G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! (2021)

Godspeed You! Black Emperor (GY!BE) delivered a powerful statement with G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END!, released on April 2, 2021. Created during a period of global upheaval, the album is not just a musical experience but a resonant call to action. Recorded at the Hotel2Tango studio in Montreal and released under the Constellation Records label, the album weaves together the band’s signature post-rock sound with urgent political themes.

Spanning 52 minutes and 38 seconds, the album features eight tracks. The opening piece, "A Military Alphabet", maintains the band’s tradition of layered and expansive compositions, while shorter tracks like "Fire at Static Valley" and "OUR SIDE HAS TO WIN (For D.H.)" offer intense and impactful experiences. Throughout, the album conveys a journey from melancholy to hope, underscored by the band's signature atmospheric depth.

Critically acclaimed, the album was described by Pitchfork as one of the band’s most melodic and powerful works. G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! reaffirms Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s commitment to both musical innovation and political expression.

Album Line-Up

The album’s line-up showcases the band’s rich instrumental diversity, further elevated by the visual contributions of 16mm projections.

• Efrim Manuel Menuck – Electric guitar, OP-1, radios
• Mike Moya – Electric guitar
• David Bryant – Electric guitar, MG-1
• Mauro Pezzente – Bass guitar
• Thierry Amar – Bass guitar, double bass
• Sophie Trudeau – Violin, organ
• Aidan Girt – Drums
• Timothy Herzog – Drums, glockenspiel
• Karl Lemieux – 16mm projections
• Philippe Leonard – 16mm projections

Tracklist

1. A Military Alphabet (five eyes all blind) [4521.0kHz 6730.0kHz 4109.09kHz] – (6:39): The opening track immerses the listener in a dense atmosphere of radio frequencies and orchestral arrangements.
2. Job's Lament – (10:20): A sprawling and layered composition that enhances the album’s emotional depth with its melancholic tones.
3. First of the Last Glaciers – (6:45): A faster, more melodic track that highlights the band’s dynamic energy.
4. Where We Break How We Shine (Rockets for Mary) – (6:30): Combining experimental and meditative elements, this track offers a contemplative journey.
5. Fire at Static Valley – (6:07): One of the shortest tracks on the album, its minimalist structure creates an intense, atmospheric experience.
6. "Government Came" (9980.0kHz 3617.1kHz 4521.0kHz) – (5:40): A dark and unsettling piece, interwoven with radio frequencies, adding a foreboding tone to the album.
7. Cliffs Gaze / cliffs' gaze at empty waters' rise / ashes to the river – (7:45): A melancholic and cinematic track, showcasing the band’s ability to create vast, atmospheric soundscapes.
8. OUR SIDE HAS TO WIN (For D.H.) – (6:30): The closing track delivers an epic finale filled with hope and resilience, leaving a lasting impact.