HAPPY SONGS FOR HAPPY PEOPLE

On a supposedly happy album, the first song is anything but joyful. The song is very well written with constant development, be it it dark main motive or more peaceful with vocoder vocals. This one could have been longer. The second track is surprisingly pastoral, led by cello sounds. "Kids will be skeletons" is so dreamy, going over the small hills to the horizon with no worries, unless you read its pessimistic title. Then we have two weaker songs although their sound is welcoming and we have strings on "Killing all the flies" When you see an 8-minute Mogwai song length, it's bound to be a dynamic one. "Ratts of the capital" have a majestic feeling with heavy guitars, pounding drums and simple piano. "I know you are but what am I?" a striking keyboard (piano, synth) driven mellow song that extends Mogwai credentials for having a balanced ear. The culmination of the album is in the tension-filled "Stop coming to my house" that has an extended post-rock stamp. This album started marking the band's return to form (or they were on the way).