Mogwai - The Hawk Howling

Mogwai
"The Hawk Is Howling"
Wall Of Sound 22/09/2008

The first word that comes to mind when describing this album is "cinematic", straight from the first track it evokes epic scenes of travelling through vast open deserts on a life threatening mission. The complete absence of vocals enables the band to explore and accentuate the timbre of their instruments. Guitars through various effects and processing play as much an aggressive role as an ambient drone throughout.
The album seems to flow better than Mogwai's previous efforts with each track seeming like a logical progression from the last. This adds to the cinematic analogy, making the songs seem more like scenes than individual pieces of music.
Highlights include "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead" and "Scotland's Shame"
The beautiful front cover, painted by Yuhua's thinking studio is perfect for the record, it complements the visual and artistic qualities of the music.

Tracklist:

1 I'm Jim Morrison, I'm dead
2 Batcat
3 Danphe and The Brain
4 Local Authority
5 The Sun Smells Too Loud
6 Kings Meadow
7 I Love you, I'm Going To Blow Up Your School
8 Scotland’s Shame
9 Thank You Space Expert
10 The Precipice