Modest Mouse are a band I first heard back around 2000 when my brother picked up The Moon and Antarctica, their third album and major label debut. “3rd Planet” was the first single from that album and I was intrigued by singer Isaac Brock’s off-kilter pop sensibility. I didn’t delve much further into that album, but I was interested to hear what Modest Mouse had cooked up in 2004 with Good News for People Who Love Bad News. The results, as I’m sure you’re aware, were phenomenal. The lead single “Float On” saw airplay on mainstream radio across the nation as well as MTV and it introduced Modest Mouse to a whole new audience. They followed up with the strong second single “Ocean Breathes Salty.” Despite these two pop gems, Modest Mouse didn’t abandon the kind of music they had made all along and I was personally surprised that they became such a widespread hit. Earlier this year the band released We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. Fitting with the title, the album is full of nautical imagery and it finds Modest Mouse not taking the easy road, with “Dashboard” being the only song that I think could be considered a hit. However they have delivered an album full of unique rock songs that take a bit to grow on you but eventually hit the mark. One of the most notable differences is the addition of former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. Marr’s guitar style leaves its mark on tracks like “Missed the Boat,” “Spitting Venom,” and especially today’s song “Little Motel.” You could call this Modest Mouse’s attempt at a ballad and they pull it off quite well with shimmering guitars and great lyrics from Brock. It’s something you wouldn’t quite expect from one of rock’s most unique bands.
Modest Mouse - "Little Motel"
No comments:
Post a Comment