Quote:
Originally Posted by clutnuckle
Not really debatable by any means. Mogwai's emphasis on bass and the way it carries the band more than anything else is almost a carbon copy of Tortoise's first few albums (not that I'm complaining about it, though). Slint's ugliness and the dystopian pictures that their music painted was very importance for Mogwai's loudest, most cathartic moments, such as the climaxes of "Mogwai Fear Satan", "Like Herod" and others (yeah, "MFS" is a happy song but the utter power it exudes is classic Slint for you). Not saying they sound the same and that Mogwai's work is simply a rehash, but their influences are quite obvious at this point.
Indeed, Mogwai has stated that they don't really sound like Tortoise, which is a fair claim to make on some grounds. But the bass-riffing on "Katrien" off of Young Team is so utterly Tortoise that you would probably mistake it for Tortoise if it weren't for the very different style of drumming. The influence is just too obvious to be called into question at any time. Obviously they've strayed away from it now, but their roots lie in a very close ballpark to Tortoise, and to a lesser extent, Slint.
|
Those are valid comparisons but what about the fact that Mogwai was making their loudest, most cathartic music within a couple of years of Spiderland? Was that album even very well-known in Scotland at the time? It wasn't here in the US where Slint lived. Most people I knew at the time didn't even seem to notice them until the Kids soundtrack. I could be wrong but I have a hard time giving Slint that much credit for Mogwai's music.
And Tortoise? I just don't hear such an obvious influence. However, again, if there is one it would have to have occurred really quickly as Mogwai were recording
Young Team at almost the exact same time that Tortoise made
Millions Now Living.... Similar basslines isn't enough for me to recognize Tortoise as an obvious influence.