[Foreign Music] A Guide to Post-Rock: Essential Classics and a Recommended Pick

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.

Post-rock is a music genre that expresses itself through a variety of ideas and experimental approaches, differing from the conventional methodology of rock.

The definition is quite vague and there are many subgenres, but there are plenty of bands and artists within the umbrella of post-rock who have achieved global success, and here in Japan as well, many have been influenced by post-rock’s methods.

In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of essential albums—perfect as a “start here” for Western music fans who’ve recently become interested in post-rock.

The lineup focuses mainly on albums from the 1990s to the 2000s, the peak era of post-rock, so be sure to check them out!

[Western Music] A Guide to Post-Rock: Essential Classics and Recommended Picks (21–30)

Where Are The Timpani HeartbeatsThe Six Parts Seven

The Six Parts Seven – Where Are The Timpani Heartbeats

Where Are The Timpani HeartbeatsThe Six Parts Seven

The Six Parts Seven is an American post-rock band that was active from 1995 to 2008.

This track is included on the 2002 album “Things Shaped in Passing.” It features melancholic guitars and a grand, soaring chorus.

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Aaron and MariaThe American Analog Set

The American Analog Set – Aaron & Maria

Aaron and MariaThe American Analog Set

The American Analog Set is an indie rock and lo-fi music band from Fort Worth, Texas, active from 1995 to 2006.

This track is included on their fourth album, Know by Heart, released in 2001.

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Broken BalladGrails

Grails – Broken Ballad

Broken BalladGrails

Grails is an American instrumental experimental rock band active since 1999.

This melancholic track, characterized by its violin sound, is included on their 2003 album The Burden of Hope.

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Smell MemoryMúm

múm – Smell Memory

Smell MemoryMúm

Múm is an experimental music group formed in Iceland in 1997.

They are known for their sound featuring gentle vocals and traditional instruments, among others.

This track is included on their 2000 album “Yesterday Was Dramatic – Today Is OK.”

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drive until he sleepsUi

UI drive until he sleeps 1998

drive until he sleepsUi

Ui was a post-rock and funk band active from 1990 through the mid-2000s.

It was formed by Sasha Frere-Jones, who is also well known as a New York pop music critic.

This track is included on the 1998 album Lifelike.

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