Mogwai's last LP, Happy Songs for Happy People, saw their post-rock evolve unexpectedly into futuristic melodies that highlight the past with hints of Depeche Mode, The Cure and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Mr. Beast -- the Glasgow five-piece's fifth studio LP -- backtracks to a more uncomplicated brand of rock. Of course the characteristic lulls and flares continue, but where those dynamics had been known to reside in a single song, here most songs fall each within its own area of the spectrum. Loaded with bass VI, heavy guitars and mathy drums, the riotous "Glasgow Mega-Snake" charges frenetically from start to finish, whereas the resigned "Team Hand" glimmers despondently like a far-off star. Certain tracks, however, retain that old-school Mogwai sense of growth: "Folk Death 95" intensifies from multiple, pretty guitar parts to a gritty, more singular wall of sound.

"Auto Rock," the minimal yet brazen opener, is perhaps one of Mogwai's most straightforward tracks to date. The song stares you in the face with its simple piano melody and even simpler drumbeat, a move that lends major force to the escalating piano, reverb and all. But that force can feel disappointingly heavy handed, even though the track turns out to be beautiful regardless.

Mogwai's plan for Mr. Beast was to bring their live intensity to the album, and to create songs that would be fun to rock out with on stage. They do effectively put the "rock" back in post-rock here; the tracks are shorter, and "Glasgow Mega-Snake" and We're No Here" bare their metal and hardcore teeth. The album may not have astounding beauties like those of Rock Action or the EP collections, but Mr. Beast proves itself to be an extremely listenable album. And, fortunately, as with any Mogwai album, the more listens you give it, the more you find to love.