Product Description

A splinter group of popular post-rock ensemble Godspeed YouBlack Emperor, A Silver Mt. Zion (or, as they are referred to here, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-LaBand) is comprised of GYBE guitarist/pianist/singer Efrim, bassist Thierry, violinist Sophie, and other guests. But whereas the band's previous albums sometimes sounded like replications of GYBE's layered, largely instrumental formula, HORSES IN THE SKY is a different kettle of fish altogether. Raw, stripped-down, and vocal-centred, Silver Mt. Zion's fourthalbum is hushed, mesmerising, and deeply affecting.
The opening track, "God Bless Our Dead Marines", begins with Efrim's tortured, yelped vocals over pizzicato strings, before dropping into a shifting Balkan dance melody and a chain of surreal lyrics about politics, Nina Simone, and drug abuse. On "Mountains Made of Steam", a mournful vocal tag, that sounds like it might have come from some nightmarish version ofFIDDLER ON THE ROOF gives way to a surging orchestral passage and a piercing rain of electric guitar notes, while the title track is all hushed acoustics. The combination of unique instrumentation, angular arrangements, and Efrim's elliptical lyrics and chilling singing makes HORSES IN THE SKY a distinctive and recommended listen.

Track Listing

1. God Bless Our Dead Marines
2. Mountains Made Of Steam
3. Horses In The Sky
4. Teddy Roosevelt's Guns
5. Hang On To Each Other
6. Ring Them Bells (Freedom Has Come And Gone)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10588 in Music
• Released on: 2005-04-04
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import

Customer Reviews

Epic
Once again, I am going to mention Efrim's voice, as it seems to be the determining factor in most people's final opinion on their work.

No, he cannot sing in the traditional sense, and yes, at first I found it difficult to enjoy, but with time, patience, and learning, you begin to see his voice as a folky, passionate, emotional cry for change, for hope. And now I fully enjoy his vocals, and wouldn't change them if I could. Imagine a group of people in a dark age sat around a fire, singing as part of a community of musicians, relying on the desperation and emotion displayed through their vocals, as opposed to a pretty and controlled vocalist dazzling your ears. This is the music of average people making music because THEY CAN. Making music to remind us of the beauty we miss. And as such, it is infinitely above average and unparalelled amidst today's rapidly deteriorating music industry.

i'm in the sky
This is just an incredible album. It's so beautiful. None of their previous work really grabbed me as immediately as this, and for me it announces TSMZMO&TB as a completely seperate force from GYBE, but equally as powerful. The passion evident in in Efrim's voice is something you rarely hear nowadays, while the occasional missed note give it an astonishing sadness that blends in superbly with the simple but beautifully crafted soundscapes created by the other members. I just wish it could go on forever...quite simply unmissable.

a classic
i've always bought the mount zion stuff but never got into them & initially found efrims singing painfull. However after seeing them live was mightly impressed probably the best live gig i've been to as far as the music is conerned. Horses in the sky is absolutely wonderful, its not often thesedays when i will continually listen to new stuff this much, the lp is full of texture & gets better after repeated listens, efrims vocals i now love & i will certainly go back & listen again to previous asmz releases, this group must improve with age