Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

Infobox Album |
Name = Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Type = album
Artist = Godspeed You! Black Emperor


Released = October 9, 2000
Recorded = February 2000 Chemical Sound Studios Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genre = Experimental rock, Post-rock
Length = 87:21
Label = Constellation CST012 Kranky KRANK043
Producer = Daryl Smith
Chronology = Godspeed You Black Emperor!
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:aq6tk6rxrkrk link]
*Almost Cool (8.25/10.0) [http://www.almostcool.org/mr/489/ link]
*CanuckistanMusic (very positive) [http://www.CanuckistanMusic.com/index.php?maid=17 link]
*Fluffhouse Music Reviews (10/10) [http://www.fluffhouse.org.uk/musicreviews/album.php?albumid=664 link]
*Pitchfork Media (9/10) [http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/18129/Godspeed_You_Black_Emperor_Lift_Your_Skinny_Fists_like_Antennas_to_Heaven link]
Last album = "Slow Riot for New Zerø Kanada" (1999)
This album = "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" (2000)
Next album = "Yanqui U.X.O." (2002)
Misc =

"Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" (also known as "Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" and "Levez Vos Skinny Fists Comme Antennas to Heaven") is a double album released by Godspeed You! Black Emperor. It was released on both Kranky and Constellation Records in 2000. The album was recorded at Chemical Sound Studios in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

tructure and details

"Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" is unusual in being structurally and conceptually closer to a symphony than a conventional pop or rock album. The four tracks are composed of internal movements, with different sub-titles, that fade into each other. The whole album is instrumental, except for sampled voice inserts, and starts with an almost orchestral crescendo somewhat reminiscent of Ravel's "Bolero".

The inner panels of vinyl edition released by Constellation contain an interesting diagram used to illustrate the song names and lengths; each movement is drawn, by Efrim Menuck,Cite web|url=http://cstrecords.com/cst012_artwork.html|title=Godspeed You Black Emperor! – "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven"|accessdate=2006-12-20|publisher=Constellation Records|year=2006|author=Constellation Records|format=html] as a square block and the length of the block is governed by how much of the song it takes up. Some of the blocks slowly move upwards to show a raise. The movement title and the numerical length are either above or below the square.

The interior covers of the CD feature art by the Rhode Island-based William Schaff. The double vinyl edition presents the same art, but on the sleeves instead. The flip side contains various images taken by the band.

Reception

In 2001, "Q" magazine named it as one of the 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time.Cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html#50%20Heaviest|title=A Selection of Lists from "Q Magazine" – "Q" 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time|accessdate=2006-12-20|publisher=Q magazine|year=2001|author=Q magazine|format=html]

"Magnet" (1-2/01, p.45) - Included it in Magnet's "20 Best Albums of 2000."

"NME" (12/30/00, p.78) - Ranked #16 in NME's "Top 50 Albums Of The Year". [ [http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1067376] ]

Track listing

The album consists of four continuous tracks on the Compact Disc release. Time lengths of individual movements are taken from the [http://www.brainwashed.com/godspeed/music.html official discography] . Times for each movement appear in the album's cover art, but those times are very inaccurate. While the movements of the tracks are listed, the names of the four tracks that make up the album are unlisted on the CD.

Disc one

tracklist
collapsed = false
headline = 1.1: Storm
total_length = 22:32
title1 = Lift Yr. Skinny Fists, Like Antennas to Heaven...
length1 = 6:15
title2 = Gathering Storm/Il Pleut à Mourir [+Clatters Like Worry]
length2 = 11:10
title3 = 'Welcome to Barco " [sic] " AM/PM...' [L.A.X.; 5/14/00]
length3 = 1:15
title4 = Cancer Towers on Holy Road Hi-Way
length4 = 3:52

tracklist
collapsed = false
headline = 1.2: Static
total_length = 22:35
title1 = Terrible Canyons of Static
length1 = 3:34
title2 = Atomic Clock
length2 = 1:09
title3 = Chart #3
length3 = 2:39
title4 = World Police and Friendly Fire
length4 = 9:48
title5 = [...+The Buildings They Are Sleeping Now]
length5 = 5:25

Disc two

tracklist
collapsed = false
headline = 2.1: Sleep
total_length = 23:17
title1 = Murray Ostril: '...They Don't Sleep Anymore on the Beach...'
length1 = 1:10
title2 = Monheim
length2 = 12:14
title3 = Broken Windows, Locks of Love Pt. III.
length3 = 9:53

tracklist
collapsed = false
headline = 2.2: Antennas to Heaven
total_length = 18:57
title1 = Moya Sings 'Baby-O'...
length1 = 1:00
title2 = Edgyswingsetacid
length2 = 0:58
title3 = [Glockenspiel Duet Recorded on a Campsite In Rhinebeck, N.Y.]
length3 = 0:47
title4 = 'Attention...Mon Ami...Fa-Lala-Lala-La-La...' [55-St. Laurent]
length4 = 1:18
title5 = She Dreamt She Was a Bulldozer, She Dreamt She Was Alone in an Empty Field
length5 = 9:43
title6 = Deathkamp Drone
length6 = 3:09
title7 = [Antennas to Heaven...]
length7 = 2:02

Notes

*"Broken Windows, Locks of Love Pt. III" was originally named "3rd Part."
*"She Dreamt She Was a Bulldozer, She Dreamt She Was Alone in an Empty Field" was originally named "John Hughes."
*"Monheim" and "Chart #3" were broadcast on January 19, 1999 on John Peel's radio show before the release of "Skinny Fists" as the first two movements of a piece called "Hung Over as the Queen in Maida Vale." The closing movement was named "Steve Reich" after the minimalist composer.

Personnel

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

* Roger Tellier-Craig – guitar
* Norsola Johnson – cello
* Efrim Menuck – guitar
* Mauro Pezzente – bass
* David Bryant – guitar
* Thierry Amar – bass
* Sophie Trudeau – violin
* Aidan Girt – percussion
* Bruce Cawdron – percussion

Other musicians

* Brian and Alfons – horns

Technical

* Daryl Smith – producer
* John Golden – mastering

References

External links

* [http://cstrecords.com/cst012.html Constellation's Album Information Page on "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven"]
* [http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=3530822107858555550 Speech Transcript at Static Track]
*