MOGWAI

Mr. Beast

(Matador)

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Like many bands over a decade old, Glasgow’s Mogwai have put out a record that reaches both backward and forward in their repertoire—an approach that may lose them as many fans as it will gain them. Sanding off many of the electronic effects that studded definitive records like 1997’s Young Team, they’ve focused their sights on the sturdy melodies and brawny guitars that make their live shows so enthralling.

This isn’t to say there aren’t flourishes and arrangements that won’t throw longtime listeners. Fans who prefer their cerebral and celestial brand of rock in its strictly instrumental and epic form may bristle at the presence of a pastoral lap-steel guitar gliding gently over crisp, dry percussion on “Acid Food” or the spoken-word vocals (contributed by Tetsuya Fukagawa of the Japanese hardcore band Envy) on “I Chose Horses.”

There are still plenty of classic, crushing crescendos, particularly within the thunderous, meditative build on “Glasgow Mega-Snake”—easily the most viscerally thrilling track on the record. Those who can accept brevity and a more brightness (both sonically and metaphorically) in a band known for their compelling spin on post-rock’s loud-soft dynamics will be rewarded.

One caveat: Unless you’re a rock-army completist with a knack for deciphering thick Cockney accents, don’t fork out extra for the limited-edition version with the DVD documentary. It’s disjointed and awkwardly shot—full of irritating slow-motion live shots and pointless mumblings from band members carving out tracks for Beast in the studio. After all, it’s Mogwai—you’re better off creating visual accompaniments in your mind’s eye.