Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling (2008)

Mogwai have long been slinging albums in their tried-and-true formula, and The Hawk is Howling is nothing innovative as far as that is concerned. The question with this album is really if you enjoy their sound.

They are post-rock pioneers, their albums sentimental, their song titles seem almost like inside jokes. It's needless to say that they have influenced countless bands in the same vein; if not with their sound, definitely with their attitude.

Mogwai songs from any era are meandering pieces that build on a theme, sometimes swelling to extremity somewhere near a sludgy heavy metal sound. This album, arguably more so than any of their others, takes songs to that extremity. For the most part it works, although one can't help but notice there is not much of a theme within the album itself. It's almost like a b-side collection, or outtakes from some of their previous works as the songs can usually stand on their own but when ingested as a whole leave you scratching your head.

The opener, titled "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead" begins with some calming piano work, then evolves to somewhere near a Boards of Canada sound with a distant tremolo picked distorted guitar accompanying some simple keys. The drums eventually increase in tempo, the piano fading off while the guitar and synth come into focus for a rousing climax. In many ways this is a microcosm of Mogwai, the album itself, and post-rock in general.

Worth noting are some cute song titles peppered around the album. The aforementioned "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead," along with "Thank You Space Expert," "The Sun Smells Too Loud," and my personal favorite "I Love You, I'm Going to Blow Up Your School."

Needless to say by now, there's really nothing much to say except that Mogwai-heads will be pleased, and others can stop reading now. If you've never heard the band, hey, check it out. You'll probably be impressed. There's a lot to like here. For the rest, it's only a matter of whether you've found the band's shtick old hat by now.

Verdict: Indifference (kind of)

http://www.mogwai.co.uk/