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MOGWAI

Post Rock/Math rock • United Kingdom


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Mogwai biography
Formed in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1995

Named for that famous Gremlin, MOGWAI is Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals-when there actually are vocals), Dominic Aitchison (guitar, bass) and Martin Bulloch (drums). MOGWAI are one of the most influentail post-rock bands of all time. They got together with the goal of creating "serious guitar music." What they've done is create seven (basically - five LPs and two compilations of singles) superb albums of gorgeous yet bombastic music. 98% instrumental, there are two sides to MOGWAI, a Dr. Jekyll side and a Mr. Hyde side. They can be melodic and beautiful and then anarchic and destructive, sometimes within the same track. Bands like BILLY MAHONIE and SLINT give a touchtone, but MOGWAI is truly unique.

Tracking down the literally dozens of splin 7" vinyl singles, compilation album contributions, etc, is exhausting and pointeless, because the band's done it for you. Two full-length compilations are out, "Ten Rapid" and "EP+6." Be careful when buying the latter. There's an "EP," and "EP+2," an "EP+4," a "No Education = No Future," and a "4 Satin." All these repeat themselves but are captured in full on "EP+6" - that's the one to get. At any rate, all the rare tracks that fell through the holes are available as free downloads from MOGWAI's official site.

The full albums are "Young Team," "Come On Die Young," "Rock Action," and "Happy Songs for Happy People," plus the single track 20 minute EP "My Father My King." There is a very stripped and organic feel to "Young Team," "Come On Die Young," and "My Father My King." There are more electronics covering "Rock Action" and "Happy Songs for Happy People." While all MOGWAI is highly recommended, "Rock Action" is the place to start. Also, "EP+6" minus one 13 minute noise track, is stupendous.

: : : BrainRock Ben, Birmingham, AL, USA : : :

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MOGWAI discography


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MOGWAI top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.55 | 121 ratings
Young Team
1997
3.38 | 8 ratings
Kicking A Dead Pig - Mogwai Songs Remixed
1998
2.92 | 76 ratings
Come On Die Young
1999
3.32 | 87 ratings
Rock Action
2001
3.87 | 197 ratings
Happy Songs For Happy People
2003
3.73 | 119 ratings
Mr. Beast
2006
3.32 | 39 ratings
Zidane - A 21st Century Portrait (OST)
2006
3.71 | 103 ratings
The Hawk Is Howling
2008
3.83 | 146 ratings
Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
2011
3.69 | 32 ratings
Les Revenants (OST)
2013
3.22 | 54 ratings
Rave Tapes
2014
3.64 | 25 ratings
Atomic (OST)
2016
3.20 | 30 ratings
Every Country's Sun
2017
4.23 | 17 ratings
Kin (OST)
2018
4.00 | 2 ratings
ZEROZEROZERO
2020
3.53 | 21 ratings
As the Love Continues
2021
5.00 | 1 ratings
Black Bird: Season 1 (OST)
2022

MOGWAI Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.92 | 21 ratings
Special Moves
2010
3.50 | 4 ratings
iTunes Festival: London 2011
2011

MOGWAI Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

MOGWAI Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.00 | 22 ratings
Ten Rapid (Collected Recordings 1996-1997)
1997
3.60 | 15 ratings
Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003
2005
2.19 | 7 ratings
A Wrenched Virile Lore
2012
3.87 | 6 ratings
Central Belters
2015

MOGWAI Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 1 ratings
Tuner/Lower
1996
3.80 | 6 ratings
4 Satin
1997
2.60 | 5 ratings
No Education = No Future (Fuck the Curfew)
1998
3.90 | 13 ratings
EP
1999
3.42 | 17 ratings
My Father, My King
2001
0.00 | 0 ratings
Travels in Constants, Vol. 12
2001
4.00 | 1 ratings
Travel is Dangerous
2006
3.08 | 6 ratings
Friend Of The Night
2006
2.23 | 3 ratings
Batcat
2008
3.59 | 13 ratings
Earth Division
2011

