I don't own it, but I recommend it (Ep + 6 - Mogwai)

Member Name: mo79

Product:	Ep + 6 - Mogwai
Date:	13/10/01 (99 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A good EP gapfiller for some Mogwai fans, and overall it's a collection of some of Mogwai's finest stuff, so you can't go wrong - an excellent primer too

Disadvantages: People like me miss out on the 'Stanley Kubrick' video, and have less shelf space grrr!

This is attempt deux at writing this op, due to my first (full, and I thought very good) op being flushed down the pan when I suddenly ran out of hard disk space and I crashed last night. Now with precautions in place, I hope this op sees the light of day and can be better. I still really need a bigger hard disk though, but anyway...:

Over the last few busy years Scotland's instrumental post-rockers Mogwai have slowly but surely garnered as much fans as critical acclaim. Sure they're not a huge band, and with their setup they probably won't ever be, but they've got their plan sussed and it suits the band and it's fans fine.

With the band recently leaving long-roosting label Chemikal Underground though, the said label lost probably one of it's most premier acts, and so making a courteous cash in (of good taste) for themselves and many new fans, the 'EP + 6' is product is essentially a leaving present.

'EP + 6' was initially only available in Japan, and consists of the band's first 3 (and only) EP's to date (excluding remixes, 7"ers and split singles etc.) in order of release on one CD. And fortunately, in my opinion most of Mogwai's prime work has been via EP's, and they get better on each successive release. So I can already recommend that Mogwai fans who haven't heard this stuff, buy it without question - and this collection could also serve as an excellent primer to any potential new fan.
Though I don't own a copy of 'EP + 6' (I've got the individual have-to-be-arsed-a-bit-in-getting-them-these-days EP's), I am more than capable enough of talking about the audio content.
'EP + 6' also contains the Victorian themed CD-ROM video for the lush homage 'Stanley Kubrick' (from the last 'EP'), which is presented rather attractively I'm informed on the enhanced CD presentation, and the CD's artwork is a modification of '
;EP's "watertower".
This release is also is one of many releases this year for the band, with the re-release merger of a remix album and EP (on the Eye Q label), the previous release of their third studio album ('Rock Action' on new label Southpaw), the re-release of collected old singles ('Ten Rapid'), and later this month they release a 16min one track single of a Jewish hymn ('My Father, My Kingdom') - whew!

Opener 'Superheroes of BMX' (also opener to their first '4 satin EP', and first release on the CU label) is a stunning rich and brooding piece featuring a repetitive and tinny drum machine beat, some warm organ/accordian and twinkly-starry carressive guitar work that eventually after inducing a comatose state washes away with the subtly grating distorion and wailing. This is simply stunning.

'Now You're Taken' follows this with calm tidal wave guitars that tip-toe in and out while Arab Strap frontman comrade Aidan Moffat rambles calmly, sleepily and soothingly along in his trademark style. Mr Moffat also appears on vocals on one track on the band's debut album.

Final '4 satin EP' track is 'Stereodee' which enters like a heroic spacerock like anthem that climaxes and destroys itself in a very long crescendo of distorted aural violence, that comically exits in an act of brief death disco - what a way to end, eh?

A brief American label (Jetset) misprint of the EP, with different art featured a 4th track called 'Guardians Of Space' - by mistake. The band did not want this track released, due to understandable displeasure (it can be tracked down as an MP3 online somewhere, if you're curious) of the frankly childish and annoyingly cheesily distorted AC/DC like riffage. This also does not appear on 'EP + 6' - that's just a little tidbit I thought I'd share.

In 1998 Mogwai released the 'No Education =
No Future (F*ck The Curfew EP') (ooh, they're going political said some - though there was an element of local Glaswegian truth) which featured the original 'Xmas Steps' (the 'priority' version appeared on their second album) that enters with tip-toe guitars, gets agitated and explodes in a frenzy of grisly punk rock, and then shys away again with some sombre violin.

'Rollerball' is a kind of stuttering but flowing drum, piano and guitar interlude that's a bit like an upturned bug struggling on the ground, interesting and er, nice. Cute and it stays in it's playful place.

Final '(F*ck The Curfew) EP' track 'Small Children In The Background' features then-future-to-be Mogwai member Barry Burns as a guest playing analog keyboard. This track starts with a kind of gasseous hiss, innocent guitar which then gnashes it's teeth and whips itself into a distorted, grisly and heavy and thick rumble that exits a little like a small car reaching the end of it's tether.

'Stanley Kubrick' (opener of 'EP') is a homage to the said late director, evident with it's screeching Space Oddysey 2001 ending HAL babies, struggling for air. It's a brilliant calm and windy piece accompanied by wind and strings.

'Christmas Song' is probably one of the finest Xmas soundtrack instrumentals ever written, though stereotypical. It features some warm piano, brushed snare drumming and meticulously intricate, yet simple guitar work - it conjures up an image of sitting by a fireplace with an Xmas tree, watching the snow fall outside through a window at night, atleast to me.

The Cowdenbeath Brass Band (yeah, poo-you Royal Philarmonic) try their best not to make Mogwai sound like candidates for another classic Hovis ad on 'Burn Girl Prom Queen' - and succeed. What you get is a rather good gelling of the calming warmth of the brass band hugging the smart dynam
ics of Mogwai.

Final 'EP' track (and final 'EP + 6' track - this is all chronological after all), 'Rage: Man' teases with some dry guitar harmonics before a repetive bouncy beat enters and a rumble pushes the piano in - and then when they get themselves quiet enough (yep, you guessed it, and I don't get bored of it), they bring in a drizzle of wiry sheet distortion, and slowly proceed to phase that out - and then we can get treated to a driving drone before it all ends.

Basically 'EP + 6' is a great primer for getting into Mogwai, and the ultimate complete EP gap filler for some existing fans, you can't go without this recording if you enjoy Mogwai and some of their best stuff is on here, and if I could force people to buy it I would.
Different producers are on each EP segment, but don't worry it's all apt quality stuff (though 'No Education...' stuff is a bit bedroomy (but good) sounding), and it all gels well, it's all Mogwai, it's all good.

Put simply - value for money, class, beautiful, epic, emotional and great; one of the best things you'll buy this year (don't bother buying it if you own the EP's already though, as you'd just be stupid, and front-guitarist Stuart Braithwaite would back me up on that).
Okay, I'm going now.

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