DO MAKE SAY THINK
London Highbury Garage 28th September 2000

Do Make Say Think have been plagued with comparisons to Godspeed You Black Emperor ever since they first got attention in the UK. It's easy to see why - they're both Canadian instrumental bands on the same label (Constellation) with two drummers each - so for lazy folks it's a fine way to introduce them.
However, DMST have a sound of their own. They verge towards the jazzier side of post-rock, a fact underlined tonight by the lack of keyboard player and addition of trumpet and euphonium. With a fine second album ('Goodbye Enemy Airship the Landlord is Dead') to concentrate on they have no shortage of strong material, and they even throw in a couple of impressive new tunes too. Their sound is driven along by Justin Small's twangy hollow-bodied guitar picking out the melodies and adding atmospheric reverb along the way. The horn players impress me too, with their swapping between sax, trumpet and even flute and euphonium - not to metion the two drummers!
'The Landlord is Dead' and the moody 'When the Day Chokes the Night' are two definite highlights, although the closing tune 'Minmin' is absolutely stunning. Based around a minimal guitar piece it rises and rises til the whole band are completely fired up. I suppose they'll be gone til well into next year, but this lot are well worth seeing. Meanwhile, get the records!
(8/10)
Slow Thrills