MOGWAI Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will by MOGWAI album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.83 | 146 ratings

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Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Mogwai Post Rock/Math rock

Review by sgtpepper

4 stars Having another ironic album name, reading "Hardcore will never die but you will" may fill you with disgust but the music itself is much more peaceful and has thankfully nothing to do with hardcore music. Comparing it to the previous album, this one feels like a slight retreat from heaviness. Instrumentals are well planned and executed if you don't mind repetitiveness. Mogwai has a good ear for melodies as witnessed on the first track "White noise" and the focused "Rano pano". "Dead rays" offers a dreamy introspective. "San Pedro" takes the volume up and will be a good fit for headbangers fully occupying the metal territory. "Letters to the metro" is a typical soundtrack track with lush keyboards, piano and features a country-toned guitar. This one and "Too raging to cheers" could easily fit to the "Les revenants" soundtrack with their atmospheric drive. The latter one has a very elegant chord sequence towards its end. The last track with its absurd name is a masterpiece of how a post-rock track should be developed in terms of intensity, though it is not the most inventive one but certainly a great live track. In my opinion, this album concludes the classic Mogwai era.
 The Hawk Is Howling by MOGWAI album cover Studio Album, 2008
3.71 | 103 ratings

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The Hawk Is Howling
Mogwai Post Rock/Math rock

Review by sgtpepper

4 stars "The hawk is howling" is perhaps my most favourite Mogwai album. Continuing on the winning streak started with "Happy music for happy people", this one has the band deepen their interest in instrumental crescendos with excellent post-rock guitar playing and majestic soundscapes (listen to "I'm James Morrison, I'm dead" and the elegant lush synths). Loud workouts include "Batcat" and the ominous "The precipice". The pop-friendly "The sun smells too loud" features a catchy guitar motive and organ. The witty-titled "I love, I'm going to blow up your school" has elegant guitar noodling in its first half, greatly supported by sensible drumming. In the end, the development of the song takes us to a metallic climax. "Thank you space expert" makes me feel like being in the universe and watch the Earth turn peacefully. With this release, Mogwai pushed the bar of their heavy and soft post-rock excellence even higher.
 Mr. Beast by MOGWAI album cover Studio Album, 2006
3.73 | 119 ratings

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Mr. Beast
Mogwai Post Rock/Math rock

Review by sgtpepper

4 stars Starting with Mr. Beast, top three Mogwai albums come to the horizon. Mogwai are mature, have deepened their signature sound while not resting on laurels with experimentation and they are not repeating themselves. To me, the typical Mogwai sound is defined by intensity shifts, atmospheric moods with mainly serious and dark subtones and on the other hand, softer tracks with good instrumental overplay. I don't particularly enjoy any of their sung tracks in their catalogue. On this album, we can hear the best of the description above, be it intensive "Glasgow Mega-Snake" and their dynamic ominous masterpiece "We're no here" which is absolutely devastating when heard live. On the soft side, "Auto rock" and "Friend of the night" draw the pack. Welcome is the addition of piano to be an equal partner to guitars. This album has no long tracks (over 6 minutes) which is perhaps the only drawback. Nice addition to any post-rock collection.
 Les Revenants (OST) by MOGWAI album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.69 | 32 ratings

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Les Revenants (OST)
Mogwai Post Rock/Math rock

Review by sgtpepper

3 stars I haven't seen the series but judging by the album cover, I was expecting some dark music. The expectation didn't disappoint me and I felt the striking beauty of the soundtrack when traveling back home in Central Europe amid bleak winter scenery and growing darkness.

Absent are intensive dynamic and metallic guitar riffs replaced by subdued performance where creating absorbing atmosphere is the foremost goal. The first 12 tracks are mainly of short length but well developed and for the first time, we can say that music is not guitar-based as keyboards dominate. To me, "Fridge music" stands out with its great dose of melancholy and warm textures. Thankfully, most tracks are instrumentals apart from the catchy folk-sounding "What are they doing in heaven today" that feels out of place here. Lastly, "Wizard motor" reminds us of the typical majestic Mogwai sound driven by guitars. With this soundtrack, Mogwai succeeded in delivering a mellow yet equally emotional and artistic work to their typical landmark post-rock sound. The other great soundtrack, on the other side of intensity but equally compelling is with "Atomic".

