Review: Efrim Manuel Menuck at the Rickshaw Stop
As I walk into the Rickshaw Stop on a rainy sunday night, I'm a little bit surprised to find that it's almost empty, save 10 or 15 folks milling about on the dance floor or leaning against the bar. I saw Godspeed You! Black Emperor at the Fox Theater last May and the large theatre was packed, and while I certainly didn’t expect attendance on that scale, I figured more of that crowd would relish the opportunity to see the band’s enigmatic co-founder in a more intimate and less high-concept environment. I'm even more surprised to see that Efrim Menuck [...]
Preview: Efrim Menuck at Rickshaw Stop
(photo: Louise Michel Jackson) Efrim Menuck, known for founding Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, plays meandering and eerie music for the end of the world. His latest solo release, Pissing Stars (2018), is simultaneously similar to his other projects while also pushing past and incorporating new sounds. The opening track incorporates drones that evoke memories of some of the more ambient Godspeed tracks, but with a layer of harsh noise reminiscent of early Animal Collective. As a whole, this album feels on the edge of collapse, more so than Menuck’s more post-rock related work. [...]