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Jan 12, 2021 By Mark Redfern Mogwai

Scotland’s Mogwai are releasing a new album, As the Love Continues, on February 19 via Temporary Residence Inc. Now they have shared the album’s second single, “Ritchie Sacramento,” via a video for the track. The song features vocals, which is not often the case with Mogwai songs, and is partly inspired by the late David Berman (Silver Jews, Purple Mountains). Sam Wiehl directed the video. Watch it below.

In a press release Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite had this to say about the song: “‘Ritchie Sacramento’s’ title came from a misunderstanding a friend of ours had about how to say Ryuchi Sakamoto. The lyrics were inspired by a story Bob Nastanovich shared about his friend and bandmate David Berman who proclaimed ‘Rise Crystal Spear’ as he threw a shovel at a sports car. The song is dedicated to all the musician friends we’ve lost over the years.”

Previously Mogwai shared As the Love Continues’ first single, “Dry Fantasy,” which was one of our Songs of the Week.

As the Love Continues is the follow-up to 2017’s Every Country’s Sun. Dave Fridmann produced the album, which features Atticus Ross (on “Midnight Flit”) and Colin Stetson (on “Pat Stains”). The album was recorded in 2020 and was originally supposed to be recorded in America, but the pandemic adjusted those plans, with the band recording in the UK and Fridmann producing remotely.

Even though Mogwai won’t be able to tour the album anytime soon and travel is limited due to the pandemic, in a previous press release the band’s Stuart Braithwaite said he hopes the music will transport listeners to a different place, “unless you are somewhere really amazing and then why are you listening to some weird music like this?”

Read our interview with Mogwai on Every Country’s Sun.

Read our 2014 interview with Stuart Braithwaite on Mogwai’s Rave Tapes album, as well as our retrospective article on the band’s 2001 album Rock Action.

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