Customer Reviews

The Hawk Is Howling

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mogwai is the forefront of their particular brand of post-rock, sonic manipulatory, mood altering, mindscaping compositional cathedrals. Although comparisons with Sigur Ros will continue, Mogwai really has taken a grittier road than the more delicate post rock Icelandic heroes. Mogwai has never been scared to dwell on a reverberating power chord, and they definitely try to squeeze all the emotional resonance out of some pretty downtempo guitars as possible here. Does this take away from the power or intimacy of the music? By no means. If you enjoyed Happy Songs for Happy People, this probably going to satisfy you, although things are not quite as melodic as on that album. The fuzz guitar has been turned up significantly, and there is an increased use of chromaticism here that would have been out of place there. There is much less emphasis on melody, and more emphasis on power, raw waves of feedback being more common here.

Not that there aren't moments of piano driven beauty. The beginning of Daphne and the Brain is just lovely, with a swelling guitar behind the piano as a fantastic counterpoint. But for every Daphne and the Brain, there is a Batcat--a track that is loud, angry, and very upset about something. And ultimately, Daphne also swells and demands to be noticed. The soft crescendo of the songs can become a little predictable after a while, but is still worthwhile.

I am not sure if this will hold up as well over time as Happy Songs has for me, but I am certainly going to continue listening to it. I have awarded it 4 stars because it is beautiful, powerful, well constructed, but not precisely revelatory, and not really a grand step forward. Even so, it will be a welcome edition to the Mogwai catalog for years to come.

While there are no drastic departures from the melodic, brooding, hopeful sound of previous Mogwai works, there are a few minor changes that add up. First of all, The Hawk is Howling contains no vocal elements at all. Also missing are most of the electronic dubbing and sampling of previous works, yielding some of their most organic tracks to date. Perhaps most importantly, this album seems much more straightforward than their other offerings, with an emphasis on power rather than intricacy. There's plenty of somber, crystalline structure here, but there's also a newfound willingness to write tunes you can hum or stomp along to. Each track, excepting perhaps "Batcat," has an immediately apparent melody that could be played by one or two people on keyboards without losing too much vitality, and most tracks feature heavy vamping. The resulting tunes are simple and memorable. Everything is a little more aggressive and less complex than on previous Mogwai efforts, without losing the depth and creativity they're known for. This is elegant work.

While the overall mood is fairly consistent, there's quite a lot of stylistic variety on The Hawk is Howling. The strangely named opener "I'm Jim Morrison I'm Dead," with it's shimmering piano line and powerful organs, sounds like what might happen if Mr. Spock wrote a Klingon opera. On the other hand, "The Sun Smells Too Loud" is upbeat, even danceable, conveying a sense of enjoyment with the emotive force most artists in this genre sadly reserve for melancholy. "Scotland's Shame" is a straightforward, driving anthem that will immediately setup housekeeping in your hippocampus. "Danphe and the Brain" and "Thank You Space Expert" are catchy numbers that sound like somebody bouncing wordless poems off the sky. "The Precipice" is the thing you jump off of at the end, wondering if you can fly, and if anyone else can either.

One thing that sets Mogwai apart from most of their post-rock brethren/followers is that their hard rock roots are deep and healthy. With the barely-bridled malice of tracks like "Batcat" and "I Love You, I'm Going to Blow Up Your School," Mogwai not only invite the space invasion, but threaten to beat it back as well. At once meditative and gripping, The Hawk is Howling has as much in common with Tool's Lateralus as with the latest from Explosions In The Sky or GY!BE. Imagine your favorite hard rock band had a spiritual epiphany and spent a few years in a secluded monastery; Mogwai is what they'd sound like when they came back down the mountainside and found you worshiping a golden calf.

Another thing that sets Mogwai apart is their willingness to just keep writing beautiful songs, without trying too hard to reinvent themselves at the behest of critics. I encourage you to ignore all the cliched buzzwords of a typical music review, and focus on what these artists focus on: the craftsmanship, imagination, and enjoyability of the music. There's nothing revolutionary here, but there's an awful lot to like, maybe even love. It's always a challenge to predict what somebody else will find beautiful, but The Hawk is Howling is a good introduction to Mogwai, and, if you appreciate this genre at all, a good bet to earn a prominent place in your music player of choice.

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, "Daphne 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.

