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Mogwai, "5 Track Tour Single"
Good luck still finding this one, as if you didn't get it while they were on tour, your only chance is off their website, where they may still have a few copies left. Available at the merchandise counter on their European tour, this EP is a collection of studio tracks the band has released as bonus tracks on import releases of the album or on other tour releases, as well as a couple of live recordings.
Two of the studio songs were on Mogwai's split US tour single with Bardo Pond, including "D to E", which they performed on that tour as well. So if you have the US tour 10" already you know what to expect. It's "Close Encounters", the first track, that most US fans will be unfamiliar with. A Japanese bonus track added to 'Rock Action', "Encounters" is a very pretty, mellow number with lots of Rhodes piano. In fact, all three 'new' songs showcase keys more than Mogwai usually does on record or live. Fans of 'Come On Die Young' and 'Mogwai EP' will appreciate hearing this side of the band again - the somber, melodic side with sparse guitar playing and occasional musical sidesteps like horns and drum machines. These tracks might not have fit on their last studio release, but they work together very well here. The live tracks are from Mogwai's very special show at Rothesay. They even chartered a ferry to get fans to and from the show and to party on, and Gruff Rhys appeared to sing his lines on "Dial:Revenge", making it a very special engagement indeed for true fans. These tracks offer a glimpse at the ferocity Mogwai can unleash live, as well as the cohesive wall of sound they generate. "Helicon 1", in particular, is a live staple that fans love, as its recording on 'Ten Rapid' is a bit shoddy. What appears here is a far superior recording with guitar wash and hammered drumming in where you can even hear the fans recognize the track shortly into it and start applauding appreciatively. New tracks and live staples for about seven dollars make this a must for completists.
 
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