The post-rock sound incorporates characteristics from a variety of musical genres, including ambient, jazz, electronica, and experimental. Post-rock compositions often make use of repetition of musical motifs and subtle changes with an extremely wide range of dynamics. In some respects, this is similar to the music of Steve Reich, Philip Glass and Brian Eno, pioneers of minimalism.
Typically, post-rock pieces are lengthy and instrumental, containing repetitive build-ups of timbre, dynamics and texture. When vocals are included the use is typically non-traditional: some post-rock bands employ vocals as purely instrumental efforts and incidental to the sound, rather than a more traditional use where "clean", easily-interpretable vocals are important for poetic and lyrical meaning. When present, post-rock vocals are often soft or droning and are typically infrequent or present in irregular intervals.
In the late 1990s, Chicago was the home base for a variety of post-rock associated performers. Both John McEntire of Tortoise and Jim O'Rourke of Brise-Glace and Gastr del Sol were important producers for many of the groups. One of the most eminent post-rock locales is Montreal, where Godspeed You! Black Emperor and similar groups, including Silver Mt. Zion, Do Make Say Think, and Fly Pan Am record on Constellation Records, a notable post-rock record label.
Sigur Rós, with the release of Ágætis byrjun in 1999, has become among the most well known post-rock bands of the 2000s. Explosions in the Sky, This Will Destroy You, Russian Circles, and Mono are some of the more popular post-rock bands of the 2000s.[30] With a few exceptions, most notably Sigur Rós and Mogwai, the post-rock of the 21st century has generally eliminated vocals from its repertoire.
Kid A
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I slipped on a little white lie
We've got heads on sticks
We've got ventriloquists
We've got heads on sticks
We've got ventriloquists
Standing in the shadows at the end of my bed
Standing in the shadows at the end of my bed
Standing in the shadows at the end of my bed
Standing in the shadows at the end of my bed
The rats and the children follow me out of town
The rats and the children follow me out of town
Come on kids
The lyrics above are from Radiohead's song Kid A, which appears on their 2000 album of the same name. The entire album is known for its experimental sound that blends different genres such as electronic, rock, and jazz. The song itself is eerie and cryptic, with the lyrics suggesting a sense of isolation, deception, and confusion.
The opening lines, "I slip away, I slipped on a little white lie" evoke the sense of dishonesty and the burden that it can cause on a person's psyche. This could be interpreted in various ways, such as hiding one's true self or pretending to be someone they are not. The next lines, "we've got heads on sticks, we've got ventriloquists" could be related to the idea of puppetry, where individuals may be controlled by external forces or society. The repetition of these lines adds to the feeling of being stuck and manipulated.
The chorus sings about "standing in the shadows at the end of my bed," which could be interpreted as a suspenseful or threatening dream-like sequence. The repetition of these lines four times adds to the disorienting and uneasy feeling of the song. The last lines, "the rats and the children follow me out of town, come on kids" is a haunting and surreal image, leaving it open to interpretation as to who the rats and children are and where they are going.
Interesting facts:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
I slip away
I escape reality and my responsibilities
I slipped on a little white lie
I made a small falsehood that snowballed into something bigger
We've got heads on sticks
Society has become mechanical, lacking humanity and empathy
We've got ventriloquists
Those in power control the masses and manipulate them to their own ends
Standing in the shadows at the end of my bed
Fear, anxiety, or uncertainty looms over me
The rats and the children follow me out of town
The helpless and innocent are dependent on me to lead them to safety, although I myself may not know the way
Come on kids
Urging the youth to follow and trust in me, despite my own flaws and shortcomings
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind