Mogwai - Mr. Beast

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It's out in February, and there's no album I'm looking forward to more in 2006. Here's important part of the press release/"biography"...

"Mr Beast" is the band's fifth studio album and, as the title suggests, sees them returning to their first, true love - Rock with a capital "R" - after using a softer palette with more varied instrumentation for album number three ("Rock Action") and delivering a balanced summary of their work to date with 2003's "Happy Songs For Happy People". Mogwai of course, make their own rules in order to break them, so, alongside huge blocks of thrillingly implacable guitar noise, "Mr Beast" features exquisitely poignant piano passages (most of them played by keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Barry Burns) and great, limpid spaces.

Guitarist/vocalist Stuart Braithwaite explains the album's impetus thus: "We consciously tried to have some louder music on this album, because we had begun to realise that there was a big difference between our live shows and our records, and there was no real reason for that. We wanted to make a record that we were going to enjoy playing live, because when we're on stage, we like the songs where we're really going for it more than the ones where we're just kind of plinking away.

"The quiet-loud/quiet-loud formula that was our trademark became pretty clichéd," he adds, "and also a lot of other people started doing it, so we consciously tried to stop. Not that we invented it, but it got to the point where people thought that was all we did, plus we were getting tired of it ourselves. We'd taken it to extremes on songs like "Like Herod" [from 1997's Mogwai "Young Team"] and we thought there wasn't much further we could go with it. What we ended up doing then was being really quiet and minimal, but later we realised that we really missed making a lot of noise! Now felt like a good time to get back to that, because in a way, it's what started the band. Although only about 25 per cent of the new album is actually noise, that's the one thing we consciously had in mind when we set out."

Recorded between April and October 2005 in the band's own Castle Of Doom studios in Glasgow, "Mr Beast" was produced by Tony Doogan, who also produced "Happy Songs. . ." and was the engineer on "Rock Action". It opens with "Auto Rock" - whose sweetly melancholic, central piano motif is gradually engulfed by a swell of fulsome guitars and pummelling drum beats - and closes with lurching, psych-rock behemoth "We're No Here" (sic). In between are eight future Mogwai classics, including the heads-down "Glasgow Mega-Snake", where what must surely be a dozen guitars swarm around a molten metal core like crazed killer bees, the drum machine-driven country gospel of "Acid Food," which features pedal-steel guitar, the wintry splendour of "Friend Of The Night" and the impossibly poignant "I Chose Horses," featuring guest vocalist Tetsuya Fukagawa (of Japanese hardcore band Envy) and a keyboard contribution from composer/arranger Craig Armstrong. Whether light and lean or dark and monstrous, however, these songs underline Mogwai's belief that to have meaning, rock needs both mass and monumentality. If "Mr Beast" has one thing, it's presence.

"I like music that has weight," admits Braithwaite, "even if it's not sound weight. If I think of a really 'heavy' record, I think of 'Songs Of Love And Hate' by Leonard Cohen as much as I think of the latest record by Sunn O))). It is a bit weird when people think our music is depressing, because I find bad music depressing and we all think sad music is incredibly uplifting. Even if a piece of music is melancholic, if it makes you think, or has some weight to it, then I find that really uplifting. It's like seeing a beautiful painting - it makes your day a bit better."

Of Mogwai's continued interest in pushing their own parameters, Braithwaite declares, "We didn't want to be a band that made a few good records and then made a series of increasingly shitty ones that were like fading photocopies of the earlier records. I've seen that happen a lot of times. The fact is, none of us can do anything else - it's not like we dropped out of architecture school and can go back to it one day! We knew we were in this for the long haul and we knew we wanted to be making worthwhile, important music until the day our hands stop working, so it serves our purpose to challenge ourselves, on every level."

The beauty expressed by "Mr Beast" is the sound of those challenges being met - fearlessly. As to the noise, it's Mogwai's design for life.

― Simon H. (Simon H.), Monday, 21 November 2005 23:23 (twenty years ago)

hmmm. it actually sounds like they might have made a decent album again! hope i'm not going to regret not having got tickets to see them at the ica...

― toby (tsg20), Monday, 21 November 2005 23:48 (twenty years ago)

wasn't alan mcgee hyping this as "better than loveless" a couple months back?

― that guy who pretended to be Ya Kid K that one time (haitch), Monday, 21 November 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

yep those words crossed his lips

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 21 November 2005 23:58 (twenty years ago)

I do think that Mogwai could top "Loveless" one day. I don't believe they've peaked yet.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 00:27 (twenty years ago)

Rock Action is pretty close! (But "softer palette?" That has to be in reference to Bag of Agony!)

― Sonneywolferine (Leee), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 00:30 (twenty years ago)

By the by, Matador sez a March release for the States.

