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Mogwai - Mr. Beast CD (album) cover

MR. BEAST

Mogwai

 

Post Rock/Math rock

3.73 | 119 ratings

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JLocke
Prog Reviewer
3 stars These guys put me to sleep . . . in a good way.

Unlike many similar-sounding bands, Mogwai manages to entrance the listiner with their mellow, dream- like sequences of sound painting. The bulk of the material is instrumental, but that's fine; ;yrics really aren't required for this type of music.

''Mr. Beast'' is the first record by this band I have listened to, and I must say I am very impressed by the unconventional beauty and warmth present here. Even during the darker and heavier tunes, the band never ceases to soothe and comfort my ears.

Alot of this record has the potential of sounding repetitive or stagnant, so it's certainly not for everyone, but if you are willing to go out on a limb and clear your mind of any preconceptions (which in my opinion should be practed every time a new band is listened to), you will most likely fall in love like I did with Mr. Beast and Mogwai as a whole.

A few points I should make, however: if you want epic, soaring soundscapes with prolific themes, constantly-changing time signatures and memorable melodies, this will almost certainly dissapoint you. Mogwai isn't really a band-oriented or even a prog-oriented group at the end of the day. Their focus seems to be primarily on the guitar and what interesting soundscapes that particular instrument can produce. This means that the other musicians, technically skilled or not, almost always take a backseat position in the mixes and playing styles, giving more room for the lead guitarist to do his thing.

If you want technicallity, go listen to some early Genesis, because this band, wow top-notch musicians, don't really seem to have any desire to flaunt their skills. This is very ambient and atmospheric music, and if you are expecting anything more, you aren't going to 'get' Mogwai right away, if ever. If you just accept that they are good players who produce decent, interesting music, then I'm sure you will love them.

This is the type of music that you would want to hear as you drive through a brightly-lit cityscape at twilight, or when you are relaxing in the comfort of your home. It's not really About layers and virtuostic elements, but that doesn't make them unenjoyable.

However, I myself find my heart really lies with the more band-oriented and lyrical fronts, so I can't honestly give this type of stuff any more than three stars unless it completely knocks me out. So far Mogwai's material has only pleased me in the most basic way, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, because I'm not expecting anything more from them. As I said, they are who they are, and not everyone is going to like it, but if you keep an open mind, you're bound to find something you like in this band.

3.5 Stars. A good record, but nothing monumental or dazzling. Just good. And that's good enough for me. Give Mogwai a listen if you're in the mood for some nice guitar sounds.

Happy Listening.

JLocke | 3/5 |

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