Composer Reacts to Black Midi - The Race Is About To Begin (REACTION & ANALYSIS)

[@mickjager]

Probably my favourite album of last year. It's so fun and creative. This song isn't really the best introduction I think, as it's one of the longer and more chaotic tracks, but that's also why fans love it so I get it. Personally Sugar/Tzu is probably my favourite, but Eat Men Eat and Dangerous Liasons are also loads of fun!

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

Awesome track. This easily could've been a track for "Positive Confusion" week, lol. I remember being impressed with the past Black Midi songs we've heard, but this is the first one I've heard that really made think I need to check out this band. In the other tracks we've heard I could hear the influences, but here they really sound like their own thing. It's super postmodern, and while I can pick out individual elements that sound familiar--the mathcore instrumental work, the jazzy/loungey elements, the rapid spoken word vocal delivery--together they sound like a collage that got smashed together to create its own hybrid creature that's neither fish nor fowl. Will definitely have to give these guys a discog run.

[@StringHead92]

This is a really fun track, and even if I went with Dangerous Liasons in the poll (I felt you'd like it better, or at least it'd be more fun), this one is the highlights in the record. This album is amazing and it's a concept record about the horrors of war, so here the race is most likely a metaphore for something else. What exactly I have no clue. This is such a King Crimson-esque song, especially in the chaotic first half, and I really dig that. They still give it their own spin, no surprise there. Great analysis as always, Bryan!

[@TeddymanYT]

Would say the horrors of war only are the themes of Welcome to hell and The Race being the continuation of Tristan Bongos story and him gambling his life away, the rest are other stories of how they ended up in hell.

[@StringHead92]

@@TeddymanYT oh, I agree. I was just mentioning what seems to be the overall consensus about the album's topics. The Race... following tyat character still covers the aftermath of war when it comes to his mental health, so to an extent it's still about war, just not focusing on the actual event or the big scale impact. Although I'd say other tracks do cover war too imo, at least in a metaphorical sense, like Sugar/Tzu (this one just is in the name) and Eat Men Eat.

[@EzioMonty117]

It's interesting that you bring up the "old timey *radio static*" and parts of it reminding you of a radio announcer as there is an interlude before this song on the album where it starts off with static and radio dialing before transitioning into a radio announcer (who is an actual radio announcer called Radio Rahim btw) introducing the next song so you're on to something here. Anyways, really enjoyed your analysis and it's always nice to see more black midi on the channel.

[@iggypopdrop3509]

Some of the best expressions I've seen from Bryan. 🤣

[@CriticalReactions]

Some songs are perfect "reaction" music even for you not-so-typical reactor 😄

[@oblivionmad82]

You just made me do double take.

[@marshallgrey2159]

the second I saw the thumbnails I couldn't hold outloud "oooooohhhh boy" black midi is a modern legends

[@govs213]

Not very familiar with this band. However, I will be getting weird at bonnaroo to watch their set. I’m not gonna really dive into their music until after the festival. I love the surprise of having no clue where a song/set is going live.

[@radiofoot1035]

You're gonna have a blast!

[@mickjager]

I've seen them live last year, and they were reeaaalllyy good. Enjoy!

[@noahhutchison7503]

Did you see them?? I was there too

[@puddlesplashers]

I think you might like their song near DT, MI because it's their most strictly post-hardcore song. their first album probably has some of their most accessible work.

[@marshallgrey2159]

Felt like listening to The Rite of Spring

[@ganazby]

‘Wow’ is the word.

[@markphillips3186]

As a listener, not a musician. I love the chaos. One of my favourite bands from last year, along with YardvAct and Black Country, New Road. Just curious would you categorise their style, or approach, as Avantgarde or Progressive?

[@CriticalReactions]

I'd go with Progressive but I think the terms are subjective to time. This would have been Avant-garde a couple decades ago and might be considered mainstream or tame in another 50 years. It's certainly doing it's own thing though.

[@MujikMunkey]

Hey you said you would love to see a lyrical analysis and it just so happens a great one was released recently. “A journey through hell(fire) and back” on youtube by heinos

[@CriticalReactions]

Ooooo 1 hour video on it too. Yup, that's added to my watch list

[@radiofoot1035]

8:07 he was so shocked he turned into Owen Wilson

[@vishalkandulna3408]

Great song, I love black midi😍😍

[@jtenaz]

A little Trout Mask Replica feel here

[@Natshara]

They actually covered a song off that album (Moonlight on Vermont) on a cover EP they released early 2022.

[@gabrieltarikh226]

Its literally a ripoff on king crimson song"neurotica"

[@jaydenwhitlen1489]

​@@gabrieltarikh226 the only similarity is the talking and complex music they're not the same

[@aniruddhagowda8072]

I think you can check out Genius site for lyrical analysis.

[@marcofranco42]

hello Bryan

[@CriticalReactions]

Hi! What's up?

[@francis-808]

Sounds like the band did their best imitation of Trout Mask Replica-except not as good. My issue with a lot of contemporary ‘avant-rock’ bands is their insistence on empty technical virtuosity and lack of compositional ability. These guys can play their instruments, but that’s the best one can say about their musical abilities.

[@gwety4496]

mfs were saying this about king crimson in the 70s lol ur just a hater

[@papertoymonsters2748]

Are you a musical composer?

[@scootaymildo1070]

Listen to more than one track of theirs dude. Snap judgements like this just makes one look silly. This is probably their most Avant Garde track; it's pretty much a novelty tune that's purposefully all over the place as it references a bunch of earlier songs on the album. They cover a whole range of styles, they're certainly not confined to being just "avant-rock'.

[@noahhutchison7503]

What Scooty said I understand feeling overwhelmed or not really understanding what they're doing if this song is your introduction to black midi, but you're really putting your foot in your mouth to just say it's "empty technical virtuosity". This album is probably their most consistent thematically, and it's full of these moments that just ooze the feeling of old cinema- interesting characters, vivid scenes, etc. In a lot of ways some of these songs work like vignettes, all exploring the ideas of sin, evil, vice, etc. It's like a Hieronymous Bosch painting in sonic form. Give it another try, you'll come to Jesus eventually ("Best imitation of TMR"?? Wtf??)

[@daaavid6344]

dude trout mask replica sucks

[@AG-lm5uf]

Crap

[@AG-lm5uf]

@@ar3l22 The Smile

[@noahhutchison7503]

Cap