13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
When does a side project cease to be a side project? At this point, I think it’s fair to say that A Silver Mt. Zion never really were a Godspeed You! Black Emperor side project. And now, with another new record on the horizon, the numbers certainly don’t add up to side project:
GY!BE: 3 albums (I guess you could argue 4); 1 EP
ASMZ: 5 albums; 1 EP
Over the past seven years I’ve certainly been guilty of slighting ASMZ and instead focusing most of my Constellation hopes and dreams on some sort of Godspeed “reunion.” While that may indeed still happen, with the upcoming (March 25) release of the new ASMZ record, 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons, I find myself going back through the band’s catalogue and, for perhaps the first time, listening to them without the giant Godspeed shadow hanging over the music. It’s incredibly refreshing.
That’s not to say I haven’t enjoyed the band’s music in the past. I have. Very much in fact. Punk Rock was one of my favourite records of 2003. But there’s something different about the way I’m hearing the band now, and I love it.
13 Blues for Thirteen Moons has, of course, leaked but I’d much rather share a live version of the record than the album itself (which you can buy here; I should point out to the Aussies that you can order their albums from them for only $15 USD including shipping). All of the new record has been played live over the past couple years, and since the band allows taping, you can check out a bunch of shows here. The following mp3s come from a show in Belgium last April.
Download
A Silver Mt. Zion – 1,000,000 Died To Make This Sound
A Silver Mt. Zion – 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
A Silver Mt. Zion – Engine Broke
A Silver Mt. Zion – Blindblindblind
And Concert Insanity Week is upon us. Despite seeing them in June, I would love to be at The National tonight…but there was just too much on! Arcade Fire tomorrow, Bjork Wednesday, Big Day Out Friday, Joanna Newsom Saturday and Andrew Bird Monday…I think I’ll manage to see something decent.
