MR. BEAST

While the two direct predecessors had a relatively similar style it´s obvious that Mogwai wanted to try something a little different on "Mr. Beast". The music is still predominantly instrumental, but "Mr. Beast" features more vocals than any album preceding it. The biggest difference between "Mr. Beast" and its two predecessors though is that Mogwai have added a heavy element to some of the track on the album. I´m almost reminded of post-metal on tracks like "Were No Here", "I Chose Horses" (the ending), and especially "Glasgow Mega-Snake".

"Mr. Beast" of course features much more than heavy riffs, and the melodic building structures that were by then a trademark of Mogwai´s sound are still very much present here. There are some beautiful piano motifs on the album too (just listen to "Friend of the Night") which add greatly to the generally melancholic atmosphere of the album. "Acid Food", "Travel is Dangerous", and "I Chose Horses" which are the tracks on the album featuring vocals are all strong, but the vocals are relatively restrained and don´t stand out as something unique. They are great for the atmosphere on the album though and great for the diversity too.

"Mr. Beast" features an organic and well sounding production job, which suits the material perfectly. It´s a sound production which helps the material shine and emphasize the dynamic nature of the band´s music. Mogwai are a skilled band and their interplay is strong, and again I have to mention the word dynamic to describe their playing style and the strength of it. Upon conclusion "Mr. Beast" is a high quality release by Mogwai and it´s great to hear that the band are not done experimenting with their sound, trying out new things. This time around playing more heavy and intense parts. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

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