Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

This is easily one of the best albums of all time. When I first heard it I was disappointed it wasn't darker like some of their early stuff. At the time I was really digging "ratts of the capitol" or "killing all the flies" which are off an earlier release. This album is simply a lot prettier and uplifting. Now I like it more than almost any of their albums aside from Mr. Beast. "How to be a werewolf" and "Rano Pano" are so good its stunning really. They never get old and the melodies are so damn good. Stuart, Martin, Barry, John, and Dominic are forever an elite cast of raw musicians in my book.

Perhaps I'm a little too biased to write a subjective review.... Mogwai's  Mr Beast  and  The Hawk Is Howling  are two of my all-time favorite post-rock albums. (I love Explosions in the Sky too.) Mogwai's earlier stuff meanders, almost to a point where you're thinking, "Is this song ever gonna take off?" "Mr. Beast" and "The Hawk is Howling" seem to have less meandering and more structure -- and more melody. Or, in other words, each track has a definite beginning, a middle, and an ending.Mogwai's "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will" is comparable to the aforementioned albums -- which, for me, is great! The songs are more like jams than anything. Each song builds and soars higher than anything you've heard on the radio (and that's ironic because many of the tracks' melodies are infectiously catchy, much like the bull---- you'd hear on the radio).My favorite track from "The Hawk is Howling" is "The Sun Smells Too Loud" and many of the tracks on "Hardcore..." have a similar, upbeat melody. (Their early stuff isn't characteristically "upbeat," and personally, I prefer the newer, "positive" sound.)"White Noise," "Mexican Grand Prix," "Rano Pano," and "Death Ray" are all triumphant jams. The magic continues with "San Pedro," "Letters to the Metro," and "George Square Thatcher Death Party." (These Scots always give us great titles.)"How to be a Werewolf" and "Too Raging to Cheer" offer plenty of variety and "You're Lionel Richie" is a powerful conclusion (a la "We're No Here" on "Mr. Beast").This album is amazing. The melodies are timeless and the guitars and drums are beautiful (and savage).THIS is rock music. This album is well-crafted...but as the mix reviews might suggest, it's not for everyone.

I'm a long time Mogwai devotee -- I've seen them at least fifteen times, own everything they've ever released (a lot of it on vinyl), and have turned many people on to the band. They seemed to have fallen into a bit of a rut lately, with Mr. Beast and The Hawk Is Howling having 5 or 6 standouts and the rest kind of...filler. Which is still wonderful -- Mogwai doing "filler" is way better than most other bands' best songs.So imagine my surprise when this turned out to become my favorite Mogwai record overall. It's got more uptempo rockers than I ever thought I'd hear on a Mogwai record, and bleeds inspiration from the first needle drop. The songs translate amazingly live. How To Be A Werewolf is a true stunner, deep and uplifting and heavy and oh-so-rocking.It's not only the best album title they've had, but the best collection of songs as well. So good. And the 180 gram virgin vinyl is well worth the splurge.

This is a band that I have been curious about for a while now, but this is the first album I have checked out by them. Mogwai is considered a post rock band by most, but to my ears much of what these guys do could be appealing to progressive rock fans as well. They remind me a lot of prog acts like Guapo, who build layer upon layer of sound often into a shattering climax. This mostly instrumental album (there are vocals on one track) is a feast for the ears covering a lot of musical territory over the course of it's length. Standout tracks include, "Mexican Grand Prix", "San Pedro" and the album closer, "You're Lionel Richie". Really there is not a weak cut on the album. This is really good stuff. I look forward to exploring more of this band's back catalogue.

Mogwai deliver all that is expected of them and more with this release. Perfect instrumental performance combined with slick production add this album to their ever-growing list of genius albums. "Mexican Grand Prix" in particular proves that the band pays little attention to critics and are focused on furthering their craft THEIR way. This album needs no praise, buy it and check it out-you won't regret it.

Album umpteen for the Scottish art noise terrorists, and the once again, impeccably titled "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will", proves - if nothing else - Mogwai write the best titles in the business. Any album with a song entitled `George Square Thatcher Death Party' makes quite clear what side of the political fence they straddle. For such an inventive linguistic approach, Mogwai are, aside from that, a curiously silent group in many ways : cover art is never iconic, merely a wrapper in which the music is delivered. For this album, the cover is a blue cityscape, lyrics are quietly excised from most if not all songs, and the shimmering, barely-detectable musical glide that forms a core of their work is dispensed in favour of an altogether more muscular musical language.Possibly taking a cue from last years excellent "Special Moves / Burning" live set, the glacial ice of restraint - for Mogwai standards - has been removed. We're hardly talking Slayer here : but songs constructed of relatively recognisable elements such as verse, chorus, bridge, refrain, and rhythms that move forward from the opening bars of "White Noise" to the final, more atypical "Music From A Forgotten Future", it's clear there's a journey here : Mogwai never content to rest on their laurels, repeat themselves, going to some new destination. Whilst some of the songs see them fall into their trademarks ound of ascending/descending chords and cacophonous drums - "Rano Pano" - others, such as "Letters To The Metro" and "Mexican Grand Prix"for example, are the nearest Mogwai will probably ever come to a hit, with conventional 4/4 time scales, that - almost - but not quite resemble conventional rock.All is not lost : by the time of the grand finale - the 23 minute soundtrack to an art piece by the sound of it - Mogwai are back in familiar, meditative territory. Few bands - only Sigur Ros and early Pink Floyd - create a similar atmosphere for me, where the mind wanders, and I become lost in an otherworld environment of thought and idea, where time itself travels at a different speed, my muse is exploring a world that never exists except in my imagination. Maybe that is what Mogwai are best at : soundtracks to the imagination.

I love this album. It has some very good moments. It is not as classic as Mogwai's other albums though. Most of all it has that relaxing/exciting feeling that most Mogwai songs have. Rano Pano is a standout track, as well as Death Rays, which seems to stick in my head all the time. Even if it's not a very innovative track. It's bound to attract more fans to Mogwai, and also intrigue more seasoned fans. There is a lot to be discovered on repeated listens!Also, the Music for a forgotten future is last but not least a very good addition, or bonus track, if you will. On my edition the "Music for a forgotten future" is hidden at the end after the last track, You're Lionel Richie.

Have to admit I'd almost written Mogwai off. The last two albums had a few decent songs on but were a bit average. I only really checked this out in passing on Spotify. Needless to say I'd soon bought it.A great mix of quiet and loud, interesting song dynamics and supreme production. Reminiscent in places of Rock Action but with a few more upbeat songs and melodies thrown in. The second disc is decent enough- I can't honestly say it'll spend a great deal of time in my CD player but it is worth a listen. I was blown away by the album though- check it out, it really is worth it.

I love this album, for its sweeping atmospherics to its repetitive motifs all the way to its indie guitar thrashes. I'd avoided Mogwai for years, not realizing they are one of the UK's hidden gems. This album works everywhere, form the car to the gym to the living room and the darkened bedroom. Full of masterful keyboard and guitar interchange, distorted lyrics and great tunes.

Always different. Always the same.