 Special Moves by MOGWAI album cover Live, 2010
3.92 | 21 ratings

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Special Moves
Mogwai Post Rock/Math rock

Review by sgtpepper

4 stars Taking into account Mogwai brevity on their live album selection, this is naturally the best candidate you can get. I've been to a few different post-rock band concerts and my attention depended on the material quality and intensity. I value dynamic atmospheric concerts a lot, especially the more ominous pieces. Mogwai has enough of them in their repertoire after their 2006 and 2008 albums (and their first one, too) so they can offer a compelling walk in the park (a rather dark one ;-)) This is not to say that mellow highlights like "Friend of the night" are omitted as well as other more reflective pieces "I Know You Are But What Am I". Playing is focused and very well carried out, the sound is excellent. You may miss a more lively atmosphere but personally, it doesn't distract from the atmosphere and listening experience. This live albums should please an overwhelming majority of Mogwai fans.

 Happy Songs For Happy People by MOGWAI album cover Studio Album, 2003
3.87 | 197 ratings

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Happy Songs For Happy People
Mogwai Post Rock/Math rock

Review by sgtpepper

3 stars On a supposedly happy album, the first song is anything but joyful. The song is very well written with constant development, be it it dark main motive or more peaceful with vocoder vocals. This one could have been longer. The second track is surprisingly pastoral, led by cello sounds. "Kids will be skeletons" is so dreamy, going over the small hills to the horizon with no worries, unless you read its pessimistic title. Then we have two weaker songs although their sound is welcoming and we have strings on "Killing all the flies" When you see an 8-minute Mogwai song length, it's bound to be a dynamic one. "Ratts of the capital" have a majestic feeling with heavy guitars, pounding drums and simple piano. "I know you are but what am I?" a striking keyboard (piano, synth) driven mellow song that extends Mogwai credentials for having a balanced ear. The culmination of the album is in the tension-filled "Stop coming to my house" that has an extended post-rock stamp. This album started marking the band's return to form (or they were on the way).
 Rock Action by MOGWAI album cover Studio Album, 2001
3.32 | 87 ratings

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Rock Action
Mogwai Post Rock/Math rock

Review by sgtpepper

3 stars On this album, the tone set is generally positive devoid of ominous tracks that would became quite common in the future. The title "Happy songs for happy people" would have suited better than "Rock action" unless meant ironic as this is one of the softer Mogwai albums. The long "Take me somewhere nice" is perhaps their most famous pop-friendly track, with a good sequence of chords and dreamy atmosphere. Apart from the "Secret pint" all the 3-4 minute tracks on this album are quite average to me. The highlights are the two long heavier "You don't know Jesus" that reminds of GYBE! and "2 rights make 1 wrong" gluing typical intensity contrasts with quite a tasty mellow part however it could have been 2 minutes shorter. Despite having only 38 minutes, it's not their strongest material.
 Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will by MOGWAI album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.83 | 146 ratings

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Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Mogwai Post Rock/Math rock

Review by Dapper~Blueberries
Prog Reviewer

4 stars It has been a while since I looked at a post rock album, let's change that. Post Rock as a whole has been sort of an enigma for me. Not that I do not like it but it sort of that odd genre of music that I never seem to fully understand. At one point it is about textures and lengthy suites with Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and then it becomes some kind of evolution to space rock and psych rock with Crippled Black Phoenix, to then be cryptic, loud, and abrasive experimental music with Swans. It is a genre that never really is what people say it is. When you think you know what the genre is about it shifts on your head like a dime. Each post rock band has something completely new, which does make the genre exciting. How will a band contrast the rest, how will things go for them? What is their method, their thought process, how do they play, what do they focus on? It is sort of a given that I found a sort of attachment to the genre, not a full blown obsession to it, but if given the chance I would definitely listen to an album by a post rock outfit. One of the most critically acclaimed post bands to come out and one I think is my personal favorite, is Mogwai.

