We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
I have spent the last couple of days listening to the new Modest Mouse album and at this point I just might have to mark it as my favorite release so far this year. MM is one of those bands that just seems to constantly be pushing into new territory and expanding creatively without losing touch with those elements that made it a great band in the first place. "WWDBTSES" is no exception. The noteworthy addition of Johnny Marr (most notably the guitar player and melodic prowess behind The Smiths) to the permanent lineup of MM is evident in the developed instrumentation and increased complexity of the music (although it undoubtedly retains a definite "Modest Mouse" de-tuned twang throughout) and it seems as though Isaac Brock's new found sobriety helps promote a sense of lyrical and vocal cohesiveness throughout the whole project. It's really a rather pleasant listen overall. I think that the fact that the entire album flows so well is the strength of this project, which perhaps cannot be said about some other Modest Mouse projects (at least in my opinion.) Although I think this album cannot truly be appreciated unless you're familiar with MM's earlier work. But I would say the same thing about the music of all good long-standing bands, really.
Of course perhaps you will have a less glowing opinion of the whole matter. Check it out and let me know what you think.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 at 9:48 AM.
You can skip to the end and leave a response.
» Post a Comment