Do Make Say Think is a post-rock band from
Toronto, first formed in . While their debut (self-titled) album was not
originally released on Constellation in , it was reissued by the label , and the band has worked almost
exclusively with Constellation since then. Do Make
Say Think consists of several multi-instrumentalists and features a wide
variety of instrumentation in their music, but they are perhaps best known
instrumentation-wise for their bass guitar work and double drumming (James Payment and Dave Mitchell both drumming for the band). The band is closely associated with
Broken Social Scene, an experimentalindie rock collective featuring Ohad Benchetrit and
Charles Spearin of Do Make Say Think. Having released seven
(eight, if you count “The Whole Story Of Glory”) full-length
records as of this writing, Do Make Say Think continues to be one of the
most influential, well-respected, and unique bands associated with the
“post-rock” label.
DMST were originally very inspired by the music of seminal
Chicagopost-rockers Tortoise (and members of DMST have since worked with
Tortoise drummer John McEntire as part of
Broken Social Scene). Do Make Say Think’s self-titled album retains the dub and krautrock influences of Tortoise, albeit with
DMST’s trademark double-drumming sound, significant use
of wind instruments, some oddly catchy melodies and basslines,
and even a heavy release-of-buildup section (see: “Disco &
Haze”). Later releases somewhat downplayed these electronic influences, favoring a style even more influenced
by american folk music than “Do Make Say Think” already was. The
influence of deeply electronic forms of music like the
aforementioned dub and krautrock,
combined with the influence of american folk music, the band’s
complex/unusual but coherent (and often essentially monothematic(!))
compositional structures, use of a wide variety of instrumentation and of
improvisation, unique double-drumming and bass guitar styles, and essentially punk
& DIY ethic (similar to
labelmates Godspeed You! Black Emperor and A Silver Mt. Zion) has
made Do Make Say Think the fiercely unique and respected post-rock band that we know today.
notes on the distributions
The cassette listed here as “[demo]” has an uncertain release
date (as it was never officially “released” per se, being a
simple cassette demo); it may have been released in (and this is the date given by Discogs), or
possibly in or perhaps even sometime in before the release of their debut. It was uncovered
in , with the details and some recordings
posted to the Weird Canada
blog
(archived).
Theres not much to do in Toronto on Tuesday night. Mabie yer friends and
their problems have got the best of you and if its February on top of that,
yer doomed. The highest of praise for the 8-track comes at these moments. The
songs recorded are the purest of inspiration. Not intended for anyone elses
ears but your own at the time. They are "the undeniable truths". Because
after the stolen bikes, stoned Sunday afternoons, bounced rent cheques,
awkward conversations with x-girlfriends, sunsets, pet deaths, first kisses
and last goodbyes itsa good idea to hit play & record. Yes.
“The Whole Story Of Glory” was a Japan-only
tour CD.
On “Stubborn Persistent Illusions”, “As Far as the Eye Can
See” is the alternative title for “d=3.57√h”. The title
used here is the one associated with the digital release (presumably used for
its ability to be accurately represented in Unicode…), as listed on the
official bandcamp page.
![cover art for “[demo]”](demo.jpg)
![liner notes [1]](goodbye-liner-notes-1.jpg){kind=link}
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![liner notes [1]](and-yet-liner-notes-1.jpg){kind=link}
![liner notes [1]](winter-hymn-liner-notes-1.jpg){kind=link}
![liner notes [2]](winter-hymn-liner-notes-2.jpg){kind=link}
![unknown [1]](other-truths-unknown-1.jpg){kind=link}
![unknown [1]](stubborn-reverse-unknown-1.jpg){kind=link}
