Album Reviews

Scotland’s favorite post-rockers recorded a new album and it looks like they were having fun again with the titles. Or what to think of songs called “I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead” or “The Suns Smells Too Loud”?

As funny as the guys themselves might be, all the more serious is their music. Very serious stuff. Very long as well. But not innovative. Mogwai is still using their old formula (quiet, loud, louder, loudest, quieter, quiet) for pretty much every single song on “The Hawk Is Howling”. But they do it so well that I’m not gonna complain. This album is once again a trip from start to finish.

The abovementioned “I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead” sounds a lot like “I Know You Are But What Am I” and is a nice way to start off an album. Next up it’s time for “Batcat” and I have hardly ever heard Mogwai as angry as on this track. Put it next to “Kings Meadow” however (a couple of songs down the tracklisting) and it’s the complete opposite because “Kings Meadow” is not only very quiet but also kinda boring. Luckily there are more songs in the vein of “Scotland’s Shame” which cover up the small blemishes that can be found here and there. Because in the end Mogwai is still doing what they do best… blow shit up slowly.