Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003

Mogwai has always been one of those near-great bands that you never give up on because they're a thrilling live act with a terrifically bold, louder than God sound and their use of loud-soft-loud dynamics is rivaled only by Godpseed, the Dirty Three and Slint. But on their albums, Mogwai so often seems lost in search of an actual song that, well, it's easy to get bored. This album collects tunes the band recorded for the BBC, and it walks the balance between experimentation and melody far finer than any of their proper albums. Perhaps the need to record songs quickly in the studio for airplay compelled them towards accessibility rather than ear-bleeding wankiness? Regardless, this is not only a must for Mogwai fans, it's the beginners' best place to start. The collection is dedicated to the late, brilliant DJ John Peel, for whom many of the songs were recorded.