Mogwai The Bad Fire
Mogwai's The Bad Fire arrives as a record of bruised resilience, trading the band's old roar for gentler, more purposeful dynamics and clear-eyed craft. Across professional reviews the consensus leans positive: the collection earned an 80/100 consensus score from 1 professional review, with critics praising its focus on grief and recovery and the ways quiet moments build into quietly cathartic payoffs.
Critics consistently point to textural shifts and a collaborative production that foregrounds soothing dynamics over sheer volume. The Observer (UK) highlights “Pale Vegan Hip Pain” and “Hammer Room” as sublime, questing pieces, while “If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some Of The Others” emerges as a masterclass in dynamics. A wilder nod goes to “Lion Rumpus” and the bruised instrumental color of “Fanzine Made Of Flesh”, reinforcing which are the best songs on The Bad Fire and why critics agree the record favors recovery and restraint.
While some longtime fans might miss the band’s earlier maximalism, reviewers found that the album’s textural courage and collaborative production make it a rewarding entry in Mogwai’s catalog. The critical consensus suggests The Bad Fire is worth listening to for its emotional clarity and standout tracks, and the detailed reviews that follow unpack how these songs redefine the group’s late-career strengths.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Pale Vegan Hip Pain
1 mention
"on the sublime Pale Vegan Hip Pain"— The Observer (UK)
Hammer Room
1 mention
"constantly questing Hammer Room"— The Observer (UK)
If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some Of The Others
1 mention
"is a masterclass in artfully deployed dynamics"— The Observer (UK)
on the sublime Pale Vegan Hip Pain
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
God Gets You Back
Hi Chaos
What Kind Of Mix Is This?
Fanzine Made Of Flesh
Pale Vegan Hip Pain
If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some Of The Others
18 Volcanoes
Hammer Room
Lion Rumpus
Fact Boy
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 15 critics who reviewed this album
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Critic's Take
Mogwai’s The Bad Fire is a record of bruised resilience, where tenderness often wins out over the band’s old roar. Phil Mongredien singles out “Pale Vegan Hip Pain” and “Hammer Room” as sublime, constantly questing tracks that show how Mogwai now soothe rather than storm. He also flags “If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some of the Others” as a masterclass in dynamics, and reserves a wilder nod for “Lion Rumpus”. The review reads like a summary of recovery and craft, answering plainly which are the best songs on The Bad Fire while staying true to the band’s late-career strengths.
Key Points
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The best song is "Pale Vegan Hip Pain" because the reviewer calls it 'sublime' and emblematic of Mogwai’s soothing expansion.
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The album’s core strengths are controlled dynamics, textured motifs, and emotional resilience after personal hardship.
Themes
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