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Post by noise is a friend on Mar 6, 2006 20:32:15 GMT 1
so I can finally say what I think about "Mr. Beast" (I've just posted this on my RateYourMusic page, and can only apologise for it coming across as amateur and twee, but sod it!!)
"So, why do I give every Mogwai release 5 stars? Because they are all so incredibly special. This is no exception, and quite possibly their best to date. Ten short, smart songs; no filler, certainly no dud. I've played this through a few times now, and can honestly say that I haven't skipped a single note. Not even the masterful Come on Die Young can claim that.
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Post by Rob on Mar 6, 2006 21:21:01 GMT 1
It's good, very good. What I don't understand at all is all the references to Young Team that have been made by press/fans. This sounds mostly like Rock Action v2006 to me; not that that's a bad thing, but I don't think it's very groundbreaking, and I fail to see where a lot of the reviews have come from. Still, an excellent listen - will probably settle down to an 8/10.
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Post by rageman on Mar 6, 2006 21:47:42 GMT 1
this reminds me most of Happy Songs with more space-rock type sounds.
and heavier ;D
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Post by iain egg on Mar 6, 2006 22:54:59 GMT 1
finally... i think it's my fave album of all time!
i've been a fan for a few years now but the albums have never lived up to the live shows, for various reasons, until now.
superb songs, fantastic production and NO FILLER! no 2 songs sound the same and it does not drag at any point. closest to recapturing the ferocity of the live experience too...
every song is a winner. travel is dangerous should be a fookin single... but it's not my fave. that honour has got to go to folk death 95 which is just sublime.
5 stars from me - the mogwai album that i've been waiting for since me and and rob saw them live for the first time at the axiom in cheltenham on 26 april 1997.
top banana!
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Post by willard on Mar 7, 2006 8:28:15 GMT 1
my thoughts after one listen (local record shop sold it to me a day early):
it is amazing... though to me it sounds more like a collection of songs and less like an album than any earlier record... each individual song is better than most off the other albums, but initially it seems you could play this on "shuffle" without losing much (unlike earlier records, especially young team and cody)... i tend to like filler to some degree... and am a big fan of repitition...
right now i chose horses, auto rock, and we're no here top my favorite song list...
and i'm really looking forward to seeing some of these songs live... if they make it to the northwest US...
random info: i've been listening to mogwai since '97, but it took my first live performances (seattle in sept. of '03, and again in august '04) to really turn me on...
damnit... -Rob (not "the" Rob...)
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Post by noise is a friend on Mar 7, 2006 9:52:50 GMT 1
this reminds me most of Happy Songs with more space-rock type sounds. and heavier ;D well, first few seconds put me in mind of Brian Eno playing with Port-Royal - which is odd, don't ya think agree about the non-comparisons with "Young Team", as this one just isn't like at all "Young Team" (although still utterly fantastic) sounds more and more like a set of songs the band had been playing for a good long while, which is probably a major point of all debuts when you think about it "Mr Beast", to me, is a complete work - a full 40 minutes that I can absorb
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Post by ynnpar on Mar 8, 2006 16:52:56 GMT 1
Here's the main point of the Pitchfork review, which basically said the album is fine but not the great stuff Mogwai is capable of:
"Mr. Beast's shortcomings lie not with what's present, but with what's missing. Mogwai are capable of tremendous beauty, poignant gloom, and ear-splitting sonic pyrotechnics, but only transcend when they combine each of these elements. Here, they rarely give themselves enough building room to conjoin these moods and styles. Resultantly, despite its peaks, the album is no match for Mogwai's best work."
I like the album more now than when I first heard it a couple months back; I think it flows well. But it still leaves me feeling underwhelmed. A lot better than much of the other stuff out there though, that's for sure.
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Post by Chrille on Mar 8, 2006 17:10:33 GMT 1
what? i've never heard nor read this word before. it's probably in the dictionary written by the bedwetters a.k.a. the staff of pitchfork.
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Post by languagerecovery on Mar 11, 2006 0:01:37 GMT 1
Hi there, new here so this seems like a suitably appropriate topic on which to introduce myself! Having lived with Mr Beast for a good few days now (I somehow managed to resist the temptation to download it off bittorrent), I've come to the conclusion that it is indeed very, very good. However, I must admit that all the 'Young Team' references baffle me too... Mr Beast is probably their second best album after the aforementioned landmark, but to be honest it's not in the same league for me... I'm sure it's still gonna be better than 90% of the shite released this year mind you, so fair play to the guys, cant wait for the Bristol show on 29th March! Any ideas who's supporting yet? Keeping my fingers crossed that it might be Envy...
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Marc
tommy ramone
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Post by Marc on Mar 23, 2006 10:23:34 GMT 1
Hi all, long time since I joined... I just wanted to express my point of view here, what I feel about Mr Beast...
Auto Rock : excellent album intro, nothing to add here Glasgow Mega-Snake : heavy, brutal, I like it, funny contrast. Acid Food : I can't resist to skip that song each time I listen to the whole album, sorry but it is too gnangnan as we say here, which can be translated by "too softy", too far from my Mogwai perspective. Travel Is Dangerous : One of my favorite, heady song, superb voice. Team Handed : I'm sure it will take me some time to get into it, I don't skip it which is already a good step. Friend of the Night : nicely melodic, I was just expecting for it to explode completely at one time. Tt takes a very good turn after 3mn though. Emergency Trap : again a beautiful piano melody, backing with a very nice noisy guitar. Folk Death 95 : typical Mogwai sound, we like it I Chose Horses : not my cup of tea, "spoken words" type, I had too much of it in the past (L. Lunch, W.S. Burroughs,...) We're No Here : My favorite, Mogwai at their best ! heady tune, I couldn't get it off my head for the rest of the day ! 1% of Monster : we've known better bonus tracks (Untitled from RA), but it's still a very good one, it will grow after several listens.
