The Post-rock Revolution (Explosions in the sky)

A lot has been said about the 'post-rock' revolution as of late. The rise of instrumental bands such as Explosions in the sky, Godspeed you! black emperor, Maserati, and The Mercury Program has raised questions about the direction that music is traveling. More and more people are looking for something different, something fresh. We are sick of the same pop songs being shoveled down our throats, we are sick of mindless rap, we are sick of mindless rock. We are sick of mindless music. So what happens when you remove the vocal aspect of music? It becomes exceedingly difficult to fall into the 'mindless' category; the instrumental soundscapes allow your mind to apply its own story to the music. It's remarkable what happens when you let the listener dictate the theme of the music.

For the most part, the success of post-rock has been an underground phenomenon. However moving into the new age of music using the internet and file sharing as a hub, what will we be seeing in the future? Explosions in the Sky have recently scored one major hollywood movie and provided tracks for another, so obviously someone is listening to their music and finding a mainstream use for it. With the rise of the internet, it's now possible for entirely new genres to expose themselves to a widespread audience with minimal financial backing. Instead of playing shows for 10 people for months before being picked up for a statewide tour, bands can simply release their album online and let the music spread on its own.

New Age Piano Tricks

One of the things that makes New Age piano so enjoyable is that it's easy to get started.

One of the "tricks" of the trade is to play an ostinato pattern in the left-hand while the right improvises a melody. Just listen to George Winston's lovely piece Colors/Dance to hear an excellent example of this technique.