Search - Mogwai :: No Education

Melancholia?s gentle chaos

diminishing_shine | 12/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Initially, 'No Education = No Future (F**k The Curfew)' was an EP released in 1998 before the album 'Come On Die Young'. However, since then, these tracks have been rehashed and placed on other releases such as 'EP + 6' etc, which probably devalues this release, which is magnificent in its own right. In fact, the first track 'Xmas Steps' appeared on 'Come On Die Young' in a re-recorded state.Anyhow, this EP probably capsulates Mogwai at their most raw and unrefined. The aforementioned 'Xmas Steps' epic in its length captures Mogwai in their most drawn-out glory. As the melancholic guitars build and build, adding layer of tones and melody before the booming bass sends the whole song into a mesmerising chaos of drums and hovering guitars. Only for it to return to it's quiet, gentle like state, whereby the guitars are sprawled and Luke Sunderland's beautiful aching violin gently plays. The only disparity between this and the 'Come On Die Young' version is that this version is more untreated and is played at a slightly quicker pace. Anyhow, despite the differences, it's definitely one of my favourite Mogwai songs.The second track is fairly insignificant. Named after the film of the same name; 'Rollerball' is a short, simple song, minimalist in it's approach. 'Small Children...' the EPs third and final song, is another effortless exercise in abstract simplicity, using the soft and loud dynamic that only Mogwai can. As effortless guitars play amidst the hissing of the noise in the background, only for the song, carried by the pulsating drums of Martin Bulloch to explode and blast the listener to oblivion. The two-chord fury of scratching guitars, roaring bass and crackling analog keyboards which duration only lasts thirty to forty seconds, is the definite highlight, the feeling of such excitement and exhilaration is hard to contain within such a vulnerable body. The song then falls back down only to beautifully and sparsely fade out with hisses, voices and delightful ambience that fall gorgeously against the night's sky. (...)"

Pretty good, but....

diminishing_shine | 12/20/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"...if you have Come On Die Young and the Mogwai EP (the Matador Records CD version released this year), then you already have these songs. Whether this CD-single contains different versions of these songs, I do not know. Great music, though."