Do Make Say Think: You, You're a History in Rust

Label: Constellation

What a year for post-rock 2007 was. And Toronto’s Do Make Say Think made as good a record as the genre has given us in years with You, You’re a History in Rust (post-rock bands are not allowed to have short album titles; it’s the law). For DMST, it’s perhaps their most cohesive and satisfying record yet. A jumble of genres, from Four Tet-ish folktronica to crescendo-building post-rock to melodic indie rock (there are vocals on this one), History in Rust has a beautiful flow to it and never sounds cluttered. And while other post-rock outfits have been guilty at times of meandering and pointless virtuosity, DMST is a remarkably tight band, one obviously inspired by its environs (the band has been known to record in barns and the like) to make music that’s as poignant as it is powerful. They know when to shift gears, when to pull back, and when to turn things up a notch, making History in Rust a true album of peaks and valleys best absorbed as a whole. Hit shuffle at your own peril. (James)