A Review of Mogwai's The Hawk is Howling
Post-Rock Godfathers Return With New Album on Matador Records
Nov 15, 2008
Mogwai were the band that brought instrumental music out of sneering, hipster-run art spaces - you know the ones where "damaged" has a positive connotation - and into rock clubs. They were also the band that was playing post-rock before it was a term on the tongue of every music critic and dorm-room blogger.
And, just when their coattails were starting to scrape against the ground thanks to a plethora of imitators, Mogwai would go and change up the entire game yet again, showing they had a better sense of melody, a better understanding of dynamics, a more interesting muse, hell even a higher temperature for face-melting metal-isms. So, lucky for listeners The Hawk is Howling shows yet again that Mogwai are not a "right time, right place" kind of band, but instead artists that understand progression, experimentation, beauty, and well, straight up kicking ass.
What The Hawk is Howling Fits in the Mogwai Canon
The tracks here manage to mine Mogwai's past, while also charting unknown territory. The Hawk is Howling definitely recalls more recent Mogwai albums, like Mr. Beast than it does classic full-lengths like Come On Die Young. What that means is that instead a consistently mesmerizing album full of soothing slow-core and restrained sensibilities, you get a mixed bag here. There are haunting and airy movements, crushing barrages of riff-guided rock, and even some forays into electronic-based textures.
"I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead"
Opener "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead," is simply beautiful. A delicate and poetic piano line hangs above gusts of feedback with the grace of a dangling spider. There are no builds and breaks here, merely a moment of deep breaths and introspection and Mogwai handles it superbly.
"Bat Cat"
The follow up, and first single from the album, is a completely different story. "Bat Cat" is pure rock. The drums slam while the beefed up guitars chug out some punching riffs. Now, don't forget this is Mogwai, so these are no run of the mill riffs being thrown around here, but instead interlocking, jagged pieces of some dangerous puzzle.
"The Sun Smells Too Loud"
With "The Sun Smells Too Loud" the band show their adventurous side. After laying down a beat that could be called "dance-able" the boys in Mogwai offer up what has got to be their most pop guitar line ever. It is bright, cheery, and uplifting.
"I Love You, I'm Going to Blow up Your School"
The band do hit on their classic sound a times too, like with "I Love You, I'm Going to Blow up Your School." here they offer a clinic on post-rock as they move from a low growl to a rabid bite.
Conclusion
The boys from Glasgow manage to craft epic and emotionally resonant jams that yield the label of "art" without having to go over any heads in the process. The Hawk is Howling manages to avoid the pitfalls of instrumental music (see dull repetition, lack of melody, limited scope) to offer a thoroughly engaging album.
Mogwai Live
Mogwai are not only known for their studio prowess, but also their aggressive and cathartic live show. They are currently on tour in support of The Hawk is Howling. Here are their upcoming tour dates.
- Sat, Nov 15th 2008 8:00 pm Archa Theatre Prague, Czech Republic
- Mon, Nov 17th 2008 8:00 pm Fri Son Fribourg, Switzerland
- Tue, Nov 18th 2008 8:00 pm Rote Febrik Zurich, Switzerland
- Sat, Jan 10th 2009 8:00 pm Liquidroom Tokyo, Japan
- Sun, Jan 11th 2009 8:00 pm Studio Coast Tokyo, Japan
- Tue, Jan 13th 2009 8:00 pm Club Quattro Nagoya, Japan
- Wed, Jan 14th 2009 8:00 pm Big Cat Osaka, Japan
- Fri, Jan 30th 2009 8:00 pm La Carène Brest, France
- Sat, Jan 31st 2009 8:00 pm Olympic Nantes, France
- Sun, Feb 1st 2009 8:00 pm Bikini Toulouse, France
- Tue, Feb 3rd 2009 8:00 pm Teatro Cervantes Malaga, Spain
- Tue, Feb 10th 2009 8:00 pm Rolling Stone Milan, Italy
- Thu, Feb 12th 2009 8:00 pm La Laiterie Strasbourg, Laiterie
- Fri, Feb 13th 2009 4:00 pm Astrolabe Orleans, France
- Sat, Feb 14th 2009 8:00 pm La Cartonnerie Reims, France
- Fri, Feb 20th 2009 8:00 pm Gagarin 205 Athens, Greece
- Sat, Feb 21st 2009 8:00 pm Mylos Thessaloniki, Greece
- Tue, Mar 3rd 2009 8:00 pm The Tivoli Brisbane, Australia
- Wed, Mar 4th 2009 8:00 pm Enmore Theatre Sydney, Australia
- Thu, Mar 5th 2009 8:00 pm The Forum Theatre Melbourne, Australia
- Sat, Mar 7th 2009 8:00 pm Golden Plains Festival Meredith, Australia
- Sun, Mar 8th 2009 8:00 pm Beck's Music Box (Perth Intn'l Music Festival) Perth, Australia
