If you are an advocate of repetitive keyboard riffs, droning drumbeats and endless guitar solos, Mogwai’s Rave Tapes is for you.
Mogwai are a Scottish band formed by Stuart Braithwaite and Dominic Aitchison. They specialize in instrumental tracks with extensive utilization of effects and synthesizers on top of traditional rock instrumentation. While most songs on Rave Tapes do not feature any lyrics, four of the tracks do spotlight vocal work by band members.
The lack of vocals will tend to be a turn off for most listeners, but Mogwai’s sound does not facilitate their usage. These songs tell a better story without typical rock lyrics. Singing would be a downfall for Rave Tapes and take away from the pure sensations felt by Mogwai’s instrumental adventures.
An obvious drawback to this band’s unique sound is the repetitive and lengthy nature of their instrumentals. Without lyrics, Mogwai should have limited their tracks to a maximum of three minutes apiece. Instead, we have seven minute songs that drone far past the length of a typical attention span.
Although Mogwai ends their eighth studio album with the best two tracks on Rave Tapes, “No Medicine For Regret” and “The Lord Is Out Of Control,” the project does not stand out to me as a whole. Most of Rave Tapes blends together in a big synthesized mess with guitar and drum solos sprinkled throughout.
Rave Tapes is being released by Sub Pop in the United States, which does not surprise me one bit, but the leading record label in alternative rock has worked with better musicians in the past. Mogwai is a somewhat mediocre band for Sub Pop to be dealing with and I suggest many of their other releases over Rave Tapes.
The album’s special features will slowly grow on you over time, but will not leave a lasting impression. For what sounds like the lovechild of Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk and James Hetfield of Metallica, Mogwai is not overly disappointing, but Rave Tapes will not be at the top of memorable 2014 releases.
Rating: C-
