When it comes to pretentious bands no on the planet is more pretentious than Mogwai. No other band has had a bigger ego and sold so few records in the history of the recording industry. Famously knocking bands like blur for being popular, it now seems ironic that they have endorsements. So with their feet firmly planted in their proverbial mouths, they've got to really do something to impress me with their records. Thankfully, with the ironically hip play on words, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will they've at least managed to peak my interest.
This predominantly instrumental album sees Mogwai grinding post rock into dust and then recycling it into something that at times sounds like Stereolab without vocals. With massive soundscapes careening out of their guitars and drums that sound like mini earthquakes Mogwai plod their way through this record as if their lives depended on it. They really do need to learn to relax a bit. Lucky for them, after a gazillion albums these guys are very good at what they do, can kind of coast and allow their smugness and intensity to be overshadowed by the fact that as a band they are an imaginative bunch.
Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is an expansive landscape of distorted but controlled chaos that's not the best post rock record in the world...but it's darn near close. Needless to say...I’m impressed...I still hate them...but I’m impressed with what they've been able to do. So congrats to you Mogwai.
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