How many avant-garde Canadian post-instrumentalists does it take to screw in a light bulb? I don’t know, but Godspeed You! Black Emperor hasn’t done anything lately, so maybe they can tell you. Okay, that was a cheap shot, but the once darlings of the True North’s orchestral rock scene have lapsed in their steady progression of records and, um, progressiveness, making room for bands like their thunder-stealing Montreal neighbours (yes, I added the “u”) the Arcade Fire and Toronto’s Do Make Say Think. While Arcade Fire has been getting most of the press, Do Make Say Think has been steadily growing and deserves some due. The collective’s 2007 release You, You’re a History in Rust (Constellation) breaks beyond the band’s usual instrumental experimentation. They keep the challenging but engaging exercises in beautiful noise but trade their uncompromisingly structured songs for more traditional fare—like verse-chorus-verse and some lyrics—and surprisingly play out a record that feels like a keenly plotted narrative. Guests include members of Akron/Family adding vocals. As if DMST dudes Ohad Benetrict and Charles Spearin haven’t been busy enough helming their own group of clever misfits, they were also drafted into Broken Social Scene for Kevin Drew’s solo vision Spirit If… which is just out on the Arts & Crafts imprint and certain to be among many of the year end “Best Of” lists. And You, You’re a History in Rust ought to make a few, too! Bare Flames opens the show.

Saturday, October 6 at 9pm. Soundlab, 110 Pearl Street (bigorbitgallery.org/soundlab). $13 advance/$15 at the door.