Formed in Glasgow in the mid 90s, with Stuart Braithwaite on guitar and vocals, Dominic Aitchison on bass, Martin Bulloch on drums, and a few others that have gone and left throughout the band's career on various instruments, namely the keyboards or flute. Where most post bands have songs that feel very inconsolable, I always found Mogwai's music to be more celebratory. They are a happy brand of post rock, as happy as post rock can get. This, added on with their less atmospheric and more rock driven output makes them a very interesting band. Unlike other post bands, they never really made any longer songs too. They have made longer pieces of music like with Mogwai Fear Satan on their debut album, Young Team, and the two part untitled dark ambient suite on the Zidane OST, but relatively they focus on smaller songs that showcase a bit of what the band has to offer in terms of sound and style. This direction leads their albums to be a little divisive among fans. Someone's all time favorite will most likely differ from else's which leads this band into a more fun route to take for a conversation, because I truly think Mogwai is a great post rock band to start with and go through all their albums. That aside, in 2011 they released their seventh studio album (not including any remix albums, session albums, or soundtrack albums), Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will.

Now do not let the title fool you, this is not some loud and abrasive hardcore album filled with fast riffs and a punk nature, no, instead you will get some very well made post rock mixed with a bit of an alternative rock sound. The first song White Noise definitely shows this quite well. I can hear hints of more emo and softer rock vibes within this song in the pitter patters of the drums, and the soft yet defined guitars. It builds rich and defining atmospheric melodies that build into this noisy, yet somehow still very mellow and lush sound that is rich in its abilities. It feels all so squeezed up, but not like a fist being clenched, but like a hug. It is soft and warm, yet still has a tight grip on you. I think this is one of Mogwai's most defining tracks out there, and it is a shame it isn't as talked about as I would like it too. Definitely an amazing opening for this album.

Things do change with Mexican Grand Prix. While still post in nature, they shifted gears into a more EDM direction. I do admit this is my least favorite track on this album because it feels a little out of nowhere, and that it doesn't really fit with everything else this album has. It isn't a bad song though. I like the vibes on here, being very jovial and danceable while keeping the aesthetic Mogwai presents themselves having ever so truly. It is a fun track to listen to, but definitely not their strongest output.

Everything gets back up again with Rano Pano. Talk about being loud and proud, because this song is just noisy, and I honestly really like it. How the guitars create this airy yet thin atmosphere that gets built up more and more as the song progresses, with each beat of the drums making things expand more and more. It all gets louder and more crisp, which even despite all of this, it still has that very buoyant feel to it all. Even with style and sound changes the band still can create a very happy sound to it all. I cannot help but just love that main riff and how it repeats and never gets old. It is like how Mike Oldfield with Tubular Bells or Ommadawn made repetitious music that never gets forgettable or annoying in its structure. I feel like the more I talk about this song the more good I have to say about it, but that is just because I think it is another one of their many flawless greats.

This also goes to Death Rays, but I do have some critics on it, but from an album standpoint. As a song, it is just pretty. The melody and the structure of it all just hits everything right on the head of the nail. How it all builds towards a finish that feels so lush makes me just fall for this song each time I hear it. On an album stance though it feels like the band is back peddling when they do not need to. It feels like they are retreading similar steps from White Noise when it seems like this album is built off trying different styles and noises to create a complete work of art. It is something that slightly gets under my skin, which I think is really unfortunate because I really do love this song. It is still perfectly good, but I do see it as a tiny misstep.

However I do admit that San Pedro is such a good track. It dives head first into that sort of alt rock sound that was popular in the late 80s and 90s. It has this grunge and emo vibe to it all that it makes it feel like some anthem song for those who grew up on that type of music. I can tell this song might seem off putting to many people, but I do enjoy this song. It is different, it is something you do not get every day in the vein of post bands. It is taking a sound and style, and making it work in their own unique ways. It is short but it is fun to look at.

