modest mouse
the lonesome crowded west
Back in grade 8 I was a total metalhead. I had a jean-jacket with a Slayer backpatch. I had wicked long hair to my ass, and I wanted to fuck the world over. I wouldn't listen if it wasn't Metallica, Slayer, Sepultura or their ilk. Times have changed. I've grown and matured. I still listen to the former list, on rare occasions when I am feeling sentimental for those days. Don't get me wrong, I still love heavy music, I just haven't been able to get into anything current in the heavy metal scene. Everything has just been done to death, and sounds boring and repetative. Even rap-metal, which can be brilliant if done properly, is just a sea of Limp Biscuit listenalikes. What's a heavy music fan to do?
Pick up this album by Modest Mouse, that's what.
I don't want to give the impression that I am comparing the sound of this album to thrash metal. It is nothing like, but nonetheless this album rocks hard. From the opening notes you are drawn into a vast kaleidascope of buzzing, popping, pulsing sound. Following a formula of conrolled chaos, this album alternates between balls to the wall rock freakout sessions and quiet moments to reflect upon keeping sane in an insane world. Musically and lyrically, the album frequents themes of desolation and dispair. From Cowboy Dan:
he didn't move to the city.
"the city moved to me and I want out desperately"
Isolation from other humans is also touched upon in the words and song titles. Imagery of automobiles and travelling make this album particularily good for road trips.
Modest mouse is a three-piece, a fact you are not likely to guess based upon the richness of sound. Singer/guitarist Isaac Brock's vocals are often delivered piercingly loud and wild. The effect is not unpleasant, indeed, it is quite compelling. He also manages to coax some incredible sounds and harmonics from his guitar, you will notice a distinctive, original sound upon repeat listenings. Whilst in the heavy parts, distortion is not created by a box on the floor, it is created by turning up the volume and overdriving the speaker. If Modest Mouse could be said to borrow from a genre, I would call it funk: Some of the riffing put forth is positively danceable. You could also bang your head ;)
The mellow bits come in the middle of songs, and sometimes as a song itself, as in Bankrupt on Selling. This song comes off real touchingly, but not in smangy sort of way. Bits like this and a downright campy song (Jesus Christ Was an Only Child) still cannot waver your impression that Modest Mouse's music and message is anything but deadly serious. It would be misleading to say this is a "fun" album. This album is a heavy metal workout for thinking feller's. It is a sobering look at life, delivered intelligently and honestly. Musically, it should prove quite satisfactory for retired metal heads and present indie rockers. I know I like it...
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This page, and all pages on this site were created and are maintained by Darren Kirby using valid XHTML 1.0 and CSS, and are ©copyright 2002 - 2008. The Penguin image was created by Tukka, and is used by permission. Inspiration for the look of this site was provided by Eric A. Meyer's CSS gallery. This website runs on Gentoo Linux. It is served by Apache. PHP and MySQL hold together the backend.