|
Post by transform on Feb 27, 2006 21:25:18 GMT 1
|
|
|
Post by rageman on Feb 27, 2006 23:05:13 GMT 1
very good review. McGee really shouldn't have said that statement, though.
I'm still not sure where this album ranks. I find it very similar to Happy Songs but its more harder and explores into some psychedelic sounds which I really love, but I agree the songs don't have much relation with each other which is probably why i'm not instantly saying it's my favourite Mogwai album. it's very close, though.
this changes quite often, but I think it goes like...
Happy Songs > Mr. Beast >> Young Team > Rock Action >>>> CODY
for the main albums.
|
|
|
Post by only on Feb 28, 2006 8:05:20 GMT 1
If you had to compare Mr Beast to anything else in Mogwai's history, then Happy Songs would probably be it. Even the single "Friend of the Night" feels like a brilliant sequel to Hunted by a Freak. Mr Beast is distinctly classic Mogwai with some really fresh ideas too - I think it's such a balanced album in that respect.
I will say about Mr Beast is that the strings (cello/violins) are completely gone, which is a probably a deliberate move for Mogwai, as the piano is a hell of a lot stronger on this album... many of the tracks are piano-oriented rather than guitar, which is a great touch.
Also, what was that comment "This album will do for Flanger pedals what *blahblah*"... eh? It's a lie! Don't expect mountains of compression and layers of flangers/phasers ala MBV Loveless.
|
|
|
Post by noise is a friend on Feb 28, 2006 9:09:54 GMT 1
very good review. McGee really shouldn't have said that statement, though... McGee is prone to over-statement and exaggeration - behold his comments about how good Oasis are/were!!!
|
|
|
Post by arepeatingloop on Feb 28, 2006 15:11:49 GMT 1
Also, what was that comment "This album will do for Flanger pedals what *blahblah*"... eh? It's a lie! Don't expect mountains of compression and layers of flangers/phasers ala MBV Loveless. no... but the flangers are there on several songs... just kinda buried beneath everything else.
|
|
|
Post by noise is a friend on Mar 1, 2006 9:46:48 GMT 1
PS: more reviews out today -- 9/10 in NME, and 5 Ks in Kerrang! (under the banner "Black Beauty")
|
|
|
Post by rockactionrecords on Mar 1, 2006 22:17:49 GMT 1
There are NO flangers OR phasers on ANY of our albums. I GUARANTEE it. Barry
|
|
|
Post by bobbob on Mar 2, 2006 0:04:09 GMT 1
Barry, I swear I hear bagpipes on 'Stop coming to my house' - am I on acid?
|
|
|
Post by increibad on Mar 2, 2006 0:11:09 GMT 1
how wrong is this one,from my local paper:
"Mr Beast
Mogwai like loud. That was it for their earlier career; it is clear now though that Mogwai have come to put equal emphasis on melody. Mogwai are influenced by the cure, Sonic Youth and Public Image Limited. 11 years after their inception they still deliver pure shreds of sonic hell interspersed with shoe-gazing melodic explorations. They rarely use lyrics preferring to let their music do the talking. This album though sees them use vocals on a couple of songs. These are supplied by former Envy member Tetsuya Fukagawa and Barry Burns .Although they are very well done they still feel supplemental to the real concern: the music. For this album Mogwai have tried to fuse both melody and high volume into something that, to quote the band’s defacto front man Stuart Braithwaite, “we enjoy playing live”. And it mostly works. This being my first proper listen to Mogwai outside of seeing them live a year and a half ago I was surprised at the difference between recorded and live material. Mogwai really are a live band and to get the full effect you really should go and see them first before listening to their record. They are actually one of the few bands who can successfully pull off the screaming feedback ending you’ve seen so many bands try. Usually it just appears like the people onstage have run out of ideas and sadly this is often the case. With these guys it just seems like the logical conclusion to the previous music you have heard. The strength of the emotion just gets purer and purer until all that’s left is a cathartic wail. One of my favourite live moments is seeing the aforementioned Stuart kneeling over his peddle and belting it and his guitar senseless in front of a crowd of bewildered Cure fans. Needless to say this wouldn’t translate well to a record. Mogwai seem to have strived to overwhelm the listener. The music grows on you in time as you begin to appreciate how much unlike almost other popular music this cd really is. Almost every song eventually falls into some sort of slowly building crescendo and the waves of feedback drenched guitars are often sweet relief from the tensions. Sometimes you can hear echoes of familiarity, like on Acid Food which is strangely reminiscent of Muse’s quieter moments. Speaking of song title’s this is where Mogwai’s sense of humour really shines through. The band are infamous for their confrontational interviews and the fact one of their first T-shirts simply said “Blur: are sh*te”. And this record is no different with tunes like: Folk Death 95, Glasgow Mega-Snake and I Chose Horses. Titles like these make the songs even more intriguing to listen to, especially when there are no lyrics. You find your self wondering if the music is inspired by particular instances or whether Mogwai are just messing with your fragile mind. Considering they’ve had songs in the paste called “Mogwai Fear Satan” and that they take their name from the little furry guy from the gremlins movies it just may possibly be the latter. This record is not for new listeners to Mogwai though. If you haven’t been privy to their unique sound before I would recommend Rock Action or, as I‘ve mentioned, go and see them live. I was slightly disappointed that they didn’t capture enough of the energy in their live performance in this record. I still enjoyed it, albeit for a different reason I thought it would. This record can take you to the lesser visited places in your mind if you let it. If you’re more into songs that go Screee-diddly-widdly-widdly with lyrics about insecure dragons and wanting to eat your parents then you may want to give this record a miss. Not for everybody, Mogwai fans will love this record and those who are brave enough to try something new may get something out of it also. " "
|
|
|
Post by arepeatingloop on Mar 2, 2006 14:28:13 GMT 1
given mogwai's history of sarcasm and humor i'm going to assume mr. burns was joking... but i could be wrong.
i could swear i hear "flange-y" or "phaser-y" type things going on.
but what do i know?
|
|
|
Post by rageman on Mar 2, 2006 21:44:18 GMT 1
yeah, there definitely is some flanger use in the album. phaser i'm not sure.
|
|
|
Post by Chrille on Mar 2, 2006 21:45:27 GMT 1
i think someone got owned.
|
|
|
Post by rockactionrecords on Mar 8, 2006 6:18:28 GMT 1
I am getting annoyed a wee bit. There is DEFINITELY no flanger on ANY of our releases. Please believe me. I'm not being sarcastic. Barry
|
|
|
Post by rageman on Mar 8, 2006 13:04:46 GMT 1
I am getting annoyed a wee bit. There is DEFINITELY no flanger on ANY of our releases. Please believe me. I'm not being sarcastic. Barry liar.
|
|