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Despite my love for the delay pedal as
an integral part of a bands guitar sounds…somehow in all my years of post
rocking, Mogwai escaped my ears.
I’m not proud of it, but I’ll own up to it and say this...After listening to “Hardcore Will Never
Die…But You Will” and their new album “Rave Tapes”, they will not pass me by
again.
Post-rock
is defined by Wikipedia as “a subgenre of rock music characterized by the
influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms
and ‘guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures’ not traditionally found in
rock. Post-rock bands are often without vocals”. While this is accurate to a certain degree, the genre has
certainly evolved since its roots in the early 90’s. Sigur Ros, Moving Mountains, Mogwai, Don Caballero,
Tortoise, and Explosions in the Sky are good jumping off points for those new
to the genre.
“Rave Tapes” is primarily without
vocals. It is a moody journey
through gorgeous textural soundscapes, and an exploration of dynamic
contrast. The band will move
seamlessly from drone-rumble guitars into clean delay-laden riffs that force
themselves into the foreground.
The rhythm section is joined by synthesized reinforcement and keeps the
record sounding fresh and adds excitement certain sections.
Mogwai
is nothing if not consistent. They
deliver a record that sonically complex and instrumentally sound. This is a group of incredibly talented
musicians and their 19-year career is full of sonic wonderlands to
explore. If you are new to the
band, “Rave Tapes” is a good starting point, and opens up the doors to their
extensive back catalogue. If you
are a longtime fan, listen to “Rave Tapes” and feel free to post lengthy
responses to this about how ignorant I am of the bands true genius from their
early years. Don’t worry, by the
time I see any backlash I will have listened to as much of their discography as
I can get my hands on, and will have some kind of sardonic reply. “Rave Tapes” is a great album all the
way through. Mogwai is a band
worth knowing well. Keep post-rocking
out.
Listen to Repelish
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