It remains to be seen whether Scotland's biggest and bravest rock band Mogwai will release an album of toned down material.Ever since the late 90s, Mogwai have been at the fore front of post-rock quiet / loud / quiet / loud song structure.After seeing them live in June of last year, it reminded me how loud and chaotic Mogwai can be, without losing their hidden passion for rhythm.
"What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" is one of Mogwai's most melancholic tracks to date. It opens up a whole realm of similarities, such as the musical and lyrical work of Spirirualized.The most surprising aspect of "What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" has to be Stuart Braithwaite's surprise vocal. If you're new to Mogwai then you won't know that they're predominantly an instrumental band. Although the Washington Phillips original recording with lyrics
written by Charles Albert Tindley is intended for gospel, Mogwai
put their spin on it.
“What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?” marks a new period in Mogwai’s career. It’s softer than their previous two soundtrack recordings, Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait and The Fountain. Mogwai are such a situational
and atmospheric band that the scenes that will accompany this track will no
doubt me magnificent and beautiful. So we return to my opening
sentence with an answer, yes, Mogwai will be releasing an album of
toned down material, and it will be alluring.
~Eddie