You see, while I'm writting this review, I'm listening to all of it again and again, and it's still growing inside me, like it did for every Mogwai album, Happy Songs specially, so who knows what I could write in 2 weeks ? in 1 month ?
This is why Mogwai is my favorite band, it is so complex and so simple at the same time, you think you've listened, but then you have to listen again, and suddenly you discover or catch a new turn, a new apparence.
Mogwai, you're f***ing genius !
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jools
elvis ramone
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Post by jools on Mar 23, 2006 13:03:20 GMT 1
I've got to agree with most of what's being said. Personally, I think it's the most consistently satisfying album that they've released to date. I knew they were on to a winner when I saw them at the ICA earlier this year - one of the best gigs I've been to in recent years. I was also chuffed to see that the live ICA version of We're No Here (favourite track on the album and gig highlight) has charted here: www.wippit.comCan't wait to see them again.
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Post by rageman on Mar 23, 2006 21:33:14 GMT 1
[quote author=mthuilli board=general Acid Food : I can't resist to skip that song each time I listen to the whole album, sorry but it is too gnangnan as we say here, which can be translated by "too softy", too far from my Mogwai perspective. [/quote] pff!
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Marc
tommy ramone
Posts: 25
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Post by Marc on Mar 24, 2006 9:05:59 GMT 1
Yes, the other ones have grown slowly inside me but not that one. That was the main reason why I was disppointed by Mr Beast after 1 or 2 listens, just because of this gnangnan song. Now I can fully appreciate the rest of the album by skipping that one.
And Rageman, at least I criticize by expressing all my feelings about the whole album, "pff!" is nothing constructive...
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Post by willard on Mar 24, 2006 13:22:03 GMT 1
perhaps "pish posh" would've been a little clearer?
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vyp0r
elvis ramone
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Post by vyp0r on Apr 6, 2006 4:37:19 GMT 1
Now I can fully appreciate the rest of the album by skipping that one. Surely, to "fully" appreciate the album, you would not skip the song and let it "grow inside of you" (as you put it) by listening to it more? Personally, I think it's a fantastic song.
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Marc
tommy ramone
Posts: 25
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Post by Marc on Apr 6, 2006 9:17:30 GMT 1
Beleive me, I've tried, but after 20 listens or more, I decided that it's definitely not my 'cup of tea'. Question of taste I suppose... In almost every Mogwai album, there is a song I can't get into, but it's not a worry at all, I'm an old Mogwai fan and I'm still totally in love whith their cam, but I'm not deaf so I also can distinguish the songs I like from the ones I don't. It's sometimes funny how people react when you tell them you dislike a song from their favorite band, they can't stand it, do you all like every single Mogwai song without any exception ? (simple gentle question, don't shout at me, we're all here because we love Mogwai )
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Post by only on Apr 6, 2006 10:45:58 GMT 1
"What happened after the stormmmmm, was everyone ok???"
Acid Food is a great track. I love the electro drum samples, the hushed vox, the slide-guitar that really comes out towards the end, the vocoder, the tremolo lead, the upbeat nature of it which kinda makes an uneasy slide into the more sombre tracks.
I can't say I ever skip tracks on any Mogwai LPs unless I'm skimming through it very quickly for a friend or something.
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Post by willard on Apr 6, 2006 11:49:28 GMT 1
I can't say I ever skip tracks on any Mogwai LPs unless I'm skimming through it very quickly for a friend or something. i agree... if i skip, it's usually to the middle or end to catch a smaller grouping of songs (like the ex-cowboy/chocky/xmas steps group on cody)... i rarely skip a song on any album, not just mogwai... my wife on the other hand, she skips like a madman... -Rob F.
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Post by squeeryj on Apr 6, 2006 14:33:20 GMT 1
For me they are getting better (and I have been there from the start). Mr Beast is my favourite Mogwai record, just shading Happy Songs, due to it not tailing off like that album tends to.
Their previous albums have sometimes left me a bit cold compared to the live shows and often there was too much filler between the best tacks, which were obviously the ones they liked best. Almost like they would write four or five crackers then just fill in the gaps and call it an album. I guess this is why, for me, thier eps used to be better than their albums.
Then Rock action came out, and for me it was the sound of a band running out of ideas, trying too hard. The shows around the same time got a bit flabby and I started to lose interest.
Then HSFHP was released and suddenly they were the best band in the world again. A great album that is cohesive and succinct and amibitious without being too wanky. And the live shows got back on track.
Now Mr Beast has built on that. I find the two records very similar, so am a very happy Mogwai fan right now!
(have since re-visited Rock Action and I like it much more than I used to, although it is still head and shoulders their worst).
SQJ
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Post by anagrama on Apr 6, 2006 16:56:51 GMT 1
Personally, I think John nailed it in the DVD: (paraphrasing slightly) "It's not as good as Young Team. It's not really as good as Happy Songs. It's probably not as good as CODY.... but at least it's better than Rock Action."Still fucking love it, mind. Just a (very slight) let-down given the pre-release build-up. And there's always the chance that witnessing it live tonight (woo! finally into double-figures Mogwai-gig-wise! ) will modify my opinion.
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