For prog-rock fans looking for the experimentally-minded rock of the 90s, post-rock proved to be fertile ground, at least for a while. Mogwai is one of the leading bands lumped under that oh-so-nebulous genre, and their extended instrumental pieces and renowned loud/soft dynamics have enticed a number of prog fans, including this one.There are ten tracks on this album, Mogwai's first proper full-length release (the preceding Ten Rapid was a "collection of singles" rather than an actual album), but as far as I'm concerned, there might as well only be two. The first track, with the wonderful title "Yes! I am a long way from home", is a great introduction to the band: it starts with a quietly pretty melody that's repeated in various forms, and builds to a massive climax of guitar and bass noise. Woven through this crescendo is a beautiful, lyrical guitar line played so smoothly that it almost sounds like an electric violin. Simply stunning. The other track of consequence is the closer, the 16-minute epic "Mogwai Fear Satan", which is a fantastic workout that goes through numerous climaxes in the first 10 minutes or so before subsiding into an ambiguous closing movement with a low, lazy flute line working its way over a still-active and fast-paced rhythm section. It's astounding stuff, and any prog fan who can stomach a bit of repetition will probably love it.
Of the other tracks, "Like Herod" is a live staple and a fan favorite. This is the song that takes Mogwai's loud/soft contrasts and abrupt transitions to an extreme. It starts off really quiet and suddenly explodes into deafening noise a couple minutes in. There's a lot of raw power in this piece, but unlike the best Mogwai pieces it lacks any sort of melody or beauty. The other pieces are better, but sandwiched in between "Yes!..." and "Fear Satan" as they are, they just seem inconsequential. In any other context, "Tracy" and "Summer" and "Katrien" would be great, but here they're almost forgettable.
Despite this, and despite the two or three throwaway tracks ("With Portfolio" is a stereo noise experiment that's more irritating than anything else), Young Team is worth the price of admission solely for its two best tracks. And guess what? Mogwai only gets better from here.
review by Brandon Wu — 12-11-01 —
