HARDCORE WILL NEVER DIE, BUT YOU WILL

What a spectacular album !

I discovered Mogwai a few years ago when my son came at home with«The Hawk is Hawling» CD and makes me listening to it ... specially with «I''m Jim Morrisson, I''m dead» song....Wow, so loaded of emotions! Thank you P ! But this Mogwai''s latest album is something different, less darker (a bit) than «The Hawk..» but way more larger in soundscape. «White Noise» is slow and agressive but still grounding a soft melody in the back , when «Rano Pano» is a more rythmic song with still few distorted guitars and a heavy melody. All along this album, I enjoyed the slow guitar riffs mixed with distortion and rythmics, suddenly broken into a slow clean tempo...a really pleasant unbalanced in emotion! I also like the «wink» of the last song of the album «You''re Lionel Richie». The special limited album came with a vinyl of awesome sound quality and also with a special bonus track ...what we call «a one side song» decades ago! But the main feature of this edition is the amazing photos album of Glasgow and other Scottish area...they are splendids and feel special with the music ! This album is one of their best and I had the privilege with someone I really love to attend the venue of Mogwai in Montreal at the end of April 2011 (we were lucky because Mogwai were forced to delayed and move their USA shows further on so Montrreal was their first show in North America). I was really impressed by their performance and the quality of their play, almost as good as their album studio ! A «must» to have in any of music collection ........ PS: For those who don''t know Mogwai, you can download freely «Rano Pano» from their latest album from their website mogwai.co.uk

This album turned out to be a lot better than I assumed it would be. I have not heard any of Mogwai's post-2003 music other than a few songs, which I didn't think much of. I love the album title, it sounds like something I would say to somebody except "hardcore" would be replaced with a different word every time. It goes along with other wonderfully ironic album titles from this group (Rock Action, Happy Songs For Happy People). What stood out the most for me with this release is that it generally does not sound like your typical post-rock, even though Mogwai is one of the most popular and influential post-rock bands.

There is a strong post-punk/"New Wave"/"Alternative"/"Indie" influence on this album. There is more of a steady rhythm section here, although the music can sometimes be melodic or even symphonic at times. The opener "White Noise" is one of the highlights. A very uplifting and moving song, sounds like Sigur Ros on steroids. "Mexican Grand Prix" is more electronic featuring vocoder vocals. This is a very post-punk/New Wave sounding song. This song reminds me of the Canadian group Broken Social Scene, especially the whispered vocals. It also reminds me of Trans Am as well.

"Rano Pano" is yet another stand out track. This sounds like AC/DC on acid. There are certain sounds here which I'm not sure are made with guitar or synth. Starts out raw and aggressive but eventually gets more melodic and atmospheric. "Death Rays" is more typical Mogwai compared to the first three songs. "San Pedro" is a very indie/alternative sounding song. This also reminds me of Trans Am. "Letters To The Metro" features piano and is a nice melodic, mellow song.

"George Square Thatcher Death Party" is more indie/alternative. Again reminds me of Broken Social Scene. I love the altered vocals here. "How To Be A Werewolf" opens with interesting sounds. Then it goes into more typical post-rock territory. Eventually it settles into an almost 1990s U2 sound. It ends up sounding more like 1980s Sonic Youth as it goes along. "Too Raging To Tears" is more electronic, reminding me of Boards Of Canada. A great song. Perhaps the most melodic song on the album. Sounds like violin here. Turns into symphonic rock.

The last song "You're Lionel Richie" is back to traditional Mogwai. You hear somebody talking in some language, not exactly sure which. Starts off mellow and subdued but later gets louder and more rocking while still retaining a slow pace. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is a great 2011 release. A very consistent album, although admittedly, not every song could be categorized as "prog." This is more melodic and 'traditional' rock sounding than most post-rock. In this case, that's a good thing. Happy Songs is my fave Mogwai album, but this may replace it eventually. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Mogwai dished out another excellent 2011 release that proves that this year may be the year of post-rock with many great releases coming from that genre.

