Mogwai Will Never Die...

After a Sunday afternoon, where the sounds of Teenage Fanclub's 'Alcoholiday' were making their presence felt in the heart of Brisbane's South Eastern suburbs (mai fookin' gaff!), Sean and I came to the agonising decision that it was time once again to start wittering on about what takes our fancy in the "art world" (if that's what you'd call it). I'm just glad it was Sean that took the initiative and opened the scoring (and what a fine way to do so in giving some airplay to the pride of Wales) because after the week I've had it was looking very likely that I would still have no runs on the board.

However the news of a brand new Mogwai LP next February reinvigorated the old juices, so much so that I found it in every fibre to post some sort of shrine about Scotland's finest guitar band.

Where to start? Well, in simple man's terms, Mogwai fucking own; they're easily in my top 10 bands of all time. Despite many critics questioning post rock's credentials and it's so called inability to sustain a primitive nature, "the 'gwai" seem to stretch their own boundary in one way or another as they span from album to album. For me, they're a band where - depending on your mood - you can take your pick at their seminal works; there's nothing really set in stone. One day Ex Cowboy may having you singing the high praises of Come On Die Young, the next week Friend of the Night may have you fighting in the corner of Mr. Beast. And how could we forget the masterstroke of Happy Songs For Happy People? That's the beauty of this band. A career based on solidarity despite steaming out of the blocks with the redefining Young Team, these five lads from Glasgow have spent their entire career making swelling guitarscapes and fucking with their contemporaries in a non rock star fashion (they're hardcore Celtic nuts for God's Sake).

Anyway, it's with pleasure that we shed some details about their new album (the band's 7th full length, or 8th if you include Ten Rapid). It's called Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will and will be produced by Paul Savage (an apt surname considering he was responsible for the cathartic mess that is Young Team). It's out on February 14 in Europe via the band's own Rock Action label, while for the rest of the World it will be released on the band's new home away from home, Sub Pop.

Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will track list:

01 White Noise
02 Mexican Grand Prix
03 Rano Pano
04 Death Rays
05 San Pedro
06 Letters to the Metro
07 George Square Thatcher Death Party
08 How to Be a Werewolf
09 Too Raging to Cheers
10 You're Lionel Richie

In the meantime, check out Mogwai's new live album Special Moves/Burning CD/DVD. Out now on Rock Actions Records.

Words - Simon K