Mogwai
Come On Die Young


4.0
excellent

Review

by scotish USER (19 Reviews)
April 17th, 2010 | 8 replies


Release Date: 1999 | Tracklist

Review Summary: It may be stern and unwelcoming, but don’t let it deter; a serious face masks a seriously impressive construction of an album.

Perhaps more than anything else, ‘Come On Die Young’ is like listening to the thought-stream whirl by. There’s a continuity of intimate fluctuations and movements that give the abstract-yet-tangible impression of being situated among someone else’s brain movements. Take, for example, ‘Christmas Steps’ – an indecision of delicate, sparse aura finds a rhythm and purpose in a bass throb gathering velocity, and in a steady, determined inclination of tempo; it’s a sound of hardening resolve and gathering courage, thereafter breaking into a rage of action, before dimming into echoes of a self-conscious aftermath. It’s a story in thought and feeling. Or look at ‘Helps Both Ways’, where the concept is simply that of tuning into a game of American football but only half-watching, the instrumentation taking precedence over the commentary like a particularly obtrusive thought competing for the brain’s attention. The interplay of gradients between the conscious, the semi-conscious and the dreaming levels of both mind and emotions are the best metaphor, perhaps even the inspiration, for this grouping of subtly-nuanced, flawlessly paced and heavily atmospheric expressions.

While there is indeed this highly conceptual interconnection in the nature of the album, it is made accessible through a simplicity and finesse of instrumentation; whilst there is the occasional synthesizer and sound machine making a cameo, the main cast stars restrained guitars finding melody in distinct, singular-note patterns and a percussion section that takes responsibility for the powering of crescendos and overall dictation of pace. These, fuzzing above a good kilogram-meter-square of reverberating, earphone-vibrating atmospheric density, gives Mogwai a melancholic, distinctly reserved yet potentially awe-inspiringly powerful post-rock thematic that they can truly call their own. However, the non-prevalence of cut-and-thrust outside of this slender palette can be as much of a hindrance as it is a success. The newcomer may find himself confronted by an off-putting repetition in style, with little invitation and less inclination to grasp (or even find) a proverbial handle on the music. Whilst today I could hardly accuse ‘Come On Die Young’ of being a boring album, first impression were somewhat discouraging.

That said, there is some incentive for persistence to be sound; notably so in ‘Ex-cowboy’, the most forceful and eminent track, if simply by being the most spectacular crescendo (indeed, double crescendo) on the album. From a deceptively docile recurring chord erupts forth a devastation of sheer noise, leaving first calm in its wake before a pyroclastic flow of sound-barrier-shattering discord. It’s breathtaking; and what’s more, it is the act of the album finally opening up to any unconvinced listener, brandishing an invitation to listen again and to expect to more. ‘Come On Die Young’ is a joy of discovery; promising from the beginning, but ever more rewarding with attunement to it’s stream of consciousness. Immerse yourself, and it is a wholly immersive experience.



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user ratings (763)
3.8
excellent
other reviews of this album
neurisis17 (5)
What sounds to you like a big load of trashy old noise, is in fact, the brilliant music of a genius....

Adam Jones is GOD (3.5)
...



Comments:Add a Comment 
robin
April 17th 2010


4595 Comments


excellent work although it's come on die young remember :p. i like how you describe 'help both ways' a lot especially since right now im actually playing music while listening to football commentary. rad. love this album with all my heart but dont really know anything else about mogwai

Phantom
April 17th 2010


9010 Comments


you spelt scottish wrong as well

scotish
April 17th 2010


836 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

but apart from that...



yeah I'm really bad at spotting errors

scotish
April 17th 2010


836 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

a neg's a bit harsh for that though isn't it? especially seeing as it comes after I fixed it.

Kronzo
April 18th 2010


1303 Comments


I'm the guy on the album cover.

Zeno
April 18th 2010


205 Comments


lol at the neg

people on this site are so petty

mattjames2010
August 16th 2012


7 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Still my favorite Mogwai album.

Graveyard
August 16th 2012


6374 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

One of my least favorites, Christmas Steps is still pretty kool though



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