You may not be familiar with Mustard Gas & Roses—MGR for short—but you are almost certainly familiar with main man Mike Gallagher, who spent nearly a decade and a half with post-metal titans Isis. Originally begun as a sort of side project and becoming a more prominent focus as the years have passed, Gallagher has used MGR as a vehicle to explore various musical genres ranging from ambient to post-rock to electronic-focused songs.
On Glacier’s Wake, Gallagher continues to try new things; his last EP, We Are One, was MGR’s first to feature his vocals. Here, he continues that, employing a singing voice that recalls Nick Cave or Michael Gira. MGR’s first album to feature a full band lineup, Glacier’s Wake has moments that feel like Isis—the spacious, open chords on “Slip,” the quiet drums and sparse guitar on “Felled” and the heavy riffcraft on “I’ve Always Known”—but songs like “Stars In Your Eyes” and the beautiful closer “Away” add a layer of gentle depth that goes beyond simply repeating the familiar.
Glacier’s Wake is an album that requires multiple listens to sink in, a testament to MGR’s ability to make a lot without going technically overboard. Marrying the post-rock/post-metal leanings Gallagher established in Isis with a host of other influences, Glacier’s Wake is another interesting, thoughtful album in Gallagher’s discography.
It’s out tomorrow, March 26, on Pax Aeturnum, but you can listen now.
