mind blender : February 2015

Have A Nice Life is an American post-punk band, founded in Connecticut in 2000 by Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga. The band is known for their unique style of post-punk, which includes several shoegaze, industrial, ambient, and drone elements.

Back in 2013 was my first touch with this amazing band. Their harsh and at the same time so soothing scent helped me distinguish new, never seen before, specters of grey, black and white. Made me feel with my eyes and see with my heart. Truly amazing.

I wish I could turn back time over and over again to listen to their records for the first time forever.

Deathconsciousness, 2008
must-listen tracks: Bloodhail, Hunter

The Unnatural World, 2014
must-listen tracks: Defenestration Song, Burrial Society

Voids, 2010
must-listen tracks: Sisyphus, Destinos

Time of land (EP), 2010
must-listen tracks: Woe Unto Us

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra (previously A Silver Mt. Zion, The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band with Choir and Thee Silver Mountain Reveries) is a group led by founding Godspeed You Black Emperor! guitarist Efrim Menuck, together with other Godspeed members Sophie Trudeau and Thierry Amar.

To some extent, A Silver Mt. Zion was born out of a desire on the part of the Godspeed players to work in a smaller musical ensemble; in effect, to escape some of the constraints that often accompany writing and arranging music democratically with nine musicians. As well, Efrim simply wanted a vehicle to realize some of his own musical ideas that would not necessarily work well within the context of Godspeed.

For the band's second and third records, the line-up expanded to six players, including Rebecca Foon, Ian Ilavsky and Jessica Moss, and the band re-named as The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-la-la Band. Scott Levine Gilmore joined the band for Horses In The Sky, and now there were seven.

In 2010, the band was reduced to a quintet : Efrim, Thierry, Jessica, Sophie and new member David Payant.

Where to start?

He Has Left Us Alone
But Shafts Of Light Sometimes
Grace The Corner Of Our Rooms…, 2000
must-listen track: 13 Angels Standing
Guard 'Round The Side Of Your Bed.