I've never heard any album quite like this one and I'm not sure what it is about it I love. There is definitely a wide range of influences, I hear some from Radiohead and some from GY!BE and there are many others and I think I love this alot. The album is never boring at any point in time and each track maintains the listener's interest with ease, each one is crafted beautifully into post-rock at it's absolute best.

A perfect example of this perfect post-rock would be the closing track which contains voice samples, an excellent atmosphere, slow building intensity and various other small things that really make the listener admire the beauty.

It's an album of those subtle little things that you can't put you're finger on but you know you love.

A strong contender for album of the year, 4 stars.

'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will' - Mogwai (7/10)

Although the most anticipated albums usually wait to the latter end of the year to be released, 2011 opened up with the release of the latest Mogwai LP, 'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will'. Mogwai is one of the most enduring examples of post-rock that is out there, and along with other acts like Explosions In The Sky, they have become the backbone of the scene. Like many of the most influential bands out there, Mogwai have had a central sound and style to them, but as time goes on, they have changed their direction up a bit. Mogwai's latest effort is a somewhat scattered and eclectic, but strong addition to the saga of this band.

Although my initial discovery of post-rock some years ago saw me getting very excited about some of the music in this genre, I would say that my appreciation and enjoyment of what post-rock generally has to offer has dwindled, since becoming wise to the fact that despite it being a style of music that is considered even 'experimental' in the eyes of the mainstream press, far too many bands hack the tricks of others, and the music only rarely challenges me as a listener. These things could be said about Mogwai and the music on this newest album, but then again, Mogwai was one of the bands that most bands after would take a note or two from, so for that much, they are excused. 'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will' is still very much post-rock, but coming as something of a surprise to me, there is a direction and sense of songwriting here that is a farther cry from the longwinded ebbs and flows, and tremolo ambiance that post-rock usually delivers. Although not entirely to-the- point, Mogwai does appear to be trimming alot of the fat off, in order to create more of a payoff with less time investment and patience on the listeners part. Instead of a gradual and slow build up, Mogwai now takes little time to get to the central idea of their song, and many of the tracks here generally only have one mood going for them.

This seems to be a switch-off or equal exchange of pros and cons, rather than a total improvement. While it is great for post-rock and Mogwai to be recognizing that certain aspects of their writing and sound can become- dare I say- boring at times, there is decidedly less satisfaction that comes from a climax when it is thrown at you after only a few seconds of waiting. While it makes the music considerably more accessible, there is more enjoyment I have here than with most of your more typical post-rock, which I usually do not have the patience for to get into properly. On top of the mostly instrumental music that the band does, there are even some vocals here, which I may have been a little skeptical about, but they work brilliantly here. Instead of a clear voice, the vocal tone is muffled and spaced out, giving a near-shoegaze impression from it. Used more or less as an instrument like the others, the voice contributes greatly to the handful of moments on the album it can be heard on. I can only hope that Mogwai decide to pursue the use of ambient vocals more in future projects.

'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will' is a sign to me that the realm of post-rock is finally opting to change up its pace in order to prevent an otherwise inevitable extinction, and like they are prone to do, I am sure Mogwai's more concise sound here will influence other bands to do the same. The album here feels somewhat scattered, but there are great ideas here and the fact that Mogwai has reinvented themselves here makes the album notable and interesting, even for someone who does not necessarily appreciate the sounds of the genre anymore.

Scottish post-rock act Mogwai have had quite a long and enduring career since their formation in 1996, and many of their albums are now regarded as classics within the post- rock genre. Often considered one of the scene's most important acts, any new release from Mogwai is bound to gain a bit of buzz within the community, and their latest effort may have fans talking more than any of their previous outings. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is their eighth full-length studio album, and shows these veterans experimenting outside of the realm their trademark post-rock sound. While still firmly rooted in melancholic atmospheres and (for the most part) standard instrumentation, the occasional electronic- sounding vocal section and unique songwriting structure make this far from your average post-rock release. Mogwai's mild change in direction is ultimately a double-edged sword, but I'd say that this is generally a solid effort from Scotland's premier post-rock act. Fans of the band should definitely investigate this one.

Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is mostly instrumental post rock - I'll get to the vocal sections later - with a strong emphasis on melody and repetition. In that sense, Mogwai plays fairly conventional music on this album, but the more-upbeat songs like "George Square Thatcher Death Party" and the use of synthesizer make this different from many post-rock outings. Although I like the idea of Mogwai using some singing to add variation into the mix, I must confess that I find the vocals to be pretty uninspired at best, and detrimental to the music at worst. Granted, the songs with vocals are the weakest compositions to begin with, but the electronically distorted and monotonous vocals really don't enhance the music here by any measure. A talented singer without all of the effects and gimmicks would've been much more effective. It's also worth noting that the songs with singing - "Mexican Grand Prix" and "George Square Thatcher Death Party" - are the weakest compositions by far, vocals aside, and lack the subtle beauty of a song like "Letters to the Metro". The tedious alternative/pop of the aforementioned tracks is not up alley, to say the least.

The production on Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is professional and well- done. While being very focused on bringing bass and drums to the forefront of the mix, it still provides and balanced and even sound that comes across as crisp and enjoyable. I'd say this production suits the music perfectly.

Mogwai took bigger risks than usual with Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, and even though I can't say I'm a huge fan of it, the band's ability to reinvent themselves is noteworthy - especially in a genre as increasingly stagnant as modern post-rock. This may not be their best offering to date, but it's a solid installment and an easy recommendation to longtime fans of the band. I'd say a solid 3 stars are deserved here. If the couple of throwaway tracks were replaced with more quality material, I could've easily given this one a higher score, though.

Here's the thing with a few Post Rock bands, is that they originally start off their early studio offerings with consistent formulaic sounds. Repeated album releases endorsing the same basic song structures almost making their next releases easily predictable. Then all of a sudden they mellow and loosen up their sounds. The lastest Explosions In The Sky and God Is An Astronaut albums testify this point. The same can be said for this latest offering from Mogwai. Maybe it is just a trend with these similar sounding bands and the resulting evolution of their sound. So " Hardcore...." is a thoroughly refreshing release. The sounds are more stripped back, less broody for the most part and in fact hold an air of optimism. There is even a rare smattering of vocals on " George Square Thatcher Party". Other standout tracks are the melancholic " Letters To Metro" and the upbeat " San Pedro". Be warned " Rano Pano" is very much a reminder that they can still ram home disturbing offbeat songs too, indicating they are not roamed too far from home base.

Anyways a most enjoyable release, the band and their sound has mellowed making for a positive spin and yet another welcome release for 2011. This is proving to be a good year for new prog releases

6/10

"Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will" is a natural evolution of "The Hawk Is Howling", attempting to reach a more modern sound.

In a few years, I believe that sadly, we can start labeling Post-Rock music such as this as "Post-Post-Rock". Clearly, Mogwai have abandoned the song structure they've always used, and that a good chunk of Post-Rock uses as well: the build ups. Maybe that is an exaggeration, as a matter of fact I can recall songs that even on this album use such a structure. But most of it is extremely accessible, probably because the band wanted to appeal to a slightly different crowd, and even because they felt the necessity of change, and I think that is a good thing. But overall I was more satisfied with the "Hawk Is Howling" experiment rather than this one.

Musically, compared to the previous album, not too much has changed: the use of electronics and even synths is amplified, the drums are strong, there's a lot of piano in these songs, as well as the usual guitars. There are interesting addictions however that were pretty much new for Mogwai, such as the violin.This album is to me a osrt of continuation to "Hawk Is Howling", as it shares many characteristics, but like I said the results for me are slightly different, finding the previous album more emotional in some points. I find that the only song I like a lot is "White Noise", the opener, which is full of emotion and reminds me a bit of 'I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead". "Rano Pano" is also a good track that I enjoy, with a somewhat robotic beat and kind of artificial flavor to it. But in the end most of this album sounds to me a bit too artificial, there's not too much humanity in it. I like when music is robotic, but only when it makes me actually believe it was played by robots. This album is not played by robots, it is played by some of the greatest Post-Rock musicians, and I can sense that, and the contrast for me becomes annoying. The ending track, "You're Lionel Richie", is another highlight for me, a song that has a nice build, but has also a really nice atmosphere.

