Mogwai   

The Hawk is Howling

Matador Records 

 
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More than a decade after their debut album, Mogwai continues to test the limits of the post-rock sound.  Their latest release, The Hawk is Howling, marks the first time the band members have worked with producer Andy Miller since their freshman release.

Despite the praises sung by critics and fans alike, the band itself was unimpressed with the end result of 1997’s Young Team.  Every album since then has varied widely from experimental uncertainty to comfortably contained chaos.

The Hawk is Howling is a carefully chosen collection of songs that tells 10 distinct stories – each one unraveling its secrets through divergent melodies.  “The Sun Smells Too Loud” is the most up-tempo song on the album – perhaps one of the jolliest songs Mogwai has ever written. The twinkling notes of the keyboard combined with the simple, repetitive hum of the guitar come together to make a danceable pop song that evokes memories of drunken afternoons playing hooky on the beach.  “I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead” is reminiscent of classic Mogwai with its clever title and focused unpredictability.  It starts off slow, soft, and almost romantic and crescendos steadily into manic volume.  “Batcat” has a dirty, raw edge to it with rumbling drums and grinding guitar chords.  The spot where “The Sun Smells Too Loud” leads you into contented bliss is the same place where “Batcat” heightens your senses and gets your adrenaline pumping. 

It’s unclear how Mogwai manages to create albums that are more gorgeous and awe-inspiring than the one before. Their ability to weave in and out of sublime quiet and determined din has matured markedly during the years and leaves the listener drowning willingly in uncharted territories. 

Maybe it is best not to question their process of musical invention and just appreciate every random morsel of sound for what it is – an amalgamation of noise that is as lovely as it is loud.

– Brigitte B. Zabak