[...music...]

2011-04-27

on monday, i went to the mogwai show. it was my 5th time seeing this band.

the opening band was usa out of vietnam, replacing errors, who couldn't make it to the montreal show. their set was loud. and heavy. and loud. i wore earplugs for half the set; i didn't want to pre-blast my eardrums before a mogwai set.

when mogwai appeared on stage, i noticed the absence drummer martin bulloch. they explained that he's back home for family reasons, with errors drummer james hamilton filling in for the north american dates.

i found the first couple of songs kind of slow, and maybe too calm. the energy level progressively built up, culminating in an epic ending of noise and distortion; typical for this band. there was minimal use of strobe lights; instead, there was a widescreen projection of video clips to accompany the songs.

they mostly played songs from the new album, their 7th. at this point, with such a large catalogue, i don't even expect them to play "like herod" or "christmas steps" or "my father my king" like they used to. still, they included a couple of old tracks.

setlist:
white noise
friend of the night
how to be a werewolf
rano pano
death rays
i'm jim morrison, i'm dead
san pedro
ithica
mexican grand prix
helicon 1
you're lionel richie
we're no here

encore:
autorock
george square thatcher death party
glasgow mega-snake

what i like about this band is, how awesome they sound live. they've got almost no stage presence, no stage banter (other than guitarist stuart braithwaite saying "thank you" or "merci" after almost every song), just music. and it's enough for me to keep going to their shows.

~~~

purchase: i got a t-shirt with the mogwai young team logo; it's one of my favourite albums, and the logo is pretty cool.

hearing damage: during the show, their music didn't feel too loud; it was occasionally very dense, but not causing discomfort. but after the show, and all of yesterday, my ears were still ringing. even today, i don't feel like my hearing has 100% recovered. damn.

~~~

Labels: l'olympia, mogwai, shows, usa out of vietnam

2011-02-22

hardcore will never die, but you will

last week was the release of mogwai's latest "hardcore will never die, but you will". (one of their best album titles, i think.) i pre-ordered it from subpop, to get the deluxe edition, which includes a pair of earplugs with case. it's the perfect bonus item for a mogwai release, since they are known to be *loud* in concert.

i got the parcel in the mail on friday.

not only does the deluxe edition include a second disc with a 23-minute track, the packaging is quite nice, bound like a hardcover book.

i've been busy lately, so i only got a chance to listen to the album twice, as background music. at first listen, i was not feeling it. i liked it a bit the second time, discovering some interesting sounds. i'll have to spend some time listening to this album with earphones to really appreciate it.

i haven't listened to the second disc yet. at 23 minutes, the track should be epic.

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, mogwai

2009-05-16

mogwai @ metropolis

sunday, two weeks ago, i went to the mogwai show with rox. we had bought tickets for the show that was originally scheduled in september, but postponed until now. of course, this was mogwai (!) so there was no way i would miss this.

the openers were the twilight sad. previously, i had only heard their "here, it never snowed, afterwards it did" ep, a folk-ish release. the live show was more rock. of all the times i have seen mogwai, this is the first time i have liked the opening band. the songs were catchy; the songer's scottish accent was quite strong, rolling his r's. the only songs i recognized were "and she would darken the memory" and "cold days from the birdhouse".

the twilight sad:

this was my fourth time seeing mogwai, so i kind of knew what to expect: a good mix of the loud, the soft, and the epic. it was my first time watching them from a seat on the balcony; we had a pretty good view of the whole stage.

setlist taken from bright light:
- yes! i am a long way from home
- scotland's shame
- travel is dangerous
- killing all the flies
- i love you, i'm going to blow up your school
- autorock
- i'm jim morrison, i'm dead
- small children in the background
- hunted by a freak
- mogwai fear satan
- thank you space expert
- 2 rights make 1 wrong

encore:
- like herod
- batcat

no, they did not play my absolute favourite "christmas steps". but they did play"2 rights make 1 wrong", and i captured a video:

also, they did not play the epic "my father my king" as an encore. but that's alright, because they ended with "like herod", followed by the very loud "batcat". again, a video:

