Countdown to Christmas Post #1

It's that time of year again. Amongst other things on this site will follow much by way of Christmas related stuff, including some anti-Christmas stuff.

Just in case anyone is worried, as God is my witness, I promise not to post any painfully awful and/or obvious stuff. So there will be no Mud, Slade, Shakin' Stevens, Mariah Carey, Boney M etc.. If you want it, I'm sure you can find it elsewhere.

Mogwai have done two (or three, depending on yur point of view) songs with Christmas in the title. 'Xmas Steps', all eleven and a bit minutes of it, was released in 1998, as the lead track on the 'No Education =No Future (Fuck The Curfew) EP.' It made no.2 in John Peel's Festive Fifty that year. It was released in slightly shorter form as 'Christmas Steps' on the following year's Come On Die Young LP. Later on in 1999, the Mogwai EP contained the 'Christmas Song.'

To what extent are these Christmassy? After all the original 'Xmas Steps' came out in July. But they feature the word 'Christmas' in them, so that'll do for me.

Mogwai -'Xmas Steps.' mp3

Mogwai -'Christmas Steps.' mp3

Mogwai -'Christmas Songs.' mp3

(and yes, these were featured by both me last year and Teenage Kicks/I Wish It Could be Christmas Every Day. Three will be other stuff that wasn't. Promise)

Album Review: Mogwai

Mogwai - 'The Hawk Is Howling.' (Wall Of Sound/PIAS)

It's been a pretty good year for Mogwai and their fans. Earlier this year, Chemikal Underground re-issued their seminal debut Young Team, their latest EP Batcat has debuted at no.1 in the indie charts, and now they release their sixth studio album.

More than a decade into their career, Mogwai are also still capable of surprising us. This is exactly what makes them such a rewarding listen, and why I still get excited about each new Mogwai release. For the last couple of months, the mp3 of 'The Sun Is Too Loud' has been doing the rounds. John Peel used to say about The Fall that they were 'always the same; always different.' And that sums up Mogwai particularly well too. 'The Sun...' features more of an electronic take on their sound than we've ever had from Mogwai, and it makes sense listening to it that on their forthcoming tour they will be supported by Fuck Buttons.

This release has been described as being more cinematic than previous releases, and I would agree with that. Whilst there's no repetition of that moment on their debut's 'Like herod' track when it explodes, making you jump like the final scene in Carrie, there's still gorgeous echoes of 'Mogwai fear Satan.' 'King's Meadow' particularly is a gorgeous slow number.

As a mostly instrumental act, Mogwai have forged their own distinctive sound. They're labelled post-rock, but Mrs. 17 Seconds commented that they sound scottish; not because they use the bagpipes, but because of the way the guitars and drums sound. Mogwai are a mass of beuatiful contradictions that always seem to balance perfectly. A decade in, and each album still sets its' own stall out differently. No collaborations with Aidan Moffat or Gruff Rhys here; these have been done before.

Is there a gameplan? Who knows, but on the strength of this latest release, Mogwai seem incapable of letting us down, but always surprising and delighting us. Long may they run.

****1/2

The Hawk Is Howling is released on Monday on Wall Of Sound/PIAS

Mogwai -'The Sun Smells Too Loud.' mp3

The video for current single 'Batcat.' If 'Xmas Steps' seemed to evoke David Lynch, this evokes The Wicker Man and It.

It may be a Monday...but it's warm and I'm on holiday

Oh yes, oh yay.

So, why the picture of the hawk at the top of the page?

Well, that is the cover art for the new album from Mogwai which will be out on the fourth week of september (I can't wait!). This track, 'The Sun Smells Too Loud' is taken from the Matador web page. This is track is playing as I write. I know it may well have been doing the rounds of the blogs for the last few weeks, but I hadn't heard it, so I guess there's a chance that you may not have done either. It's already on the best of 2008 playlist on my iPod, and I bet John Peel would have loved it had he been here. *Sigh* This song is actually quite summery -and I mean that as a compliment.

