| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 74/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| The Guardian | [1] |
| Kerrang! | [4] |
| Mojo | [5] |
| musicOMH | [6] |
| NME | 9/10[7] |
| Pitchfork Media | 6.8/10[8] |
| Q | [9] |
| Rock Sound | 8/10[10] |
| Rolling Stone | [11] |
Mr Beast is the fifth full-length studio album by the Scottish post-rock group Mogwai.
In 2007 it was awarded a gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 100,000 copies throughout Europe.[12]
Overview
The album Mr Beast was released on 6 March 2006 in the UK and 7 March 2006 in the United States, in double LP vinyl format, a regular CD jewel case edition and limited deluxe edition package that comes with both the album on CD and a DVD documenting the recording process entitled The Recording of Mr Beast. The album has been described by Creation Records head Alan McGee as
...probably the best art rock album I've been involved with since Loveless. In fact, it's possibly better than Loveless.[13]
referring to the influential 1991 album by My Bloody Valentine. Drummer Martin Bulloch describes it as
...the best record we've made since Mogwai Young Team.[14]
The album's title stemmed from an incident where Barry Burns and Dominic Aitchison landed in Florida to start a tour with The Cure in 2005, when they saw a taxi driver standing outside the airport holding a sign that said "Mr. and Mrs. Beast" which, after a 10-hour flight, was "funnier than life itself".[9]
Artwork
The cover artwork for Mr Beast is a painting by Amanda Church entitled "Milkbar",[15] and the accompanying booklet contains other works from her, all of a similar style. In addition, the Mogwai Young Team logo is displayed on the spine of the deluxe edition release, with a silhouette of Jesus on the cross visible within the logo.
Track listing
All songs were written by Stuart Braithwaite, Dominic Aitchison, Martin Bulloch, John Cummings, and Barry Burns. Lyrics on "I Chose Horses" written by Envy vocalist Tetsuya Fukagawa.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Auto Rock" | 4:18 |
| 2. | "Glasgow Mega-Snake" | 3:35 |
| 3. | "Acid Food" | 3:40 |
| 4. | "Travel Is Dangerous" | 4:01 |
| 5. | "Team Handed" | 3:58 |
| 6. | "Friend of the Night" | 5:30 |
| 7. | "Emergency Trap" | 3:31 |
| 8. | "Folk Death 95" | 3:34 |
| 9. | "I Chose Horses" | 5:13 |
| 10. | "We're No Here" | 5:39 |
| Total length: | 43:07 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "1% Of Monster" | 3:48 |
| Total length: | 46:55 | |
Personnel
- Mogwai
- Stuart Braithwaite – guitar, vocals on "Acid Food"
- Dominic Aitchison – bass guitar
- Martin Bulloch – drums
- John Cummings – guitar
- Barry Burns – piano, guitar, flute, vocals on "Travel Is Dangerous"
- Additional personnel
- Craig Armstrong – keyboard on "I Chose Horses"
- Tetsuya Fukagawa – vocals on "I Chose Horses"
- Tony Doogan – producer
References
- ^ a b Mardles, Paul (19 February 2006). "Mogwai, Mr. Beast". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
- ^ "Mr. Beast by Mogwai". Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- ^ Mr Beast at AllMusic
- ^ Myers, Ben. "Black Beauty". Kerrang. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
- ^ Allen, Matt. "Animal Magic". Mojo. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
- ^ "Mogwai – Mr. Beast". musicOMH.com. 6 March 2006. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
- ^ Woodhouse, Alan. "Mogwai - Mr Beast". NME. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
- ^ "Mogwai: Mr. Beast | Album Reviews | Pitchfork". Pitchforkmedia.com. 5 March 2006. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
- ^ a b Segal, Victoria. "Introducing Mogwai". Q. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
- ^ Marshall, Joe. "Mogwai - Mr Beast". Rock Sound. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
- ^ "Rolling Stone album review". Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2007.
- ^ http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/2008/PR%20-%2020080129.htm
- ^ "Questions of Doom: Alan McGee". Archived from the original on 29 September 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
- ^ The Recording of Mr. Beast Documentary
- ^ "Amanda Church Paintings". Archived from the original on 9 January 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2007.