Mos Generator release music from the future and the past for their tenth album, Time//Wounds.

I don’t usually quote such long passages from a press release, but this is a precise description of what is on the new Mos Generator record, so let’s listen in.

Written, Arranged and Recorded over two sessions in the summer of 2021, with some musical themes going back as far as 1989. Time//Wounds is six songs about the passing of time, the tolls taken by the pursuit of dreams, and the regret of opportunities not taken. “I hear this collection of songs as progressive rock of the 1970s meets the 1980s and 90s alternative underground. Much like the music I was writing in the 1990s when I was in my early twenties.” Although previous albums have been leading up to this shift in sound, Time//Wounds takes a massive leap forward (and backward) by conjuring the spirit and recklessness of young musicians and combining it with the experience and diversity of mature songwriters.

At the time of writing this release, we have decided to proceed with finalizing the album by using these demos instead of re-recording the album from the ground up. I am revisiting each mix to bring out the best in what we have captured and to replace or add instrumentation that I feel needs attention. By taking this route we possibly sacrifice perfection for energy but this isn’t a new approach for us and we feel like it has worked well on previous albums.

OK, so that is a little confusing to me. Even so, like I always say, no matter what the underlying story might be, we can always just listen to the music and see whether we like it or not. Let’s try that. “Aja-Minor” is up first. It is a cheerful-sounding rocker that could have been excavated from deep in rock and roll history. Catchy and peppy, it crackles with energy and verve. The song takes a nice prog walk in the middle that is also quite enthusiastic. “(Don’t) Wait Until Tomorrow” is a soft and sweet song when it begins, and then it takes a darker turn in tone and stretches into complexity. A bit like life itself. It is an excellent piece. “Burn Away The Years” is somewhat more tentative in its opening bars, but then it claps down and gets going and the sense of it all becomes clearer.

“Getting Good At Revenge” is sharp and stabbing, with exceptional guitarwork and gritty vocals. It is a heavy piece, carrying easily the weight of the theme. “Only Yesterday” is a dreamy wonder that rambles through the universe, known and unknown, with an eye toward reflection. In the end we have “Until We Meet Again,” a fifteen-minute treatise on the meaning of meaning – at least that is what is sounds like to me. All the music on the album is great, but if there was only one song I could listen to, this would be it.

Mos Generator is Tony Reed (guitar, vocals, keys), Jono Garrett (drums), and Sean Booth (bass). This is not the album I expected from them, but I am glad they did it. Recommended.

Time//Wounds is out on Friday, December 16^th. Check out the links below for ordering info.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://mosgenerator.bandcamp.com/album/time-wounds

Mos Generator on-line store, https://heavyheadsuperstore.storenvy.com/

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/MosGenerator/

© Wayne Edwards