Mono

Even though post-rock has, for the most part, gone the way of the hefty albatross over here in North America, with only a handful of groups (People for Audio and Tarentel spring to mind) pushing it forward to anywhere interesting and scores of mediocre ones over-saturating its presence, it’s refreshing to see the Japanese picking up the torch and actually setting it ablaze. Mono are the Japanese, post-rock lovin’ quartet in question, and they take major notes from Godspeed You! Black Emperor without sounding like just another wannabe rehash — mostly because their epic instrumentals resonate with that same hopeful, weary sadness GY!BE channelled so well. Since the release of 2003’s Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined, Mono’s reputation has spread far and wide, gaining them a considerable following. You Are There pairs them once again with no-frills producer Steve Albini, and right off the bat it’s a more paired down, less winding, grandiose, and pretentious, and thereby stronger affair than Walking Cloud. Fans of post-rock’s past triumphs will relish in You Are There’s