But on a completely different note, Letters To The Metro is such a comely track. I just love how it builds but never gets anything loud in the end. Instead we get beautiful piano and guitar works that build this ambient and somber sound. This is probably their most sad song yet. In their wake of mirthful melodies, they can definitely work really well with more dreary movements. This change in sound really helps the album move forward into new directions that I think benefits the album really well. It's calm, it's focused, and it is bittersweet.

We got back into that alt rock groove though with George Square Thatcher Death Party. We have that noisy, and emotional sound returning in full force, and much stronger now. Everything feels so right in it together that you can feel everything rolling into one complete work of art. It's alternative rock in its pure sense. It has that Sonic Youth drive, that My Bloody Valentine noise, and that Velvet Underground spunk. It is what the entire alt rock movements stand for and go by, and I just love it. A plus material as always.

We get back into a more post rock sound with How To Be A Werewolf. For some odd reason I find this song to be kinda on the weaker side of things. I feel like as I stated before with Death Rays that it feels like back peddling when they should instead move the music forward. Still isn't a bad song, but it does get under my skin in terms of effectiveness, since I already heard something like that before where it builds up to something loud and jovial. It is retreading on familiar territory that I do not think needs to be retreated.

I do, however, think Too Raging To Cheers is a good improvement on that sort of formula I talked about in How To Be A Werewolf where it builds up into something loud. Unlike How To Be A Werewolf, it instead uses the buildup to explore a more electronic sound rather than that of a rock one. The guitars are still there, but I get vibes from more glitchwave and even techno music. It allows itself to truly be unique in presentation without the need for going back a few steps. It is that type of post rock that deserves a lot more attention. It is a post rock that combines the slow, methodical, and atmospheric charge, with more nuanced and differing genres and sounds, and making it work highly well.

Lastly is You're Lionel Richie, and this final track sets a good end mark for this album. Tracks through that familiar post rock mixed with alt rock sound this album has had for the course of most of its run time, but going about it with a longer focus and atmosphere. This 8 minute track shows a good amount of intricate details that create for a good experience throughout it. How everything is guitar driven without it being overly distorted or loud until the halfway point where it quickly gets more loud as it crescendos across through the end, makes this track extremely well made in style, sound, and overall presentation, making for an ending that is very solid.

Definitely not their best, but far from their worst. It is flawed, but this album has a ton of stuff to love about it. The sound, the unique styles found here, the interesting elements used here, and the entire emotional spectrum this has, combining joyous movements, with somber tones and textures, makes this a treat in every way possible. Check it out if you wanna hear what Mogwai can do as an example of great post rock music.

 Kin (OST) by MOGWAI album cover Studio Album, 2018
4.23 | 17 ratings

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Kin (OST)
Mogwai Post Rock/Math rock

Review by moshkito

5 stars Mogwai KIN England 2018

To start with, the only thing that can be said about this album is that it is magnificent, and you don't need to see a film to appreciate its beauty as a CD. The music, its moods and designs are really well (either) thought out or designed, and the music flows well ... and some things seem to go together (not in the film) like "Funeral Pyre" and "Donuts" both excellent and simple in their design ... but the feeling is really well developed within it, and the film would not be able to show these in their entirety, however, it was used very nicely ... although when you hear the CD, you will find the music itself is really nice to follow and get into. But it is really easy to say that the film clarifies a lot of the music, and for me it added the visuals ... although that might be difficult with just the CD and not seeing the film, but you end up with a more complete "story" that the film can not exactly execute in its entirety.

The album starts with a very simple piano opening that one might think has some far off and weird bits behind it ... but it never takes away from the main theme of this film. It is "Eli's Theme" and it might be considered how the kid feels in the story of the film ... and it might have been written that way, which would be very different from a simple rock song based on a beat.