mogwai doesn't disappoint; i was quite giddy that night.

~~~

cd purchase: i got the twilight sad's ep "here, it never snowed, afterwards it did".

hearing damage: my ears were ringing the rest of the night; that was expected.

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, metropolis, mogwai, shows, the twilight sad

2008-09-23

the hawk is howling

tonight would have been the mogwai show. but it has been postponed due to an illness in the band (their drummer having a problem with his pacemaker, ouch!).

i got their newest album, released today. it is the limited edition that includes a dvd.

after a day of school, i am feeling too sleepy right now to listen to this. but to be honest, i don't care what it sounds like; if it is a mogwai release, i will like it.

i also picked up a copy of the popmontreal program. it even comes with a sampler cd.

i am missing most of this. but it doesn't really matter. i have been so out of touch, i have no idea who these bands are.

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, mogwai, popmontreal

2008-09-16

young team

earlier this year, there was a re-release of mogwai's decade-old debut album "young team", remastered, with a second disc containing non-album tracks and live material. i felt foolish getting it then, since i already have the original release. and i don't care much for the live tracks.

finally, i gave in to the curiosity, so i checked out the second disc. i immediately fell in love with the non-album tracks. damn, why did those songs have to be so good?

i couldn't help myself. so i got the re-release today, along with my other purchases. i suppose mogwai are my current obsession, especially since i will be seeing them live (for the fourth time) in one week. the excitement begins.

the re-release comes with a cardboard cover:

they also slightly changed the cover image:

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, mogwai

2008-07-31

mogwai - ep+6

nothing special today. i got mogwai's "ep+6", which is a compilation of three ep's. this was an impulse buy, on my way home from school. i got the cd because it contains non-album songs. i also saw the "zidane" soundtrack, but the $27 pricetag kept me from getting it; so pricey for a plastic disc.

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, mogwai

2006-05-16

mogwai @ spectrum

openers were torche: heavy and loud. this is probably the closest to metal that i'll ever hear at an indie show. at least, there were no growling vocals. or maybe there were, but i couldn't hear it. the band was largely instrumental, and the little vocals that they had were buried underneath the loud guitars. i guess they were good, for those into that kind of music. but i was not too impressed; they were too aggro-macho for my liking.

then, mogwai came on stage, wearing matching green adidas track jackets. how cute. this was my third time seeing them live, but i was still pretty excited.

they played a mix of old songs and new, with colourful lights and smoke effects, and enough strobelights to induce an epilepsy. i am not familiar with their entire catalogue, so i didn't know some of the songs. however, shame on me, i didn't even recognise the first two minutes of my favourite mogwai track "christmas steps". well, at least they played it. they also played my favourite from the new album "we're no here". they ended the set with the very loud "glasgow mega-snake".

they came back on stage for an encore. they played "my father my king". yay! fifteen minutes of music build-up, culminating into five minutes of noise, distortion, and feedback. near the end, the band members left the stage one by one, only leaving their noise behind. killer.

~~~

cd purchases: "ten rapid" and "come on die young", which completes my mogwai album collection.

celebrity sighting: on the sidewalk, after the show, i saw tim fletcher, vocalist of the stills. their new album sounds good, by the way.

hearing damage: my ears are ringing right now. i'll probably recover after i get some sleep. although i was expecting worst, for a mogwai show.

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, mogwai, shows, spectrum, torche

2006-03-21

placebo

today was the (north american) release date of placebo's fifth studio album. i had already heard a leak on the internet, and i liked it enough to go buy it after school today.

it seems like every time i lose interest in placebo and forget about them, they release a new album, reminding me of how much i love them.

the new album "meds" has no surprises. it's typical placebo: high-pitched nasal vocals, straighforward guitar rock alternating with soft ballads, lyrical references to sex and drugs... i love it on first listen, and this will probably play on my walkman all week.

i hope they tour and come to montreal.

some other purchases made today:

mogwai - rock action
i've been wanting this album for a while, just for the song "2 rights make 1 wrong". i saw it today at the store. i got the japanese import, which includes two bonus tracks. and it was on special too. here i am, slowing trying to buy the complete mogwai discography, minus the singles.

we are scientists - with love and squalor
i got this because i liked the two songs i heard. the rest of the album is alright. this is typical indie/hipster rock from new york. it's a fun album, but a bit forgettable, compared to similar bands out there.

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, mogwai, placebo, we are scientists

2006-03-07

mogwai!

my favourite mogwai tracks are "x-mas steps" and "my father my king", the ones that are loud. i like loud mogwai, which explains why i was disappointed with their previous studio release; it sounded weak to me. when i heard that they were releasing a new recording this year, i did not care much for it, thinking it'll be another soft album.

a couple of months ago, i heard an internet leak of "mr. beast", and i was immediately excited! they rock hard on this one! the new tracks have loud guitars and lots of drama! the sound is thick and heavy! just the way i like it.

the album was released in north america today. of course, after school, i went straight to hmv to get a copy. i even got the "special limited edition" that includes a dvd with "the recording of".

the opening track sounds like an ending, a denouement, where all is explained and understood, and "thank you very much for listening, you can go home now". i find it odd that the album starts this way, but it kind of works.

the rest of the songs are good. after just a couple of listens, not one in particular stands out to me. not yet.

the closing track is killer. the song builds up, with wave after wave of guitars. it reminds me a lot their epic "my father my king". in fact, it's like a lean version of "my father my king", without the two minutes of quiet build-up, nor the extra ten minutes of noise and distortion.

i love this album so much. it will definitely be one of my favourites of this year. i know that it will not leave my cd player this week.

oh, i cannot wait for them to tour, and i hope they come to montreal so that i can get my eardrums damaged for one evening...!

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, mogwai

2005-11-11

cd esoterik clearance

i found out this morning on a message board that cd esoterik was closing. i never was a regular costumer, but this is still sad news. several times, i got tickets there. and i still remember some good finds in their used cd's section... i went after school to check out what they were selling. i got the following:

arab strap - monday at the hug & pint
i saw them live with bright eyes, a couple of years ago, and remember liking their stuff. i am finally getting one of their albums now.

calla - collisions
i had to miss their show a week ago, and so i am getting the album instead. i listened to it on the bus, on my way home, and i am already liking it a lot, despite some bad reviews i read.

fucking am - gold
the fucking champs and trans am teamed up for this. and it sounds pretty much like what i expected: some instumental metal mixed with some electro bits.

mogwai - kicking a dead pig
a remix album. the only reason i got this is for alec empire's remix of 'like herod'. i mean, alec empire remixing a mogwai track... it can only be good, no?

sons and daughters - the repulsion box
i've only heard one song by this band, and i was kind of dance-y, and i liked it, so why not get the album too?

~~~

Labels: arab strap, calla, cd purchase, fucking am, mogwai, sons and daughters