Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Rating
RIYL
Built to SpillPixies
Wolf Parade
The Dismemberment Plan
Tracklist
1. March Into The Sea2. Dashboard
3. Fire It Up
4. Florida
5. Parting Of The Sensory
6. Missed The Boat
7. We've Got Everything
8. Fly Trapped In A Jar
9. Education
10. Little Motel
11. Steam Engenius
12. Spitting Venom
13. People As Places As People
14. Invisible
Users Rating |
Your RatingCreate an account or log in to rate this album |
Recent Ratings |
|
|
|
|
|
The line between the mainstream and the underground becomes more blurred as each day passes. ‘Indie’ bands are debuting in the top ten on Billboard. Garden State has brought The Shins endless amounts of fans. It has become harder and harder to define what indie culture is these days. One of the biggest surprises came when Modest Mouse attained a number 1 single. It’s no secret that they had been signed to a major label since 2000, but no one expected such an abrupt burst in popularity. This is one of indie rock and roll’s most coveted bands after all. The affect this had on the band’s fanbase was easily recognizable. It’s like when people first heard The Postal Service in a commercial. It was somewhat surprising but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Eventually everyone got used to the fact that they were going to be featured in commercials much like how people are used to the fact that Modest Mouse is a major label act.
These changes sometimes give people a sense of betrayal. Everyone has their bands that feel especially poignant and important to them. Once everyone else catches on, it loses some of what made it particularly special to you. That’s why you can’t entirely get annoyed at people who scoffed at Modest Mouse’s newfound popularity. But the truth of the matter is the band never compromised their sound. Yes, I finally said it. “Float On” wasn’t a clever marketing ploy; it was an incredibly well-written heartfelt song and everyone couldn’t help but notice. The lyrics had a certain feel that contained a little something that everyone can relate to and that’s what makes Isaac Brock such a good songwriter.
It’s been almost 3 years since Modest Mouse released their last album, Good News for People Who like Bad News featuring the single that catapulted them into stardom. This leaves the band with one of the most anticipated releases in recent memory. Once the first single, “Dashboard”, hit the airwaves, the response was immediately mixed. I wasn’t too impressed with its slightly catchy and danceable indie rock sound, which is rather popular right now and not particularly riveting. Luckily, this wasn’t much of an indication of how the rest of the album sounds. Much like their previous full-lengths, the band is not content with leaving you listening to a straightforward album. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank sends you on an auditory journey lasting over an hour. While a lot of indie rock has the reputation of being uneventful, Modest Mouse is anything but.
The band isn’t going into this adventure alone this time. They have brought along a couple of their friends. Most notably, the band has recruited Johnny Marr (The Smiths) as a member playing guitar and co-writing songs. It’s interesting to see Marr go from being an influence on the band to being a member. The addition proves to be a success with Marr perfectly complimenting the direction they have taken. Also featured on this album is The Shin’s vocalist James Mercer who can be heard on “Florida”, “Missed the Boat”, and “We’ve Got Everything”. These also happen to be the catchiest and most accessible songs on the album. Any one of these 3 songs would have made a better single than “Dashboard”, especially the incredibly infectious “We Got Everything.”
The rest of the album shows much more experimentation. “Parting of the Sensory” begins with a somber acoustic introduction before it erupts into the frantic chants of “some day you will die somehow and something’s going to steal your carbon.” The result is one of the most memorable tracks on the album and it proves to be as ingenious as anything Brock has ever written. “Fly in a Jar” has some interesting guitar opening the track and mimicking the sound of a fly. Another standout would be “Little Motel” which is a lush ballad featuring some gorgeous spacey guitar resonating over the rhythm section. Fans who thought they were done writing epic songs like the ones found on The Lonesome Crowded West will be pleasantly surprised with “Spitting Venom.” On this song, the band combines some droning ambiance and trumpets with Isaac Brock’s vocals which still seem to be derived directly from Black Francis (Pixies). The lyrics remain as introspective and philosophical as ever.
This album shows effective variation in songwriting coupled with the consistency of their familiar sound. If you have followed the band this far in their career, there is no reason to abandon ship yet. This is not the album that is going to sway people’s opinions who already disliked the band because, despite the addition of band members and change in the dynamics of songs, it is still unmistakably Modest Mouse. In the end, indie rock can simply be defined as a style of music. Whether you are able to reach a massive audience due to a major label is more or less irrelevant. As long as the aural and aesthetic nature remains true, it will always be indie rock and that’s just how I like it. I’m glad to see that Modest Mouse can recognize that as well.
--Dave Spak
Comments
Colorado Springs, CO
Alabama
SL, UT
It is still a solid album but not a great one. I'd give it 3.75*s, not quite 4 but better than 3.5
Trollin' with my homies.
Austin
The Daily Galaxy
An elephant that never forgets...to kill!
Florida, USA
SL, UT
:Watches as credibility flies out the window:
Trollin' with my homies.
Green Brook, NJ
SL, UT
Trollin' with my homies.
Anytown USA
You play to win the game.
Tuscaloosa, AL
Oklahoma
SL, UT
Trollin' with my homies.
Colorado Springs, CO
Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks is by far my favorite.
Columbus, Ohio
Recommending: Anberlin, Interpol, Chamberlain, House of Heroes
SL, UT
Trollin' with my homies.
Anytown USA
You play to win the game.
SL, UT
Trollin' with my homies.
SL, UT
http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:j9d0yp6jxpcb
Trollin' with my homies.