― Sonneywolferine (Leee), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 00:31 (twenty years ago)

considering the turds that poptones is pinching out these days i'd take that more as a kiss of death than anything else

― jim p. irrelevant (electricsound), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 00:38 (twenty years ago)

It must be said: "Mr. Beast" is a shit title.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 01:35 (twenty years ago)

It really is. Still, I'm somewhat interested.

― sleep (sleep), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 02:08 (twenty years ago)

Mogwai sure loves those "Evil Christian rock band" song and album titles.

― Cunga (Cunga), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 03:15 (twenty years ago)

this'll be great like all the others

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

Is there a POX or POO type thread for Mogwai? And if there isn't can I start one?

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

Tickets at the ICA? I'm so out of touch with the live scene. I'm guessing you don't have any spares...

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 12:07 (twenty years ago)

I do think that Mogwai could top "Loveless" one day. I don't believe they've peaked yet.

no, they haven't. and the truly great thing is that the band themselves agree: i was speaking drunkenly to john the guitarist, who knows a friend of mine, a few months back, and he said they didn't think they were anywhere near the peak of their powers yet.

i've seen them play three new songs live. two have been astounding eruptions of molten-metal majesty. one was a clanking mess that - in fairness - sounded like it wasn't really finished yet.

mcgee can swivel, though, with his outdated hype nonsense. he's going to do them more damage than good, the silly old bastard. does he actually think anyone takes him seriously any more?

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:06 (twenty years ago)

does he actually think anyone takes him seriously any more?

British Established media does: Radio 5live, Radio 1, 6 Music, The Guardian, The Independent etc

He often gets to do a rent-a-rant via these media channels

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:12 (twenty years ago)

as part of the british established media, i can quite honestly say that nobody i know takes him seriously at all.

there's a big difference between "i need a rentaquote toss to yabber about pop music ... hey, anyone got mcgee's number?" and "who can we get to write/speak intelligently about pop?"

the guy's a knob who's stuck in a timeslip between 1976 and 1994. he's totally out of touch, and it galls me that mogwai feel the need to ally themselves with him.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:19 (twenty years ago)

who da fuck cares about mogwai anyway

they are shit that perform overcooked retard shit that goes for too fucking long

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:21 (twenty years ago)

no way, dude, they fucking ROCK. and then they ROCK SOME MORE. and then, after a bit where they don't rock quite as much, because man cannot live on rock alone, they ABSOLUTELY ROCK LIKE FUCKERS.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:27 (twenty years ago)

dude if i want [b]ROCK[/b] i will listen to [b][i]RATT[/b][/i]

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

dude if i want

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

dude if i want ROCK i will listen to RATT

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

ps i think i might be on drugs posting here

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:30 (twenty years ago)

with a bit of luck you'll overdose you moronic CUNT

― hayta, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:37 (twenty years ago)

with a bit of luck you'll overdose you moronic CUNT

lol why dont you masturbate yourself over mogwai

especially since you will die a virgin

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 13:43 (twenty years ago)

I think I'll start that Mogwai post elsewhere...

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

actually, i think this thread sums up the spirit of mogwai neatly. i mean, this is a band whose members have been known to do their weekly supermarket shop on ketamine.

ROCK etc.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 14:36 (twenty years ago)

But are they rock?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

http://krlphotography.typepad.com/photos/highway_construction/blastblog1.jpg

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

RAWK.

I do like the idea that Mogwai get better as they go, since that's been their general path so far.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 15:11 (twenty years ago)

New single end of January! Friend of the Night! No idea if it'll reach the new world, however.

― Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gentleee as you move (Leee), Saturday, 3 December 2005 23:17 (twenty years ago)

I'm told that promos are floating around...any news of a leak?!?

― Tomas Ayers, Sunday, 4 December 2005 11:05 (twenty years ago)

Hopefully this leaks soon

― van igloo (van smack), Monday, 5 December 2005 02:49 (twenty years ago)

it's on oink, but "Friend of the Night" is fux0red and the last track - which should be quite important if this is a Young Team kind of scenario - is missing.

"Travel Is Dangerous":
http://s57.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3Q2FPSDGB1KUS1691UX8O56YXS

― Simon H. (Simon H.), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

so far it feels like "Rock Action" v. "Young Team".

― Simon H. (Simon H.), Friday, 9 December 2005 18:08 (twenty years ago)

i'm glad it's not just my "friend of the night" that's fucked. but the last track will have to be amazing if i'm going to like this album at all - for me it's another huge disappointment, 3 bad albums in a row. i don't think they're ever going to make a record i like again, sadly. and what's with the vocorders??

― toby (tsg20), Saturday, 10 December 2005 00:13 (twenty years ago)

the vocoders they've been using for about three years now? er ... same that's with the guitars and the drums and barry burns and that. it's what they do, innit?

much as i want to, i'm not listening to ANY leaks of this. i don't trust leaked versions at all, and i don't want to hear it at shit quality first. if it does turn out to be a stinker - and i don't think it will be, although they did play that dreadful song live that i mention above - then at least i know it's a genuine stinker, rather than thinking: "oo, yes, but is that just a shit recording/missing a track/whatever." [/flagellation]

gaaah, this is gonna be tough.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Saturday, 10 December 2005 00:38 (twenty years ago)

yeah, i know thyey've had the vocoders for years now, i just wish they'd stop using them.

but basically i'm stuck in 1997 wrt mogwai, anyway.

