Artist of the Day: Modest Mouse

With my hometown Tigers' recent exit from the World Series, I began to remember the last time they had failed to capture the world title in 2006. For some reason, the only thing I could remember about the series was the theme song: "Float On" by Modest Mouse. The uncharacteristically upbeat ode to taking things as they come sparked my idle interest in one of the most interesting rock bands I've heard. After catching their single from We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, "Dashboard," I was hooked. Fast forward to present day and Modest Mouse still holds up well, despite not having released an album since 2007.

The main reasons for their success are Isaac Brock's lyrics and Jeremiah Green's incredible drumming but it's also their ability to change styles at the drop of a hat and not seem to miss a beat. When Brock decided the band needed a new direction after 2004's Good News For People Who Love Bad News, they added three new members and made everything work as if there had been no change. However, it's as a trio that the band made the most noise. "Teeth Like God's Shoeshine," the raucous opening to masterpiece The Lonesome, Crowded West, begins with Brock yelling over Green's cymbal crashes and his own powerful chords only for it to stop into a digression about "the man with teeth like God's shoeshine." Repeat the process a few times over and you have one of the least appealing yet brilliant 7 minutes of music ever put to wax. Compared to the comparative purity of "3rd Planet," opener to their previous effort, The Moon and Antarctica, it's a shock that it's the same band; just another example of Isaac Brock's unique brand of genius. 

There's nothing inherently appealing about the band. Brock sounds as if he's tone deaf and has the vocal range of Eddie Vedder. The lyrics are weird, profane and often nonsensical. All the instruments sound like they're too loud and were recorded together with no regards to mixing. Yet, when you put their records on, everything seems to fall into place to form a beautiful cacophony. It may not sound great at first, but the grittiness of the recording and even Brock's vocals will sound good with time- if not immediately. 

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Jukebox: Modest Mouse - Gravity Rides Everything

It seems like I always get on the bandwagon years later than everyone else.  I had always like Modest Mouse, listening to their most critically acclaimed albums off and on.  But recently, The Moon and Antarctica has been hitting me hard lately.  Frankly, the more I listen the more I see it as one of the last decade's most brilliant albums; a spellbinding blend of indie and alt rock sensibilities that has very clearly influenced many acts since.

Yet there's one song that has me especially entranced: "Gravity Rides Everything." The song is addicting to say the least, but so phenomanally simplistic that one has to wonder what's so great about it to begin with.  With a simple guitar hook, the song features little in the way of incredible musicianship.  Despite this, the song grabs hold and doesn't let go.  The beautiful lyrics combined with the admirable pace makes for a very catchy song, although it doesn't seem entirely so.

"Gravity Rides Everything" is a wonderful song from an incredible, decade defining album.  For the uninitiated, this is absolutely, positively essential.

Stream the song after the jump, and follow Modest Mouse on Facebook here.

Artist Of The Day: Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse is of significant importance to the indie rock scene of the Pacific Northwest. Isaac Brock, Eric Judy, and Jeremiah Green helped guide Modest Mouse through its early years, with Isaac Brock's unique vocal style - sometimes screaming, sometimes crooning softly, but always satisfying - leading the way. With early records like This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About and The Lonesome Crowded West, some fans had been garnered around the small indie band. However, it wasn't until The Moon and Antarctica that the band began breaking out into mainstream success. It was their first record with a major record label, and it was well promoted, which is why it really helped them move towards bigger audiences.

In 2006, the lineup started changing for the first time. Johnny Marr, formerly of the Smiths, was tacked onto the roster, as well as Joe Plummer and Tom Peloso. These gentlemen were recruited for the recording of We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank in 2007, an impressive follow-up to the band's 2004 masterpiece, Good News For People Who Love Bad News. They took three years to enjoy the success of Good News, and also to work and evolve musically. We Were Dead didn't disappoint fans, since such care was taken with the record to ensure a second genuine success. The band has since released a B-sides EP titled No One's First and You're Next in 2009, and are in the process of recording a new album, so we'll see from them soon.

Featured Album: The Moon And Antarctica

As I said before, The Moon And Antarctica really helped Modest Mouse achieve their first major successes with audiences that weren't already loyal fans. It's a neat listen, because it's a transitional album between the band's true, underground past, and the well-known, indie rock band many people know Modest Mouse as today. Tracks like "3rd Planet" and "I Came As A Rat" help show of a little more of the former, while just about any Modest Mouse fan of today could rock out and have fun to "A Different City". It's a well-written and enjoyable record, and I think it's a good start for any new listeners out there.

Look out for news on their website, and go ahead and sample their music on MySpace.