release date: Mar. 6, 2006
format: digital (10 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,85]
producer: Tony Doogan & Mogwai
label: [PIAS] Recordings / Rock Action - nationality: Scotland, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Auto Rock" - 2. "Glasgow Mega-Snake" - 4. "Travel Is Dangerous" - 5. "Team Handed" - 6. "Friend of the Night" - 9. "I Chose Horses" - 10. "We're No Here"
5th studio album by Mogwai follows nearly 3 full years after the album Happy Songs for Happy People (Jun. 2003), and like that, this also features Scottish producer Tony Doogan. Unlike the predecessor and in fact the band's three most recent abums, this album comes out as something that naturally could have followed in the path laid out with Come On Die Young (1999) or even by the band's debut album Mogwai Young Team (1997). It's with a stronger shoegazing / noise rock sound than what has become the band's most recent and more subtle trademarks - only here, the members appear to have wanted something that sounds more like their first recordings without electronic bits and in its place: soaring guitars that brings to mind My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth. The album contains 10 tracks and has a total running time at 43 minutes.
Together with Come on Die Young this represents the best of "early" Mogwai.
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[ đallmusic.com, The Guardian, Mojo 4 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5, đRolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]