― toby (tsg20), Saturday, 10 December 2005 09:44 (twenty years ago)

Anyone confirm this is the cover art?
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/141/mrbeastsleevemid4lp.jpg

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Saturday, 10 December 2005 12:35 (twenty years ago)

It leaked, but its not complete. (9 songs)

how many tracks does the album have? (hopefully the FULL leak will be later this weekend)

― shushu, Saturday, 10 December 2005 15:31 (twenty years ago)

Man, that "Travel Is Dangerous" song is totally dull.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Saturday, 10 December 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

So far, Auto Rock and Travel is Dangerous are very good songs... Hoping to listen to the entire album soon to get a better idea!

― Luis Fernandes, Saturday, 10 December 2005 18:16 (twenty years ago)

A complete rip of Mr. Beast has leaked.

― van igloo (van smack), Sunday, 11 December 2005 17:27 (twenty years ago)

acording to this site, that's the promo sleeve art.
http://brightlight.youngteam.co.uk/eng/news.php
(scroll down)

― Christopher Costello (CGC), Sunday, 11 December 2005 18:27 (twenty years ago)

A complete rip of Mr. Beast has leaked.

Hey, Van Igloo, can't find it on SLSK. Care to supply a YSI link? ;-)

― JP Almeida (JP Almeida), Sunday, 11 December 2005 22:35 (twenty years ago)

YES YSI pretty fucking please with sugar on top

― John Cocktolstoy (John Cocktolstoy), Sunday, 11 December 2005 23:54 (twenty years ago)

If anyone has a version of "Friend of the Night" that isn't chopped up beyond recognition, please gmail it to me

― sweet earth flying, Monday, 12 December 2005 01:19 (twenty years ago)

That's a really artful bukkake

― Mickey (modestmickey), Monday, 12 December 2005 03:17 (twenty years ago)

What is that picture? It looks like tiles.

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Monday, 12 December 2005 08:10 (twenty years ago)

It seems to be made to look like tiles... The promo copy is protected so I can't rip it here at work... I'm sure somebody will help you before I get back.

― Ben (crispyben), Monday, 12 December 2005 13:20 (twenty years ago)

It leaked, but its not complete. (9 songs)

"We're No Here" is here

― Ben (crispyben), Monday, 12 December 2005 14:07 (twenty years ago)

There is a full album leak with the last track and the uncorrupt version of friend of the night. I am so unlucky cos uni residence net wont allow p2p programs to work, so if there is a good person here who can provide a You Send It link or any other way, i would be forever thankful. I just can't sleep til i listen to it. Plz help me

― ender, Monday, 12 December 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

As Ben said, I've put the last track up at Said the Gramophone. And I think someone posted a clean version of the other on the YSI thread.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Monday, 12 December 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

no i mean the whole album!!! plz plz plz! zip it and give us poor people the link in the name of love

― ender, Monday, 12 December 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

mogwei wzup boyz ihope your holding in there lol your songs are the hot jams and u know what ur hot too lol. if u need sombody for ur videos give me a call u no ur a survivor
---------1love
shameka

― shameka jamezzon (modestmickey), Monday, 12 December 2005 18:22 (twenty years ago)

How long is the entire cd then, if it isn't 9 songs?

― Mogwai Esque, Monday, 12 December 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

37 songs

― Raw Patrick (Raw Patrick), Monday, 12 December 2005 20:58 (twenty years ago)

10
check the link to the promo sleeve art

― a Side-walkin' Street Wheeler (aaron ef.), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:01 (twenty years ago)

Guys that have heard Friend of the Night, is this song supposed to sound broken and glitchy or do I just have the wrong version?

― Maserati, Tuesday, 13 December 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

wrong version (not that i have the right one, a ysi would be nice).

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

Would like a YSI link as well..

― Maserati, Tuesday, 13 December 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

http://rapidshare.de/files/9031238/MR.zip.html

zip password:
posted1statSFRP

(complete, non-corrupted rip)

― John Cocktolstoy (John Cocktolstoy), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:34 (twenty years ago)

Thirding or fourthing a YSI for Friend of the Night - I can't download the whole album my computer is (literally) creaking under the weight of MP3s...

Incidentally, thanks to Sean for the last track - absolute killer of a track IMHO.

Grimly - you're missing out - don't deny yourself!

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:39 (twenty years ago)

It's another boring Mogwai album!

This timne with an awful title!

― paulhw (paulhw), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:50 (twenty years ago)

Good work for putting that link up. I don't mean to sound like a tool, but I can't get the zip file to unzip...
I've tried using two different programs and I get error messages or nothing. Admittedly I'm not exactly an old hand at the music download game, so any help would be much appreciated.

