Mr. Beast
Matador
2006
Rating: 7 acid folk horses out of 10
Being a Mogwai fanatic, I’m not afraid to admit I’ve trolled for information about the band on message boards and music sites - hey, it helps pass the work day better than actually working. And in doing this I came across a few statements by different individuals that this album, “Mr. Beast”, was going to be the best “art-rock” record to come out since My Bloody Valentine’s “Loveless”. That’s bold talk, and talk that’s not easily backed up, given the reputation of “Loveless” and Mogwai’s recent output - not bad by any means, I’ve quite enjoyed it; but lacking that punch, that edge that made their early work so fantastic.
But is the statement true? I dunno, I’m not even sure how to quantify something like that. “Loveless” is a fantastic album, but musically and stylistically it’s nothing like “Mr. Beast”. This record finds the band returning to their roots - dropping the vocals (for the most part) and cranking up the volume on their guitars. They’ve returned with the bombast that made them so special, the sound that has been missing from their records since “Come On Die Young” (but still present in their live shows, thankfully, even when performing their material from their more recent albums). I was absolutely hooked from the first listen, where the band reclaims the piano as a rock instrument and not just the tool of the devil known as yuppie music. I have no doubt this will be one of the best record to come out all year and will stand as one of the high points in the career of a band that’s done many great things.
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