Many writers like to work while listening to wordless background music. They need tunes that will keep them awake but not distracted. To help them, I compiled this list of instrumental rock bands that play music neither as sleep-inducing as New Age nor as busy as most jazz or some post-rock bands that often come up on the first search for instrumental rock music.
1. Explosions in the Sky – This Austin group is less noisy than the name suggests. The four-piece instrumental rock band plays spare, beautiful music that recalls Ride and the other shoegazer bands – but without lyrics. The band is well-known to fans of both the movie and TV series “Friday Night Lights.” The group was commissioned to write most of the movie music, and the instrumental tracks throughout the TV show are largely from the band’s previous releases. Watch a video of the band here.
2. Christopher O’Riley – This Chicago native dabbles in many things, but is most famous for playing classical piano interpretations of Radiohead and Elliott Smith songs. Unlike some tribute bands, this is not merely aping or mocking the music. It’s performed out of true love and adulation for the music. Radiohead fans really ought to complete their collection with his two discs of Radiohead compositions. He is bringing the best of rock music to a classical crowd while acclimating indie rock fans to the classical aesthetic. Watch a Radiohead performance here.
3. Rodrigo y Gabriela – A Mexican duo that has been called the lost lovechild of the Gipsy Kings and Metallica, Rodrigo y Gabriela plays enchanting metal on acoustic guitars. Though the pair is best known for a cover of “Stairway to Heaven,” it plays some of the most creative and engaging instrumental rock music on the current scene.
4. Pelican – This band plays slightly heavier instrumental rock than the first few groups. Fans of progressive rock and melodic metal will enjoy Pelican’s interesting arrangements that don’t have the distraction of typically loud, aggressive metal singers.
5. The Album Leaf – Hailing from California, the Album Leaf is a stage name for Jimmy LaValle. His work has been compared to Sigur Ros, the beautiful Icelandic band with a few too many lyrics to make this list. Likewise, be warned that the Album Leaf records have an occasional song with words, but it’s mostly simple, gorgeous instrumental rock music. http://www.albumleaf.com/
6. The Beastie Boys – You have to be careful with this one. Most of the B Boys’ great catalog is full of words, beats and noises more conducive to parties than productive work. But the band has two great discs of instrumental music. The latest was 2007’s “The Mix-Up.” Before that, they had made a compilation of previously released instrumentals “The In Sound From Way Out!” Those who may think of the Beastie Boys as just noisy rockers and rappers should give each of these discs a chance.
