Album Review: Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

[Sub Pop, 2011]

Mogwai really have been around for a long time, so it's understandable that they might want to stray slightly from the forumla they had perfected by the mid-2000s. Their newer material has featured less of the sprawling post-rock (although the band have always despised that label) and more actual 'songs' in the true meaning of the term. Some of the music here is vintage Mogwai, but there are some surprising departures as well, such as the synth-fest that is 'Mexican Grand Prix', the stright-up indie rock of 'George Square Thatcher Death Party' and the soothing, tender piano-led blues of 'Letters To The Metro'. The album overall is almost tranquil, being definitely the most melodic Mogwai record I've heard, with the only real 'builds'-structured song on the album being the sprawling 'You're Lionel Ritchie' - and even this is more along the Explosions In The Sky route to melodic post-rock for the first half, and then very Spiderland-y for the second half, and not really what you would consider in the 'classic' Mogwai style.


The album really does feel like a new beginning for the Glaswegians. They seem to have been trying to find a new direction, away from the abrasive soundscapes of their early work, for a good few albums now, and only with 'Hardcore....' does it actually feel like this could be the benchmark of later- (or possibly middle-)period Mogwai. You can hear how they got here from 'Young Team', with a few moments, especially in the second half of the album, that sound like vintage Mogwai - it seems like a culmination of all their past work. They're one of the few bands still around from the mid-90s who manage to keep themselves sounding fresh, still sounding like they're challenging themselves to expand their sound. They could even expand their fanbase with this - it's probably more accessible than any other Mogwai record, despite the lack of much in the way of vocals, and is in places genuinely tender, but still retains the spirit and fire of any of the band's releases.