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Album Review
by SashaS
20-8-2004
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| ‘Good News For People Who Love Bad News’ |
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Modest Mouse: 'Good News For People Who Love Bad News'
(Epic)
Modest Mouse: reloading needs regular servicing
Regardless of what calamitous direction the world is heading in, every individual escapes in own particular way. Our organic method is getting an interesting/intriguing/ingenious CD and spinning it until it indelibly imprints itself on a memory ‘circuit’, until it turns itself into [this] life’s soundtrack. Although Modest Mouse album’s been out for weeks, we wanted to soak it in, let it form an aura over our spirit… [Is this your piteous excuse for slacking? - Ed Chief] ‘Good News For People Who Love Bad News’ is what its title proclaims and, certainly, delivers.
Music for people who are afraid to tear off cellophane and find another TOC – teenage orientated crap – but only to discover there is life after the industrial mergers that threaten the core of music’s existence… It is healthy to have band around that care for music, attempt furthering its cause and offer something that can keep your attention with inventiveness rather than formulaic repeation…
Launching with a blast that recalls a big band at a song’s finale and appropriately named ‘Horn Blast’, the track proper ‘The World At Large’ offers a psychedelic soundscape that is counterbalanced by delightful ‘puh-puh’ backing. ‘Float On’ is a prim indie-pop song and potential hit although it is ‘Ocean Breathes Salty’ that will be the next single: it sounds like Pere Ubu on a psychedelic trip, but this has only been a warm-up. ‘Bury Me With It’ suddenly deviates in a territory that balances between Captain Beefheart and Primus, with ‘Dance Hall’ following in closely.
‘Bukowski’ gets a bit country, folkish in a perverted sense, then it is to a musical hall curetted by Tom Waits on ‘This Devil’s Workday’, ‘Satin In A Coffin’ chugs along in a mixture of fun/fright setting, ‘Black Cadillacs’ gets fairly aggro, ‘One Chance’ soars towards stellar edge whilst ‘The Good Times Are Killing Me’ brings the curtain down with another kinky tune but on somewhat subdued note.
Strange, brave, wacky, thrilling, experimental, free-formly formed, totally captivating; it is a delight to find such a cult outfit on a major label. We certainly could do with more bands of fine mindsets that may require prolonged nurturing and multi-album cultivating until the world catches up. Modest Mouse formed in 1994 in a suburb of Seattle and over the course of their various, independently released, albums have received huge critical acclaim. Their first major label release suggests that these indie mavericks may find a place in the mainstream.
Formed in the post-grunge era they are more akin to Flaming Lips [who guest on and mixed the concluding track] and that’s approximately where the MM’s roots lie: after years in wilderness, similarly to REM, in spite of crafting classic albums. Timing is everything and this Mouse appears ahead of it…
Modest Mouse is a quartet with a lyricist/vocalist, Isaac Brock, who is as individual as one ought to be against these times of replica frontman. They also don’t include their picture on the artwork, which is a minimalist statement in itself, to further emphasise they ain’t here for fame, sex and drugs… The feeling is they believe in the power of music to enhance, illuminate, inform and entertain via diverse sounding songs.
Modest Mouse are hugely refreshing and it should be boasted all over the world’s Intel-channels. Come to think of it, it should be given to schoolchildren aged 8-upwards to write essays about it.
8/10
SashaS
20-8-2004
Modest Mouse's album ‘Good News For People Who Love Bad News’ is available now on Epic
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