― Rob Cameron, Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:51 (twenty years ago)

It's far from boring...and also, what Mogwai album doesn't have an awful title?

― sweet earth flying, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 02:17 (twenty years ago)

I'm having trouble extracting the files as well. Still just looking for "Friend of the Night." A YSI would be greatly appreciated.

― sweet earth flying (sweet earth flying), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 02:20 (twenty years ago)

I opened it with Winrar

― John Cocktolstoy (John Cocktolstoy), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 02:21 (twenty years ago)

Friend of the Night
http://sendmefile.com/00179364

― John Cocktolstoy (John Cocktolstoy), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 02:25 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, open the file with WinRAR, it won't work with winzip.

― Larry Tse, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 02:27 (twenty years ago)

Great. Thanks.

― sweet earth flying (sweet earth flying), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 02:28 (twenty years ago)

Solid. Thanks for that.

― Rob Cameron, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 10:26 (twenty years ago)

gmmmmmmmmmMMMPH

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 11:31 (twenty years ago)

When I clicked on the Said The Gramophone link I thought that "Revoke their diplomas" was going to be a stinging criticism of Stuart Braithwaite, HND's latest offering.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

Thanks John!

Grimly I totally think you're doing this right. I must say I have gotten a bit jaded with the whole "gotta have everything now" thing. Shit, no one is gonna suffer 'cos they didn't get a certain Goldfrapp remix. But it seems like such a long time since the last one (two and a half years? - not including the BBC stuff) and this leak coincided with a very heavy mogwai listneing period for me, I couldn't hold out!

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:04 (twenty years ago)

[twitches uncontrollably, grabs edge of desk, mutters a lot etc]

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

"...a very heavy mogwai list[en]ing period for me..."

Likewise, and beaucoup gracias to John (erm, Smith...right?) - I'm in the middle of dreaded exams at the moment and Mogwai's the only artist other than Do Make Say Think that I can simultaneouly listen to, enjoy and (not without a sense of irony at present) study copyright law.

As far as the quality of the leak? Sounds pretty clean to me and my E2c's (unlike the initial Hail To The Thief and/or Antics [esp. the latter] floating around a year and more ago).

Put another way, I certainly doubt, now having listened to the first eight tracks {and already owning legit copies of Mogwai's first four full-lengths} that I'll forgo purchasing Mr. Beast come March (or perhaps a show-bought edition if available beforehand/in the meantime!?!?).

Maybe Damian's on to something after all...

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 23:15 (twenty years ago)

(too-many-mind-numbing-hours-in-the-library-later)...Mr. Beast is decidely more straightforward (i.e. less meandering [never been a bad thing in my unpublished, unwritten Mogwai book]) rawk than I think any of us have come to expect from 'em. Maybe even less soulful as a result? Let's just say I don't feel any of the tracks tugging my heartstrings the way "Tracy" or "2 Rights Make 1 Wrong" have/do/will again.

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:41 (twenty years ago)

Well, maybe the first track will after quite some listens..

― Maserati, Thursday, 15 December 2005 17:56 (twenty years ago)

My heartstrings are thoroughly tugged by "Travel Is Dangerous," one of the few songs that gave me chills upon hearing it for the first time (that sort of reaction usually takes time and a few listens to develop). The high synth part in the louder parts of "Team Handed" also make me feel all warm and fuzzy. The drums on the last half of "Emergency Trap" are absolutely epic (in the best sense of the word). The guitar harmonics at the beginning of "Glasgow Mega-Snake"...and the unexpected, glorious entrance of the drums and bass...mind blowing. I'm loving this album. It's no Loveless, but it's Mogwai's best IMO. All my favorite elements of their sound, distilled. I don't think they've lost any warmth of emotion, I think the emotion is just more mature and complex. And Mogwai is proving to be one of those exceptional bands for whom "maturation" doesn't = boring.

― sweet earth flying (sweet earth flying), Thursday, 15 December 2005 18:18 (twenty years ago)

The songs Team Handed and Emergency Trap are IMO the dullest songs. They just sound more like a demo from yet another Mogwai-influenced post-rock band to me. Sure it got beautifull bits if you listen to it very good but if I put the record on songs 5 and 7 just won't come through to me..

― Maserati, Friday, 16 December 2005 07:53 (twenty years ago)

LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU etc

roll on the press promos

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Friday, 16 December 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

Do you guys also think that the start of song 3 sounds like Tracy Chapman's 'Fast Car'? Track 2 has this Muse-like beginning.

Must say I'm really growing into track 1 and 4. And I think the last one is quite a good track as well..

