Hawk Is Howling

Mogwai | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 23, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• ASIN: B001C4Z6FW
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #654,633 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead

2. Batcat

3. Danphe and the Brain

4. Local Authority

5. The Sun Smells Too Loud

6. Kings Meadow

7. I Love You, I'm Going to Blow Up Your School

8. Scotland's Shame

9. Thank You Space Expert

10. The Precipice

Editorial Reviews

Mogwai's sixth studio album is, as one might expect, a brooding and atmospheric collection, full of the band's exceptional use of dynamics and creation of hypnotic soundscapes. The Hawk Is Howling is, however, partly more reflective than previous releases, perhaps sharing more in common with 2001's Rock Action. Instrumentally the band have somewhat branched out, utilising light synthesizers on tracks such as 'The Sun Smells Too Loud'. For the first time since their debut Mogwai Young Team LP, Andy Miller was on production duties. Recorded in notable Glasgow studio Chem 19 (run by the Chemikal Underground record label), this release sees Mogwai simultaneously stepping forward musically and returning to their roots.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Soundscapes and Heavy Metal Combine, September 24, 2008

By 

Jeffrey A. Lunt - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hawk Is Howling (Audio CD)

For the uninitiated, Mogwai is one of the most popular (and most talented) "post-rock" bands in the world. They have been rocking and rolling for almost ten years and their albums stand as monuments to post-rock music. What is post-rock you ask? I don't know exactly...but I know I enjoy most music labeled as "post-rock."

"The Hawk is Howling" is another fine addition to the Mogwai catalog. Like every Mogwai release, the music captures many different emotions and sentiments.

The track sequencing is superb. (Listen to every track from the beginning to the end.) The album features both soft, meandering guitar pieces and loud, furious guitar pieces. The soft tracks and the loud tracks work together to create a unique experience.

The opening track, "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead," is gentle and melancholic and then it soars upward in volume and intensity.

Track two, "Batcat," explodes with layered, heavy guitars.

The next track, "Danphe and the Brain," is breathtaking (for lack of a better word). (Turn up the volume and soak it up.)

The next several tracks, "Local Authority," "The Sun Smells Too Loud," and "King's Meadow" are all flawless.

Track seven, "I Love You, I'm Going to Blow Up Your School," is gloomy and ominous, but perhaps the most thought-provoking track on the album.

Tracks eight and nine, "Scotland's Shame" and "Thank You Space Expert," are gentle, but more uplifting and positive.

And the final track, track ten, "The Precipice," builds to a fantastic and conclusive finish.

(Several B-Sides, not included on this version, are circulating throughout the internet; they are awesome too! But DO NOT download this album. Show some respect for the artistry and the artists.)

If you love post-rock music or music that never receives radio airtime, consider "The Hawk is Howling" from Mogwai. It's different; it's fresh.

Keep on rockin' and rollin'! Bring Mogwai home; order this album today.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow....Amazing, August 14, 2010

By 

J. A. Brown "Riley23" (Detroit, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hawk Is Howling (Audio CD)

You know, I have no idea why I bought this a couple years back. The first time I listened to this I was confused. The second time I was hooked and this release has become one of my top ten releases of all time up there with the likes of Slayer, Motorhead, Maiden, Accept, Cannibal Corpse, Megadeth, Mercyful Fate, Voi Vod and Saxon. (Yes, I am a metalhead but Mogwai's "The Hawk Is Howling" is something real special.) "Listen to it on a snowy day, it captures the mood."

4.0 out of 5 stars The Sun Smells too Loud, November 19, 2008

By 

Sheldon A. Jones "Sheljonz" (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hawk Is Howling (Audio CD)

Mogwai continues to impress without lyrics, just very cool instrumentation. Saw them in person, and their live performance is amazing. This release is well worth getting.