Grade: B+
Peter de Vries, Staff Contributor
How kind of Mogwai to remind us with their latest album title that unlike “hardcore,” we’re mere mortals. Such an album title, especially one in the imperative case, could come off as amusingly ironic, vaguely condescending, or even pretentious depending on your interpretation. But thankfully the quality of the songs should be enough to shove these notions to the back of your mind.
Because Mogwai’s sound is so often polarizing, your appreciation for Hardcore may depend on whether you crave the band’s unique approach to song structures or whether you feel the droning keyboards and explosive instrumental freakouts become too formulaic over 50 plus minutes. That said, there are many moments on Hardcore that shine in spite of whichever side of the fence you’re on. The ironically named opener “White Noise” is actually one of the most beautifully melodic things the band has ever recorded, while the upbeat and catchy “Mexican Grand Prix” helps carry the momentum forward through the album’s fantastic first half.
The mid-album “Death Rays” is one of the best tracks Mogwai have ever recorded. It somehow manages to sound both uplifting and devastating as synthesizers in major keys duel back and forth with heavily distorted guitar stabs. It’s like listening to a happy apocalypse.
Next, “Letters to the Metro” shows Mogwai at their most hypnotic and cerebral before the ludicrously titled “George Square Thatcher Death Party” and “How to be a Werewolf” attempt to recapture the album’s early momentum with some success. Eventually, the band’s energy culminates in the gradual but explosive unravelling of the standout “Too Raging to Cheers” before fading away on the more forgettable “You’re Lionel Richie.”
Your reaction to the album’s difficult second half will likely determine whether you feel Hardcore is a great Mogwai album or merely a good one.
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