― Maserati, Friday, 16 December 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

after living with it a bit, i have to admit i'm finding it to be their weakest record by quite a bit. lots of moments are just them doing what they do but not as well as they have before. 'auto rock' is good , but is weaker than the comparable 'superheroes of bmx' and 'sine wave'. in my mind i'm seeing 'acid food' as a less succesful 'cody' or 'tuner'. i'm not sure 'team handed' is ever going to escape the ghost of the far superior 'stanley kubrick'. the loud tracks are good, but they still feel as though they are just small segments ripped from tracks like 'my father my king' or 'xmas steps'.

it is possible if i live with it even more, these tracks will outgrow the others in my mind, but i'm not seeing it happening any time soon.

it feels like a competent sophomore lp, so barring their fairly natural growth into electronics etc, i would actually say that this is the album that i was expecting 'come on die young' to have been and vice versa.

― mark h (mark h), Friday, 16 December 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

Nah. I feel like this album takes all the brilliant elements that were spread out over Rock Action and HSFHP and condenses them into perfect little nuggets. It definitely feels like their most focused album, if nothing else. Sonically, though, it just pleases me more than any of their other albums. The guitars here reach a whole new level of precision for Mogwai. Same with the drums. Every song is just more multi-dimensional and complex than their previous work. Lots more layers and little interesting, buried sounds that are going to make this album's appeal last and grow over time.

― sweet earth flying (sweet earth flying), Friday, 16 December 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

i would actually say that this is the album that i was expecting 'come on die young' to have been and vice versa.

Good point. SEF is right about the complexity of the guitar and drum parts -- it's like they went into the studio immediately after listening to a shitload of black metal (or perhaps just Aereogramme!).

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 16 December 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

ha! "Friend Of The Night" was corrupted? I was digging this new Mogwai...

― alex in montreal (alex in montreal), Friday, 16 December 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

Yeah I'm definitely feeling the black metal overtones. I think it's that (new? or maybe just previously latent) element that is revitalizing their sound.

ha! "Friend Of The Night" was corrupted? I was digging this new Mogwai...

-- alex in montreal (hip_to_hat...), December 16th, 2005.

Yeah, when I first heard the corrupted version I thought they'd delved into some glitchy IDM or something. The first 30 seconds were fascinating!

― sweet earth flying (sweet earth flying), Friday, 16 December 2005 19:17 (twenty years ago)

a source fairly close to the band told me on friday night that all the existing mixes of the album are overly trebly/compressed/something i might have missed because i was leathered. the idea seems to be to ensure that any early leaks sound bollocks.

of course, this seems a bit counter-intuitive: "meh, this sounds pish. i certainly won't buy it." and i don't know how true it is. but hey: i'm just passing it on.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Sunday, 18 December 2005 15:36 (twenty years ago)

So you're saying the final mix is going to sound even bett.. oh, it's you... yeah, the leak sounds really bad.

― StanM (StanM), Sunday, 18 December 2005 16:30 (twenty years ago)

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Sunday, 18 December 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

but yes: apparently the final mix is going to sound amazing.

mind you: they would say that.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Sunday, 18 December 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, um, what we've heard thus won't sound anything like what we'll hear in March. Oh, and I have some beachfront real estate I'd like to sell ya...

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Sunday, 18 December 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

well, the officiall sent-out radio promos sound identical like the leak on the internet, having heard them both through the same headphones. so it'll be very interesting to see the reasoning behind giving radio stations this "bad" mix as well.

― mark h (mark h), Sunday, 18 December 2005 22:18 (twenty years ago)

"Leaks" almost always come from the press, be it radio or magazine. Of course they sound identical.

What do you mean by them giving the radio stations a 'bad' mix? Do you think record labels decide to send out promos/advances to radio stations, and then some fake/poor version to a select few rogue music pirates who will surely leak it to the internet?

― Mickey (modestmickey), Sunday, 18 December 2005 22:43 (twenty years ago)

i was in full-on sarcasm mode.

it's interesting 'sources close to the band' are saying this. either - they are trying to discourage piracy by saying what you will eventually get in the shops will be miles better even if its not the case, or they have genuinely realised the mix is wrong via early reaction or whatever and are rectifying/have rectified it, or they are deliberately sending out "bad mixes". i was trying to point out the latter scenario is by far the least likely and the one that makes least sense.

― mark h (mark h), Monday, 19 December 2005 00:26 (twenty years ago)

well, it is possible that the album just isn't finished but they wanted to send out promos anyways to start the hype building. this happens surprisingly frequently. the first N.E.R.D. album, whose name escapes me right now, had a promo version sent out to the media which was an entirely different album from the store version. I'm not sure exactly what transpired, but I think it was along the line of the band deciding they didn't like it and wanted to start over.

― Mickey (modestmickey), Monday, 19 December 2005 00:28 (twenty years ago)

...a promo version sent out to the media which was an entirely different [and a much better] album [than] the store version. I'm not sure exactly what transpired, but I think it was along the line of the band deciding they didn't like it and wanted to start over.