The latest release and latest in bizarre titles for the Scottish band Mogwai "The Hawk is Howling" follows the same formula as "Mr. Beast" their 2005 release. A slow piano opener "I'm Jim Morrison I'm dead" similar to "Auto Rock" from "Mr. Beast". However the new track expands on the theme and improves it. This progression goes throughout the album including the heavy rock song "Batcat" whose partner on Mr. Beast is "Glasgow Mega-Snake." "Batcat" is a heavy hitting rock song that finds Mogwai finally doing what they threatened to do on "Rock Action". They actually rock. It seems odd for a band as talented and amazing to follow a similar formula for success. Even odder, the album stretches Mogwai's reach with a happy song entitled "The Sun Smells to Loud." On "Scotland's Shame," Mogwai laments beautifully for most likely a football match loss, given their predilections. The album reaches a spectacular conclusion with "The Precipice" that is close enough in mood and power to be cousins with "We're No Here." Despite the similarities in the construction of the last two albums Mogwai has changed, even from the last album. Gone are the noisy interruptions, the snippets of conversations, and tinny recordings. Now they have fully layered crystal clear recordings that demonstrate their full power. The only lament for anyone who has been privy enough to see the band live is the absolute sonic experience it is. It is an unreasonable expectation to expect Mogwai's studio recordings to be anything like their live performances, it just means you have to spend some money on better speakers.

I can't tell you how happy I was when I heard this album for the first time. It seems like Mogwai are finally getting back to their foundation, which is instrumentals with hooks. No more songs with vocals. No more mindless audio tracks being mixed in with slow dense music. No more hook-less rambling songs. I could not believe that someone labeled this album "tedious," quite the opposite, this is Happy Songs for Happy People revisited. "The Sun Smells Too Loud" will quickly become one of their most popular anthems. Plenty of upbeat and interesting songs. Great album!

For Mogwai's 11th album, "The Hawk is Howling" they reunited with producer Andy Miller (producer of Young Team) and created a stunning work. Mogwai have crafted an album of mournful beauty with songs that ebb then slowly gain momentum. Similar to Sigur Ros' () album in mood, this album contains songs of angst and resolution but is entirely instrumental.

The funereal atmosphere lets up for a moment on most of these tracks and reveals different effects bubbling underneath the surface. Album opener, "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead" reveals little about the singer but sets the somber tone for the rest of the album. "Batcat" is next and is noisy and thrashy and collides next to "Daphne & The Brain," an other worldly soundscape. "Local Authority" paints a bleak picture and might be perfect to listen to after a wake.

The mood of the album starts to lighten with "The Sun Smells Too Loud" which is a summery piece of guitar rock and it seems nice to get away from whatever grim place Mogwai is inhabiting. "Kings Meadow" is pastoral, and reminds me of the melody of the song "Static Waves" by Pacific UV, if the ladies in Amiina fronted them.

Things don't stay idyllic long on this album as the peace is shattered by the eerie "I Love You, I'm Going To Blow Up Your School;" a brutish piece ended by a noisy guitar squall. As the album comes to a close, it seems to run through a lot of emotions with the dirge like "Scotland's Shame" and the pensive "Thank You Space Expert." "The Precipice" closes the album and lingers after the expelling of the demons that once consumed it.

I got into Mogwai a few months ago with Happy Songs for Happy People. I was blown away and pre-ordered this album along with a few of their earlier albums.
Now, while this doesn't top Happy Songs for me, it's still a very solid album with many great moments and great contrast. Highlights include 'The Sun Smells Too Loud,' 'Batcat,' and 'The Precipice.' Yes, the album sometimes seems to lack direction and this clearly isn't a type of music that appeals to everyone. But the song titles are top-notch and if you like earlier Mogwai or post-rock in general, I'd recommend it.

I never heard of Mogwai before buying this one, just found the cover interesting. This is one of my all time favorite recordings, ranking up there with the likes of some of my favorite metal bands. Mogwai isn't metal but mood music, every song even without vocals tells a story. I saw them live a couple weeks ago and it was one of the best shows I have seen in a while. I have all of Mogwai's recordings now but this is still my favorite.

they are really one the best i've ever heard. it really depends your taste, so you should listen to it to decide for yourself.

Another great album from Mogwai. I got into these guys a couple of years ago when I read Pearl Jam's bassist say good things, and now I've got 4 of their albums. This one ranks up there with their best.