Mogwai – Happy Songs for Happy People
Mogwai – Happy Songs for Happy People (2003)
In a bit of a departure from the slower buildup music from Come on Die Young and Young Team, Happy Songs for Happy People is a welcome step forward for the Scottish post-rock group (I use the oft-misleading term sparingly…they’re more of an ambient drone electronica space rock outfit if we play specifics). HSfHP offers an array of flavors on roughly 42 minutes of material. The album on the whole radiates a sort of warm mellow haze; not quite as simplistic* as, say, Explosions in the Sky or Saxon Shore, but with just the right amount of repetition, melodic hook and theme development to keep it on repeat.
To go on a slight tangent, I want to talk a little about reverb. It’s such an excellent tool when used properly. From the blues trio to the 20-piece brass ensemble, just a dash of the stuff adds character, space and depth to what you hear. It’s like extra parmesan on your pasta or sticking your shirt in the dryer for a minute before braving the cold weather – not entirely necessary but it makes everything better. Mogwai understands this and uses the element of reverb perfectly, never overpowering instruments or leaving you in the bottom of a dark pit. You enter a cathedral filled with creatures singing over a violin on the mournful “Moses? I Amn’t.” “Golden Porsche” surrounds your head with sound close and far at the same time. The intro movement of the latter, a simple progression from E to A, rings out and sets the stage for the remaining two and a half minutes of orchestrated washes of piano, violin, guitar, bass, drums and various devices.
Track 3, the curious “Kids Will Be Skeletons,” is a midtempo example of milking a simple theme and developing musical components around it. At the mid point, you’re swimming in organ chords, a bouncy bass line, complementary drums and layers of panning distorted guitar. Listen closely and you can almost see the pieces fitting together as they are added.
HSfHP is the perfect end-of-the-day-time-to-chill album. You can dissect each instrument and imagine how each was processed, played and mixed (headphones required) – or just relax and let the tones resonate. It’d be easy to detail each of the nine tracks, but I’d rather you discover them with just a taste of what’s in store. If you require a bit more rawk in your diet, Mr. Beast is a great choice in the same vein (cue “Glasgow Mega-Snake”).
*Which isn’t to say I don’t enjoy these guys. They write some really awesome stuff.
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