Mogwai -'The Sun Smells Too Loud.' mp3

Meanwhile, before I went away on holiday, I was emailed this rather fine remix of my favourite M.I.A. track. As long-term listeners should know, I think this woman is cool as, and I think this remix rocks too. (Just in case you care, the original is the second on my car tape, sandwiched between Sons & Daughters and Pavement.)

M.I.A. -'Bucky Done Gun (Tenzin remix).' mp3

Meanwhile, having posted the Arcade Fire version of this song yesterday, thanks to David for emailing me the Belle and Sebastian version. It's cool too. My French isn't sufficiently up to speed to be able to pick any holes in this. Just enjoy it for what it is...

Belle & Sebastian -'Poupee De Cire.' mp3

Finally, I know next to nothing about this track, but it's a quality dance tune, with hints of Cut Copy, Silicone Soul and New Order -any ideas?

Ready Aim Fire -'So Fine.' mp3

Hope you're having a good day, wherever you may be...

Album Review: Mogwai

Mogwai - 'Mogwai Young Team (re-issue).' (Chemikal Underground)

I had a dream the other night. No, this is true: I was talking to some of the younger students I teach and they were raving about Mogwai. It was a dream: I know, because I woke up then, and realised that a: it was absurd that kids who were born after Kurt Cobain died would know who Mogwai are, even here in Scotland, and b) I was dead excited about the tenth anniversary re-issue of this album.

I can't remember the first time I heard about Mogwai, but I remember that there were two things that clinched me having to buy the original issue of this album (obviously, on vinyl) in 1998. I'd heard them on a free CD with NME, and been blown away by a track called 'Ex-Cowboy' which would appear on the following year's Come On Die Young LP, and knew I had to get the album. Secondly, Andy Cairns from Therapy? had said that his definition of heaven was scuba diving listening to this album and Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation LP on waterproof headphones. Did such things exist? And who were this scottish band?

Well, there's been many wonderful Mogwai moments since then. The twenty minute long workout? epic? post-epic song that is 'My Father My King.' That gorgeous collaboration with the Super Furry Animals' Gruff Rhys 'Dial:Revenge' on the Rock Music LP. the thrill of seeing them get a top 40 single...and of course, finally getting to see them live in 2003 at Edinburgh's Queen's Hall. When they played 'Like Herod' at ...that moment, I thought I'd lose my hearing.

But you know, I'd rather lose my hearing and say it was down to 'Like Herod' than say 'My Heart Will Go On' or 'Money For Nothing.' And it's one of the standout tracks on this album. It was just so...other. I wasn't aware of the concept of post-rock then, but the songs on this album blew me away. I was just discovering label-mates Arab Strap at the same time, and was pleased to see Aidan Moffat was on the record too. What was with those titles? New Order's titles seemed random, but these titles were something else again. The record was instrumental, and yet there were voices, but where did this fit in?

So many surprises within the album. The opening 'Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home' the aforementioned '...Herod.' And then the finale on side 4 of the vinyl: 'Mogwai Fear Satan.' Just three notes or so it seems, but it takes the whole concept of repetition beyond anything that even The Fall had done with it. Is it like film music, music to lose yourself/find yourself in (this is not about polar opposites, indeed I think they are increasingly one and the same thing) or a manifesto?

And now, the album comes re-mastered (apparently the older version was difficult to hear in places), with bonus tracks. It's beautifully packaged, especially if you get the vinyl, and includes unreleased, live and rare as anything tracks. Their cover of 'Honey' by Spaceman 3 is gorgeous, though the only thing that let's the second disc down is what seems like a sloppy version of 'Summer (Priority Version).'

But, small quibbles. Is this the best album Mogwai have ever made? I'm not sure that I have a favourite, but I've fallen head over heels for this again.