I won't hold it against 'em if they decide to retool this one some (or a lot). I'm looking at you: "Acid Food," "Team Handed," "Friend of the Night," "Emergency Trap," and "I Chose Horses" (the latter probably well served as an instrumental version, no? I don't care what language you're speaking, the use of found-/created-samples [as heard in their previous work] >>>> spoken word).

'mark h' summed it up better than I could've in that [Mr. Beast] feels like a competent sophomore lp...the album that i was expecting 'come on die young' to have been and vice versa.

I simply fail to see this as any more multi-dimensional and[/or] complex than their previous work. If anything the mantra of "less is more" [as evidenced in earlier LPs] would have served them better than what I perceive to be a more polished/middle-of-the-road sound. With the noted exceptions of "Auto Rock," "Travel is Dangerous," and "We’re No Here" this is a kindler, gentler Mogwai.

And "kindler, gentler" doesn't get a second term.

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Monday, 19 December 2005 01:33 (twenty years ago)

then the terrorists have won

― John Cocktolstoy (John Cocktolstoy), Monday, 19 December 2005 09:56 (twenty years ago)

... The complete Mogwai discography!!!

― nancyboy (nancyboy), Monday, 19 December 2005 11:59 (twenty years ago)

..And if they answer this question right they will not only get the complete Mogwai discography, but also a new plasma screen TV. So, terrorists, what's the answer to this question..

― Maserati, Monday, 19 December 2005 13:26 (twenty years ago)

What's the question? Oh, wait, I am I supposed to be with you or with...shit, I blew it already. Door #3, please.

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Monday, 19 December 2005 14:07 (twenty years ago)

I can't believe you corrected my grammar there

― Mickey (modestmickey), Monday, 19 December 2005 16:36 (twenty years ago)

xpost_start

Somehow ...a promo version sent out to the media which was an entirely different [and a much better] album from the store version... didn't sound quite right to me (given what I quote-unquote, added - that is, a new context)...

You say tomato, I say potatoe.

xpost_end

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Monday, 19 December 2005 16:57 (twenty years ago)

I heard this for the first time the other day, and I must say I found it rather striking. It's not doing anything new, for sure, but it seems to be the most "complete" of their albums. By that I mean it seems to have a tune which covers every type of song they have made, and it plays to all their strengths.

I think this tracks will be great to see live too, any news on when they are touring the UK?

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 17:50 (twenty years ago)

I think the album this most reminds me of is "Ten Rapid", which has always been my favorite, so I suppose it's a 'back to basics' album.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

i want to hear this album

― deadair (deadair), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 19:45 (twenty years ago)

Damn good album....finally the get back to the roots....and hopefully they should be performing in Reading hopefully. Excellent album! And yes it should be rewarding enough for the listeners...Best Album so far for 2006!!!!!

― Jaco, Friday, 30 December 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

the first N.E.R.D. album, whose name escapes me right now, had a promo version sent out to the media which was an entirely different album from the store version

Not entirely true. The album was actually in the shops with the trademark Neptunes 'demo' sound, but was pulled and then re-recorded with live instruments (for 'crossover' appeal I believe.)

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Friday, 30 December 2005 13:27 (twenty years ago)

Let's see if the N.E.R.D. biography-slash-offical site can't put this baby to bed, "Originally, In Search Of... was painted through the familiar digital colors that marked Neptunes-produced songs for other artists. Closer inspection indicated that if N.E.R.D was supposed to be different from the Neptunes, it must sound different, too. So the group abandon[ed] those tracks (they were later released ["as-is"] in the UK only) and recruited the band Spymob, from the Neptunes' own Star Trak Records, to articulate their new [i.e. live instrumentation] sound."

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Friday, 30 December 2005 19:57 (twenty years ago)

just listened to a new Mogwai track on the radio, it sounds like early Ride

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 12 January 2006 23:44 (twenty years ago)

IMO it sounds like pre-Happy Songs Mogwai, which is a good thing.
as for it's rivaling Loveless, i'd have to give it a Finese Mitchell HELL NO!

― J. Lamphere (WatchMeJumpStart), Friday, 13 January 2006 00:09 (twenty years ago)

These guys are great.

Now if someone would just throw them a new hook, they might even be worth talking about again....

― jsoulja (jsoulja), Friday, 13 January 2006 00:20 (twenty years ago)

still dissapointed by this. as opposed to a band called evpatoria report from france, mogwai rip offs but they succeed magically in what mogwai try to do

― rizzx, Friday, 13 January 2006 10:02 (twenty years ago)

hmmmm. listened to a promo of the album this morning for the first time - admittedly without paying desperately close attention.

immediate highlights are the first track, "friend of the night" (which i've heard a lot) and "we're no here" (which i recognise from their recent live shows). the one with envy dude on it sounds like a quiet envy song; the one with their own vocals on it sounds like a throwback.

i'd be lying if i said it had blown me away, but i have a feeling it might be a slow-burner. i want to give it another go tonight, and pay more attention to it. i think it's the kind of album that might not "work" if you let it wash over you, rather than engaging with it. it took me a while to get into "rock action", i remember - although, that said, i do also recall "2 rights" making me weep tears of joy on the very first listen.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 13:24 (twenty years ago)

Is anyone slsking this at the moment?

