Modest Mouse, Not Sunk

The general sentiment, it seems, towards the new Modest Mouse album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, is that it's nothing new, a recycling of what made Modest Mouse so spectacular back in the '90s, and what led them to mainstream success with The Moon and Antarctica and Good News For People Who Love Bad News. This one is sort of like a hybrid, I guess, of the best watered down.

I disagree, man! I'm really digging the album. More than ever, it's got spectacular pacing. It climaxes, the winds up, it winds down, whatever: it's consistent throughout. Marr's added guitar lines fill out the melodies like never before, and Brock's become more comfortable with alternating between spastic, shouts and semi-sweet, melodious singing.

The band's tight, and that's a big plus in my mind, and the band seems comfortable with where they've arrived at, and that's really excellent! Yeah, it's not the old stuff, but this was the perfect step to take after the previous two LPs ...

Anyway, listen to some new stuff!

Modest Mouse - March Into the Sea
Modest Mouse - We've Got Everything