Friday Morning Music: Mogwai, "Helicon 1." 1997.
I love Mogwai, ever since Dave Helmers turned me on to them many years ago. They're considered "post-rock," but honestly I have no idea what that means. I know I like their ethereal guitars and distortion, mostly instrumental songs, and the soft-loud-soft construction of most of their work.
"Helicon 1" is interesting musically, because it has an 8 feel. Typically, if a song has 8 beats, you break it down in four, and usually smack something on the second and fourth beats to give a rock feel. But this song can't be broken down in four; it's definitely in 8, and is broken up 3/3/2. I find that very pleasing; at once familiar and strange.
It's been a while since I've done one of these, but this is a cathartic end to my week. Events have conspired to fill me with equal parts of rage and sadness, and "Helicon 1" is a pretty good outlet for both.













