Glenn Branca - The Ascension (1981) [SAA Album Club discussion thread]

[TockTockTock]

Originally Posted by Skaligojurah

It's a good album. Get the feeling I might need to give it another listen but definitely original. Not standout, to be honest, but nothing seeps below great.

I thought the same until I listened to it again. I was surprised to see how layered everything was and how each guitar contributed greatly to making it sound complex, even though it's very minimalistic. The third time around, it was like listening to an orchestra, except it was with guitars that gave off a very clean sound (which is strange because on the first listen it seems a bit noisy/drone-ish). I can definitely see how Branca's work inspired bands like Sonic Youth because his influence on them is very evident.

That's probably the best thing about this album, every time I hear it it sounds a bit different each time (but then again, that's with a lot of music - especially experimental).