Few rock bands do instrumental music as well as Mogwai. The Scottish post-rock veterans are one of the greats of the genre, crafting dynamic, almost entirely vocal-free music that nonetheless courses with rich storytelling and emotion.
And, across the course of a three decade career, the band have never really dipped in popularity. Their previous album, 2021’s ‘As The Love Continues’ topped the UK album charts and was nominated for the Mercury Prize, both impressive achievements for a veteran band operating in a nebulous style.
Appropriately, ‘The Bad Fire’ feels like a continuation of that stellar release. These 10 tracks combine everything the band have figured out how to do across 30 years of experimentation into one engrossing hour of music. There are dynamic guitar explosions, electronic embellishments and sparse-but-commanding vocal melodies.
It’s also home to moments that underline Mogwai’s ability to write an accessible four-minute rock song — something that tends to go under the radar a bit.
Slotting alongside back catalogue gems such as Travel Is Dangerous and Richie Sacramento, ‘The Bad Fire’ features Fanzine Made Of Flesh, a sunny and straightforward shoegaze track that soars to gorgeous heights. 18 Volcanoes, meanwhile, also utilises Stuart Brainthwaite’s voice in service of the best track My Bloody Valentine never wrote.
These moments are the most immediately wonderful, but it’s Mogwai’s signature instrumental tracks that really impress. Hi Chaos rides a moody swing rhythm, Lion Rumpus is pure big guitar catharsis and Hammer Room’s textured electronica makes for an album highlight. All of them glow with ideas and invention.
‘The Bad Fire’ is another triumph in a career packed full of them. It’s not only a great record but, like its predecessor, it suggests that Mogwai are somehow still improving. Long may that continue.
Mogwai Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu January 30 2025 - KINGSTON UPON THAMES PRYZM Kingston
Thu February 20 2025 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Sat February 22 2025 - LEEDS O2 Academy Leeds
Sun February 23 2025 - EDINBURGH Usher Hall
Sat May 17 2025 - GLASGOW Barrowland
Sun May 18 2025 - GLASGOW Barrowland
Thu July 17 2025 - DUBLIN Vicar Street
Thu July 24 2025 - GALWAY Heineken Big Top
Fri July 25 2025 - LIMERICK Live At The Big Top
Sun July 27 2025 - DUBLIN Vicar Street
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