What Are You Listening To?

[Tiggi]

1997 debut from Glasgow Post-Rockers.

Mogwai have three modes of operation on this album:

1. Start gently with beautiful, genuinely fragile music (the sort of thing that would suit SteveO's "soft music" request), which stays gentle and fragile.

2. Start gently with beautiful, genuinely fragile music (the sort of thing that would suit SteveO's "soft music" request), then build this slowly into a crescendo of soaring, feedbacky guitar noise/music.

3. Start gently with beautiful, genuinely fragile music (the sort of thing that would suit SteveO's "soft music" request), then rip your ears off with a sudden explosion of soaring, feedbacky guitar noise. Then sometimes repeat the process.

Mode three is scary at high volume, so comes with a mandatory warning for those of a weak ticker disposition.

Good music, which is pretty much vocal free. If there's any criticism, it's that the developments are slow, and can be a tad repetitive. At the same time, this is quite effective at building tension, so you pays your money...


AllMusic 4+/5 stars.