boob? Mathers explains it all in the very first paragraph of the review. What more do you want from him? Did you look the word up. If you didn't, you should still have been able to glean the meaning from the context, and if not there mb has expanded on it for you. THE CAPS are similar to someone who believes shouting the loudest wins the argument. Thought it was a very good review and an apt opening statement. Writing about music is tough, and I have been tough on music writing, but large and evocative words should not be discouraged. There is a grade at the very top of the review if you want the shorthand. Uh, "It ROCKS"?
Posted 01/24/2007 - 02:34:33 PM by IanMathers:
	To clarify a little, when I think of or use or see "coruscating" I tend to a think of a clean, bright shower of sparks (I worked in a forklift factory one summer, angle grinding - think that kind of thing, or the cover of Godflesh's Hymns, only brighter). But while I think the word still kind of works for the Goslings (who I frickin' adore, obviously), the kind of sparks they give off or make me think of are very different than what the word usually brings to mind. I dunno guys, does that help?
Posted 01/24/2007 - 04:34:31 PM by grandbanks:
	Well, this is getting a little overblown, but to reiterate: I think you covered it adequately in the review. As I have preached for clarity in the past on this site, though, it is nice to see you going the extra mile. Good review.
Posted 01/24/2007 - 04:35:48 PM by BoobMcNair:
	Sorry to Ian, meatbreak, and grandbanks. I was just snarling on the internet for no good reason. I consider myself somewhat intelligent, but I had no previous idea what coruscating meant (and I guess I wasn't in the mood for context clues). I never think about music in such intellectual terms, and this is probably why I'll never write any good reviews (or at least, I need to go to grad school and/or read/write alot more before that happens). You're right, "IT ROCKS" is probably more my speed, and might be what I would have written. Anyway, good review Ian, and maybe I'll check this out sometime. I've also heard good things about other releases on Archive. (This whole response is me being sincere, I've turned off my sarcasm-atron)
Posted 01/24/2007 - 06:03:13 PM by angrymice:
	I would like to congratulate Ian on reviewing a Goslings record without mentioning Sunn O))) once. That's some progress right there because, desipte getting routinely lumped together, these bands have nothing in common. The Goslings are all turned the fuck up bliss and Sunn O))) are all pretty snooze.
Posted 01/24/2007 - 06:09:43 PM by grandbanks:
	Wow, how refreshing, to say the least. Whole reason to have this comments section thing is to "call bullshit" when we see it at times, but also to reframe and expand on the content (whether record, movie, etc). We all need a rant once in a while, so no big deal. Glad you reread the review and came around. Keep posting and reading, it is good to have a dialogue about this stuff, especially for the lesser-known bands. Hope you realize it was nothing personal.
Posted 01/25/2007 - 04:23:52 AM by meatbreak:
	I second GB's comment - and expanding ian's review around the word coruscating is quite justified in the context of this album. Bet Ian never thought that would happen. Boob - It will be interesting to hear your thoughts on this album once you've heard it. It certainly is one to realign the senses, and it helps to stare at the cover for the full length of it too. Also, angrymice, it might be worth pointing out that Ian never mentioned SunnO)))in his review of Between the Dead either and I recommend anyone reading this review to read that one too if they haven't already.
Posted 01/29/2007 - 01:21:38 AM by IanMathers:
	You know, when you mention it I'm not surprised, but Sunn O)))) just genuinely never came to mind. Some sort of fucked up Earth/Comets on Fire hybrid just fits the sound so much better.