MR. BEAST

Mogwai's latest release is a success. I was very nervous to play this album. Well, not really. I was more suspicious. I found it to be a well put-together album, and found it somewhat different than previous Mogwai music. This album, as a whole, seemed a little bit closer to alt-rock being that its definitely guitar heavy, with plenty of distortion (but a different kind than I'm used to with Mogwai.) While none of the tracks really stood out in a huge way, as an album I thought it had a strong grip.

Happy Songs is still their best album, but this is a strong follow-up, and if you have liked earlier Mogwai, you'll like this one. It will more than likely surprise you. Although it maintains that somewhat depressing Mogwai feel, it does it in an entirely new way. Post-rock fans will be content with this album. Less die-hard fans will either like the semi-alt change, or despise it. Haowever, this is a must for hardcore fans. 4 stars.