Continuing with the story of the film, "Scrap" adds a little more to the main theme and it seems to suggest that something is about to happen. This is also a magnificent piano based piece, and beautifully developed and realized. And we to "Flee", where we see Eli and his brother getting in a car and running away to escape ... something that is not clear as yet. This piece expands into a rock song, with really good development and its mood enhanced each and every second ...

For me, the two pieces that really make this outstanding for me, is "Funeral Pyre" and the follow up "Donuts". "Funeral Pyre" has a haunting suggestion that makes you think ... and it leads to "Donuts" which is a sumptuous affair with beautiful keyboards and soaring leads over it, that just stands out all over the album, though we can not hear all of it in the film.

It's difficult to try and explain so much of this material ... I think it is strictly designed to be visual and not just "music" and specially "rock music" feelings, and I found it lovely to be able to close my eyes and just fly with it. I had not even seen the film at that time, and this piece alone already had my imagination so fired up it was crazy. Of anyone creating music, specially film, I can only think of Vangelis as the true one ... although it is very difficult to leave behind so many folks that added so much to the film, as was the case with David Lean and others, who loved to use music.

The rest of the songs in this album, are a part of the film, and it might be difficult to expand and express their design and connection ... I have to watch the film again to see when "Miscreants" and "Guns Down" are, which would be around the last half or third of the film ... and then if you did not have enough, you get the title of the film and is "big" with a slight rock beat accompaniment ... which is something that this whole album seems to not want to fall into ... which makes it one of the great albums of music ... even without the film.

Seeing the film, will likely help you enjoy the music even more, because you will see how well it was used, and how well designed the music was!

A great album ...

5 STARS

======================================

This is the film review I have for this film and its soundtrack.

A very nice film, not usually the kind that I see, but somehow one thing got my attention ... the album of music by MOGWAI is massively great and beautiful, and immediately sent me chasing the film to see it ... and no sooner I got the DVD ... son of a gun ... I watched it twice, back to back, just because ... just because ... I don't know ... for once an "action" film, was not shot to be clever for its tricks and stuff ... but it used these things really well within the context of the story and made the film nice to watch ... and its music moments are magnificent, and not over done by film that make it look like music is so important to make this moment greater than it really is ... this film is already "alive" and the addition of the music in some parts, is extremely well done, and adds the right amount of feelings that your stomach and mine might have for the moment ... the music is not used for sentimental values and ideas ... it's used as a part of the film itself ... and that makes this film, special in many ways!

And for once, you do not get involved in this film for its clever, and science fiction styled details ... they just seem to be nicely setup maybe, just maybe with one exception towards the end, that I am not sure is necessary, but the film maker has the right to feel otherwise and show us the story as he sees it.

The story itself is probably open to interpretation but a kid, one that we would otherwise consider a "loser", finds a package that he takes home, and eventually learns it is some kind of weapon that does some serious damage ... and he learns to use it once or twice ... and then we come to the part that makes is a bit of the sci-fi thing ... the weapon was lost and there is a group trying hard to find it, and they finally locate it, and it helps (I think?) that it ends up clearing up the story of the kid ... and his apparent confusion and occasional lack of ability to make a decision, but when the time comes, somehow it appears to work just fine.

But he learns all this during what seems to be a cross country trip making an effort to escape ... and the only thing we know is that his brother is being pursued by bad guys and somehow the brothers are joined up by a dancer ... and Eli almost accidentally learns to work the big package.

And at the end, it is returned to its rightful place and the bad guys are done in. Eli has grown up a little, and the dancer goes her own way! No love story here ... just friends that meet on the way to .... and this is how the film feels ... and I think this is the part of the film that is far out ... we don't think of it as some sci-fi thing ... and we just hope that the bad guys all go away ... etc, etc ...

For me, a very enjoyable film, and seeing the music used properly in the film instead of just a background a la Hollywood ... shows some serious maturing and understanding from the brothers that wrote and directed this film.

It is a wonderful exercise ... a low key film, that works ... and doesn't have to show off its clever tricks to gain an audience.