An album I at first felt very skeptical about, but then it grew on me a little bit, despite me still having pretty big issues for it. Mogwai fans seem to enjoy this quite a bit, so I would recommend it to any fan who hasn't actually listened to it yet.

This has to be Mogwai's best output to date in my opinion. Even though I have enjoyed most every thing the band has done, this album is so full of drama, emotion and dynamic beauty that it out does everything else that the band has done so far, and that should be expected from a truly progressive band. While it is true that the album leans somewhat to the alternative side more than other albums, it still keeps it's post rock edge and merges the two sounds quite well. The album is more up beat than a lot of their albums with more fast tempo tracks than normal with a steady beat, hence the feeling of being more straightforward than in the past, but the heavy guitar is still there giving the fans the post rock sound they love and cementing the bands position as post rock leaders. There is very little reliance on the use of post rock formulas of soft-crescendo-climax and more of a rock-oriented feel. There is still the use of electronics as there has been in the most recent albums, but there is also more of a return to post-rock guitar sensibilities without resorting to the predictable formula. It's quite an amazing mix.

Most of the songs are surprisingly upbeat with a consistent tempo. There are a few beautiful slower tracks like "Letters to the Metro" and "Too Raging to Cheers" that are extraordinarily emotional and lovely tracks. It's also quite nice to hear the band not rely on so many mid-tempo tracks here too, but when they do, the sound is not as worn out by the time you get to the end of the album, in fact, you come to the end of the album and want more. By the way, if you get the Japanese version, you get 2 more excellent bonus tracks. There is also a special edition of the album that has a 2nd disc that contains the 23 minute epic track "Music for a Forgotten Future (The Singing Mountain)" which is well worth seeking.

Even with the alternative influence here, this is a very strong album. Some may not consider it progressive because of the more consistent tempos of the songs, but in my opinion, it still stays true to the progressive genre in that it very successfully merges the genres and stays true to the post-rock sound ending up with a better overall album in the end. Most people seem to consider "Happy Music for Happy People" their favorite album and the band's highlight, but, even though I love that album, this one is so much more dramatic and varied, with less reliance on the old predictable formulas. It also contains one of my favorite tracks, the very expressive and progressive piece "Too Raging to Cheers" which I cannot say enough about. What an amazing track...I only wish it was longer. I can't help but give this album less than 5 stars, because in my mind, it is a masterpiece and one that should be considered a high standard for any post-rock band to reach. It's up there with the great post-rock albums including "F#A (infinity)" by GY!BE and "Ágætis Byrjun" by Sigur Ros. 5 brilliant stars.

Recently I had contact with a member of the new Italian prog band Giant The Vine. I had asked for a biography, and read about their honouring of Mark Hollis (Talk Talk), and their appreciation for post rock bands, like Talk Talk and Mogwai. Also due to a topic on the Forum I decided to take a dive into the world of post rock, and to listen to Mogwai its album Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. While listening I notice that the music is simply structured, melodic and harmonic, with a strong focus on emotion. The atmospheres range from dreamy or hypnotizing to dark with up-tempo beats. The colouring with the guitars is wonderful, very moving, from tender to raw. I am pleased with the subtle use of instruments like the organ, vocoder, piano and violin. This colouring gives the music an extra dimension so you can easily identify with the music, feeling sad, euphoric or agressive. I grew up in the Eighties with U2 and Simple Minds, I had to think about these bands at the point of accessible progressive pop rock with emotion. I am curious to more post rock encounters, this one is certainly worth, thanks Giant The Vine, this Old School proghead has broadened his musical territory, at the age of 58!

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.

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.