He Has Left Us Alone, but Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms ...
| He Has Left Us Alone, but Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms ... | ||||
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| Studio album from A Silver Mt. Zion | ||||
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Publication |
March 13, 2000 (Europe) |
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| Label (s) | Constellation Records | |||
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Format (s) |
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Title (number) |
8th |
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running time |
47:11 |
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| occupation |
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Efrim Menuck |
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Studio (s) |
hotel2tango ( Montreal ) |
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He Has Left Us Alone but Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms… is the debut album by the Canadian post-rock band A Silver Mt. Zion , which is now called Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band publish. The album was recorded in 1999 by guitarist Efrim Menuck and bassist Thierry Amar at the hotel2tango in Montreal , mostly during breaks in the tours of Godspeed You! Black Emperor . It was released by the Montreal record label Constellation Records on March 27, 2000.
Overview
The album was born out of Efrim Menuck's desire to record something for his dog Wanda. Wanda died of cancer while Godspeed You! Black Emperor were on tour. Menuck described recording the album as a Jewish experience due to his contacts with a small Jewish community in Montreal . Menuck also explained that because of this Jewish community, the album title and the songs were influenced by Judaism , although the band never wanted to make it seem obvious. Nevertheless there are clear Jewish motifs in the song Movie (Never Made) . There are references to the Hora dance there .
The album was supposed to be called He Has Left Us Alone at first , but this title was too weak for the band and wouldn't convey the desired mood. Menuck also said he didn't understand why song titles or album titles should only be a few words long and totally precise. Menuck believes that many words can describe things like this. This would add personality and sensitivity to the work.
On the original LP release, the songs were combined in two tracks. On the CD, the songs were listed in four parts each, resulting in eight songs. The CD artwork gives imprecise song lengths as they have been rounded up.
The song 13 Angels Standing Guard 'round the Side of Your Bed appeared in the film Mister Lonely by Harmony Korine as well as in the crime scene "The gentle death" .
Tracklist
LP
- Page A : Lonely as the Sound of Lying on the Ground of an Airplane Going Down - 23:16
- Side B : The World Is SickSICK; (So Kiss Me Quick)! - 23:52
CD
- Broken Chords Can Sing a Little - 8:40
- Sit In the Middle of Three Galloping Dogs - 5:08
- Stumble Then Rise on Some Awkward Morning - 6:05
- Movie (Never Made) - 3:23
- 13 Angels Standing Guard 'round the Side of Your Bed - 7:22
- Long March Rocket or Doomed Airliner - 0:05
- Blown-Out Joy from Heaven's Mercied Hole - 9:47
- For Wanda - 6:38
Web links
- He Has Left Us Alone but Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms… on the Constellation Records website