There is one genre that has always perplexed me, in a good way, and that’s post-rock. A genre stylized by heavy distortion pedals, the scarce presence of lyrics, and long, sweeping epics. Scottish band Mogwai is one of the bands that pioneered the genre back in the mid-90s and they’ve kept their purist mentality through all seven of their studio albums. Their newest release, with perhaps the best title I’ve heard in the last year, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is the furthest departure from their quiet-loud-quiet aesthetic, but still superb.
At 53 min with just ten songs, we get a range of sounds and emotions, even with just the first three songs. Appropriately titled “White Noise” employs the distortion and ambient noise that accompanies the recognizable guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums. With Mogwai, you never can imagine exactly where all the sounds are coming from within the diegesis of the song, but they all come together beautifully for this wall of sound that’s signature to Mogwai, and post-rock in general.
“Mexican Grand Prix” is more noticeably electronic, and almost New Wave, which was nice, but unexpected on an album with such a title as Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. “San Pedro,” “George Square Thatcher Death Party,” and “How To Be A Werewolf” are also surprisingly catchy and upbeat, while still holding onto Mogwai’s post-rock roots.
Even with the heavier pop songs, we still get a few of the slower driving ballads like “Death Rays, “ “Letters to the Metro,” and “Too Raging to Cheers.” So it all balances out to be a lovely listen.
The one thing that I love about listening to Mogwai, and reviewing it as well, is that the lyrics are taken out of the picture. I have nothing against lyrics. I love them, but listening to pure music without words makes it more cerebral, more about feeling the music and less about understanding it. No song on the album exemplifies that more than the last song, an 8:29 groove called “You’re Lionel Richie.” You see, if there were distinguishable lyrics to this song, I doubt they’d have anything to do with Lionel Richie, so rather than be a gimmick title that so many artists can sometimes do, the title remains a true mystery. I have no idea what Lionel Richie has to do with fuzzy guitars and ambient noise, but apparently he has something to do with it.
As always, I’m bewildered with Mogwai’s music, but I like it that way.
Track Listing:
- White Noise
- Mexican Grand Prix
- Rano Pano
- Death Rays
- San Pedro
- Letters to the Metro
- George Square Thatcher Death Party
- How to Be a Werewolf
- Too Raging to Cheers
- You’re Lionel Richie
Go to http://www.mogwai.co.uk/