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 14:00 (twenty years ago)

it's tons better than rock action, i still can't get into that one. it's their worst imo. mr. beast is veru diverse, they even rock a pedal steel

― rizzx (rizzx), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 14:38 (twenty years ago)

it's a grower.

oh, it's a grower.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Thursday, 26 January 2006 01:08 (twenty years ago)

but is it a shower?

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 26 January 2006 01:10 (twenty years ago)

http://media.gojo.com/product_category_photo/shower.jpg
5/5

― a Side-walkin' Street Wheeler (aaron ef.), Thursday, 26 January 2006 02:14 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

"mr.beast" was supposed to give the sound atmosphere of mogwai's live shows - of course it doesnt - the record is lame and boring - if it would have got the sound of the show - (i'm writing this down right after seeing them live today in nyc)
i guess they would have been dropped from "matador", so probably no one is willing to take the risk :"matador" nor mogwai.welcome to the world of commercial success...

― did you ask arthur, Tuesday, 7 March 2006 04:59 (twenty years ago)

I just reviewed it and I like it a lot. I think it's the most accessible record the band has ever, and that is a good thing.

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 05:46 (twenty years ago)

WHY ARE THEY NOT TOURING CANADA THIS SPRING?

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 05:53 (twenty years ago)

im going to see them with my friend on thursday, are they any good live?

― latebloomer: keeping his reputation for an intense on-set presence (latebloomer), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 05:55 (twenty years ago)

This record has grown on me over the months but I'm still not feeling the loud, "live"-sounding tracks as much as ... the tracks that sound like everything on their last record.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 06:00 (twenty years ago)

They're excellent live but be prepared to have your head blown off, decibel-wise (so bring earplugs if that's what you would normally do for loud shows).

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 06:05 (twenty years ago)

"im going to see them with my friend on thursday, are they any good live? "

the sound is "we bring the volume to the 11 phase" spianl tap's style - so,yeah,earplugs is a good idea, cause you can become deaf.

the guitarist asked the soundman to bring the volume up even more, though the wall of guitars sounds was strong enough to break the concrete walls of the club.
but, and thats a big but, the material is the biggest problem of the show - no wonder the highlights were songs from "young team"...and there were only 2 of them (1st and last track of the album).
some of the songs just reapeat the same ideas.or maybe its not mogwai's problem, but post-rock's as a dying art...

― did u ask artuhr, Tuesday, 7 March 2006 17:16 (twenty years ago)

i guess they would have been dropped from "matador", so probably no one is willing to take the risk :"matador" nor mogwai.welcome to the world of commercial success...

"we" here at "matador" have no "idea" what the "fuck" "you're" talking "about."

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 17:19 (twenty years ago)

People keep on saying Mogwai are loud, I've never thought they were as loud as their reputation contends.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 17:23 (twenty years ago)

They were loud in their early days, last few times they've played Glasgow it's been pretty average rock band volume really.

― jimnaseum (jimnaseum), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 17:30 (twenty years ago)

I saw Mogwai in Glasgow on the Rock Action tour and they were very loud, lots of people holding their ears and stuff. But that was NOTHING compared to Sunn o))) last month. The place shook the whole time. It was like an earthquake.
Funnily enough Stuart Braithwaite was there.

― Last Of The Famous International Pfunkboys (Kerr), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 17:47 (twenty years ago)

Maybe I am young and play too much loud music myself, but Mogwai did not seem to be all that loud to me. Certainly loud, but not, like, notably so.

Loudest experience I've had at a live show was probably standing in front of Luke's amp at a Rapture show. Trebliest. Thing. Ever.

― Eppy (Eppy), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 17:51 (twenty years ago)

Volume wise they are more dynamic than sunn 0))) and I think that helps people feel like they are louder. To Mogwai's credit they are the only band that made my girlfriend turn to me a show and scream into my ear "this is making my pussy vibrate."

― harshaw (jube), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 18:12 (twenty years ago)

i've seen mogwai something like 12 times now and they've never been loud enough for me. a friend of mine saw them play some tiny club in england about 10 years ago and said they were so loud dominic's ears started bleeding; i guess i'm still waiting for them to live up to that.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 19:24 (twenty years ago)

but then i am exactly the kind of knob who's going to go deaf when he's 40 and say, fuck, what brought that on?

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 19:25 (twenty years ago)

I saw them in Northampton, MA like three years ago. "My Father My King" closed the set and it was the loudest thing I'd heard until I saw High on Fire.

Bought Mr. Beast yesterday and am finding it pretty impressive. There's something to be said for doing one thing and doing it well. Mogwai writes big dramatic rock songs, and I don't think too many bands do it better. Although I love Rock Action I know that the band does not and I think HSFHP and Mr. Beast are the work of a band focused on making solid music, not creating a masterpiece every time out. This new one seems to be excellently sequenced and plays well as one long piece.