And if I ever get to scuba dive, then I'm taking this, Daydream Nation and Therapy?'s Troublegum on underwater headphones. It would only be polite.

Mogwai website/Mogwai myspace

Mogwai -'Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home.' mp3

A Peel-approved Burns' Night! (Part Two)

Mogwai -'My Father, My King.' mp3 (2001 Festive Fifty no.10)

Teenage Fanclub -'Like A Virgin.' mp3 (1991 festive Fifty no.36)

Fire Engines -'Candy Skin.' mp3 (1981 Festive Fifty no.58)

Sons and Daughters -'Johnny Cash.' mp3 (2004 Festive Fifty no.7)

The Delgados -Pull the wires From The Wall.' mp3 (1998 Festive Fifty no.1)

Rezillos -'I Can't Stand My Baby.' mp3 (1977 Festive Fifty no. 4 initially!)

Arab Strap -'The First Big Weekend.' mp3 (1996 Festive Fifty no.3)

Enjoy! and mine's a veggie haggis...

Songs For Christmas XVIII

A Chemikal Underground special for you today!

First up, this is from the now-disbanded (sob!) Aereogramme:

Aereogramme -'Asthma Came Home For Christmas.' mp3

and two absolute classics from Mogwai (above):

Mogwai -'Xmas Steps.' mp3

Mogwai -'Christmas Song.' mp3

More to come... : ))

Scots indie!

When I first started this blog, about fifteen months ago, one of my main aims was making scottish indie as high profile as possible.

Arguably since then, I have diversified a little -folk, death metal, grime and even a little classical have made their way onto these pages.

However, my bandwith is about to be exceeded -again! and so I thought I would do a post the old-fashioned way, and about music I am passionate about, with or without regard to fashion.

Some of these you may know, others you won't. Some are well-known, others less so, some bands are gone, some new, some just beginning. But enjoy...

Arab Strap -'Love Detective.' mp3

Belle And Sebastian -'Funny Little Frog.' mp3

Isobel Campbell -'Amorino.' mp3

Franz Ferdinand -'Darts Of Pleasure.' mp3

Delgados -'American Trilogy.' mp3

Mogwai -'Dial:Revenge.' mp3 (featuring Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals, it's a celtic thing, you understand!)

Sons and Daughters -'Johnny Cash.' mp3

Teenage Fanclub -'What You Do To me.' mp3

Twilight Sad -'That Summer, At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy.' mp3

1990s -'You're Supposed To Be My Friend.' mp3

Enjoy.

have a good weekend!

Two Great, Lost Singles #3 and #4

OK, I know a few people are bound to end up splitting hairs over this, given that you can get the tracks on iTunes (certainly iTunes UK, I know, cos I've just been there to check), and that maybe these should be for 'covers' posts, but anyway...

I've put these in together, because they do belong together, sort of.

Lost Single #3:
Mogwai and Magoo...Do the Rock Boogaloo (1998)

Back in 1998, Mogwai and Magoo were two of the brightest stars of the Chemikal Underground stable. At the time, London indie Fierce Panda were given to putting out fantastic split singles. They got the two bands together to record a cover apiece of a Black Sabbath song. Magoo did 'Black Sabbath' and Mogwai did 'Sweet Leaf.' And here they are:

Magoo -'Black Sabbath.' mp3

Mogwai -'Sweet Leaf.' mp3

Lost Single #4:

Mogwai -'My Father My King.' (2001)

Mogwai are frankly one of the most brilliant bands ever. They know their influences and yet there is no-one like them. And if they decide that they are going to do a single that is the cover of a jewish prayer, and it is over twenty minutes long...well, who's going to stop 'em? Inevitably ineligible for the charts, it was still one of the most brilliant singles of that year, up there with 'Get Ur Freak On' and 'Can't Get you Out Of My Head.'

Mogwai -'My Father My King.' mp3

Like I say, if you like these, then buy them. The links will be up for two weeks, due to the aforementioned honeymoon.