4 GIBLOONS

Band Members: Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals) Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals) Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar) Martin Bulloch (drums)

 As the Love Continues by MOGWAI album cover Studio Album, 2021
3.53 | 21 ratings

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As the Love Continues
Mogwai Post Rock/Math rock

Review by The Rain Man
Prog Reviewer

3 stars Mogwai are a 4-piece post rock band from Glasgow, Scotland and "As the Love Continues" is their 10th studio album. I have always been a passive fan of Mogwai. I must admit the only previous records I ever got really into were "Rock Action" and "Mr Beast". I did go and see them once at the Barrowlands and they are some live band. The reason why I got into this album was very much because of the hype leading up to it. If you follow the bands twitter account, you will know exactly what I mean as the band pushed for number 1 in the album charts for their first time in their history and they did achieve it. It was something to behold with many bands retweeting Mogwai's pleas to stream/buy their album. Everyone in the rock community and beyond wanted to see them do it. I do not know the last time an instrumental rock album got to number 1 but I think you would have to go back several years. A truly astonishing feat. Now to get into the album itself. On the surface and after a few listens it does give the feel of a typical Mogwai album. Those kinds of songs which build and build then reaching crashing climax and create this wall of sound. Which if turned up loud will go right through you. But on further inspection while I would say this is the case for most songs on the album. Not only are their exceptions; But the songs which do follow this quiet/loud formula do so by going in different directions to get to that wall of sound destination. For example, "Here We, Here We, Here We Go Forever" has an electronic vibe throughout the song, particularly at the start. Then that is followed by "Dry Fantasy" which uses keyboards and is a song which does not actually peak and acts as more of an interlude. "F off money" goes along the same lines as "Dry Fantasy" to begin with but has a heavier mid and end section.

Opener "To the bin my friend..." is perhaps more what you would expect from Mogwai being this heavy and driving guitars. "Ceiling Granny", "Drive the Nail" and "Supposedly, We Were Nightmares" also follow this pattern and are a great reminder of what made Mogwai so good in the first place. "Pat Stains" for me is for me the weakest moment on the album. It just feels like the build-up has this same loop going round and round which gets irritating. Then the main part or the chorus goes into another repetitive loop and those two loops go back and forward for the entire song which lasts 7 minutes. A very skippable track.

A track which really stands out like a sore thumb on the album is "Ritchie Sacramento". The reason being it is one of the few tracks Mogwai have ever done (and I do not know exactly how many times they have done this) that has vocals on them. Now do not get me wrong it is a chirpy we number, which has a Teenage Fanclub sort of vibe. It is a good song. But does it fit on a post rock album and should it be something that a post rock band does? To me it feels like they have broken the rules when it comes to post rock music. No singing allowed :-P. I know rules are there to be broken but this song does feel out of place on this album and maybe should be left to a side project. It is clear though that the vocalist can sing though.

Another track which stands out for me and is currently my favourite on the album is "Midnight Flit". The reason for this is because they didn't have that wall of noise, I was talking about earlier so it is a bit different. What they do have in this song is a string section which adds so much to the song. I think when you talk about bands evolving now and doing something different. It seems like the first answer is to bring in a string section. Look at the Foo Fighters latest album and the song "Waiting on a War". Then there are bands like Travis, Alter Bridge and Bring me the horizon doing gigs with orchestras. Strings seem to be in just now and are a way giving bands that extra dynamic and I have to say I love it. And I love the way Mogwai have used strings on this track as they really are in the foreground of the mix.

Overall, this album has been a slow burner for me. Initially I thought this was just a run of the mill Mogwai album with their quiet loud approach but on further inspection they have used things like electronics and strings to make things more interesting. Even if it was just the quiet/loud approach there are not many bands that do it to quite the same level as Mogwai. There is a reason they have been around for 25 years and have been one of the top bands in their genre all that time too. Reaching number one was not just a triumph for post rock, it was a triumph for rock music in general.

Thanks to ProgLucky for the artist addition. and to Quinino for the last updates

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