So, good for Mogwai. I can almost forgive them for refusing to play Boston.

― Sean Braudis (Sean Braudis), Monday, 13 March 2006 04:04 (twenty years ago)

i saw them in asheville, nc last thursday. they were great!

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Monday, 13 March 2006 05:44 (twenty years ago)

i'm at most a casual fan of their albums but they truly kick ass live

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Monday, 13 March 2006 05:45 (twenty years ago)

Can someone point me to these interviews where the band disowns "Rock Action"? That used to always claimed that they were unhappy with "Young Team".

My new favourite song is "Friend of the Night". It's nothing but a carbon copy of the best moments from "Happy Songs For Happy People", but I still love it.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 13 March 2006 19:27 (twenty years ago)

That used to always claimed that they were unhappy with "Young Team".

bleh,

They used to always claim that they were unhappy with "Young Team".

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 13 March 2006 19:27 (twenty years ago)

The fancy-edition Mr. Beast comes with a DVD making-of-the-album documentary. I think it's John Cummings who speaks negatively of Rock Action in one of the clips. I know I've read this fact somewhere else too, sorry I can't remember where.

― Sean Braudis (Sean Braudis), Monday, 13 March 2006 19:30 (twenty years ago)

"They used to always claim that they were unhappy with "Young Team". "

Maybe cause most people think it's their best and they want them to focus also on their other work and not neglecting it?!

― sam tooler, Monday, 13 March 2006 19:46 (twenty years ago)

There are two kinds of Mogwai fans: people who believe that "Young Team" is the best thing they've ever done, and the sane people.

I honestly can't understand some of the praise for that album. And the band's attitude toward has nothing to do with wanting people to focus on their other work -- they were slagging it in interview long before "CODY" was released.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 13 March 2006 20:40 (twenty years ago)

I hope to get this this weekend. Meantime, an amusing bit of praise when you consider the context.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 20:23 (twenty years ago)

As if they needed another jump the shark moment.

― jimnaseum (jimnaseum), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 20:48 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

As if they needed another jump the shark moment.

-- jimnaseum

Ouch, that sounded a lot meaner than it should. I'm actually wearing a Mr. Beast t-shirt today, the back print got some strange looks from co-workers.

― jimnaseum (jimnaseum), Thursday, 20 April 2006 18:16 (nineteen years ago)

I can almost forgive them for refusing to play Boston.

Mogwai
Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 7:00 PM
Avalon, Boston, MA

They've made it up to you, yet I dunno if I can forgive them for playing Avalon (the Paradise is thee rock club, after all).

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Thursday, 20 April 2006 19:22 (nineteen years ago)

And I am hoping against hope that Mogwai's as good as advertised live because I still find myself skipping past more than a few Mr. Beast tracks.

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Thursday, 20 April 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

I like this album, and I've never given more than two shits about them beforehand. I guess I should revisit the earlier stuff.

― Zwan (miccio), Thursday, 20 April 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

I guess that's where my indifference about this album comes in, because I love, love, love their earlier stuff (esp. Rock Action, select EPs, CODY, and Young Team [in that order]).

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Thursday, 20 April 2006 19:38 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks for the heads up, Zimmer. Don't know how I missed that. Hilariously, that is the day I am graduating from college. I don't know if following up commencement with Mogwai is in any way appropriate to my family, though they probably don't care.

― Sean Braudis (Sean Braudis), Saturday, 22 April 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

i listened to this again last night. i'd been listening to "loveless" and thought, what the fuck can follow that? and for some reason i decided that a mogwai album i still wasn't 100% sure about would be ideal.

and suddenly it made perfect sense. it revealed itself in all its majesty. it is quite, quite godlike. sitting sober on a train, surrounded by drunken lunatics, listening to "glasgow mega-snake" at full blast rocked.

er, that is all.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Saturday, 27 May 2006 11:03 (nineteen years ago)

I have been SLACK in getting this. Maybe on Monday...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 27 May 2006 12:20 (nineteen years ago)

do it. DO IT.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Saturday, 27 May 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

Well, yes.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 27 May 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not 100% sure what I think of the album as a whole but fuck if "Glasgow Mega-Snake" doesn't knock Satan off his rocker.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 27 May 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

WHY ARE THEY NOT TOURING CANADA THIS SPRING?

Well, they did end up announcing a show here -- excellent as always, although they didn't play as loud as they usually do (I've found that my fave Mogwai shows are the loudest ones).

"Friend of the Night" is godlike, but the more "rock" numbers have grown on me. "Glasgow Mega-Snake" closed the show and was sensational. I still wish more of the album had sounded like "We're No Here", with more of a sludgy, almost industrial crunch rather than straight-up metal (e.g. "Travel Is Dangerous".

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 27 May 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

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