[rating=4.00]
On Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will, as was the case on earlier albums and more recently on 2008’s brilliant and often under-appreciated The Hawk Is Howling, Scottish rock outfit Mogwai knows how to set a mood early and occasionally explode from that jumping off point. With a bit more texture in spots a la The Cure-meets-Coldplay which fuels “White Noise” (and later during “Letters To The Metro”) Mogwai settle things down with a decent if not delectable “Mexican Grand Prix” with, dare I say it, vocals?
But Mogwai rarely hit that average bar, content to soar above it like they do on “Rano Pano” that only the likes of Explosions In The Sky might match in all their uplifting guitar-rock glory. And often it’s done well over five or six minutes as is the case with the somber, reflective “Death Rays.”
One of the greatest aspects of Mogwai is they can alter one’s mood with the same song, raising you up occasionally on the short, straightforward “San Pedro” but then bringing you back down with the lovely “Letters To The Metro.” However the highlight has to be the six-minute soft-loud-somewhat soft romp dubbed “How To Be A Werewolf” which should have many howling with delight.
