Album Review: Mogwai - A Wrenched Virile Lore

Artist: MogwaiAlbum: A Wrenched Virile LoreLabel: Sub PopRelease Date: December 4, 2012Last year, post-rock group Mogwai released Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, and the band's most recent release A Wrenched Virile Lore is, in no way, a follow-up. This is the band's first remix album 1998's Kicking a Dead Pig. Virile Lore brings together a variety of artists, from Godflesh's Justin Broadrick to sound artist Tim Hecker, and each artist brings a very different interpretation to the table. Although, some are much more interesting and successful than others.Zombi's remix of “Letters To The Metro” is one of the rare instances when a remix is considerably stronger than its source. The original Mogwai track is very slow and relaxed, with lots of reverb, clean pianos, and slide guitar. Zombi, on the other hand, traded slide guitar for electro synths and a pounding drum machine. The end result is less of a remix and more of a tribute to the original song. Beyond its novelty, though, it's an excellent song in its own right.The same cannot be said of other tracks. RM Hubbert's “Mexican Grand Prix” also takes the original song in a new direction. Where the original goes Krautrock, Hubbert turns it into something much more melancholy, centered around finger-picked guitars and hushed vocals. His instrument swap, however, ends up being painfully repetitive, with very little direction or point. The inclusion of Mogwai's original vocoded vocals also feels forced and out of place.Notably, The Soft Moon's “San Pedro” is structurally similar to the original. The Soft Moon don't add additional riffs or embellishments. Instead, they take the song and put it through a meat grinder, slathering everything with a thick layer of fuzz and resonant synthesizers, functioning less like a remix and more like a cover performed in a different style. While not a standout track, it's still an intriguing listen.Ultimately, while the album succeeds in presenting different takes of Mogwai songs, it doesn't function well as a stand-alone record. There are strong moments, but it often falls short, especially when comparing it to Hardcore Will Never Die. Mostly, a song is interesting, not because it's particularly outstanding on its own, but because of how it compares to the original. While certain tracks like Zombi's remix can easily stand on their own, most are forgettable. As a whole, the album is not as satisfying of a listen as its parent, but it functions more as a supplement. Listen to Hardcore Will Never Die instead.