Modest
3.5 stars
Modest Mouse maintains their trademark manic style during much of their latest release, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. The question is: Is their unique style still a novelty, or have we been there and done that? The answer is somewhere in between.
The opener, “March into the Sea,” makes it clear you’re listening to a Modest Mouse record. It’s followed, however, by the surprisingly accessible first single, “Dashboard,” that has my vote for Single of the Year so far. It’s very catchy, and it’s a blast. The lyrically fatalistic song sets the lyrical tone for the rest of the record. Most of the tracks have a “man, I used to be stupid” quality to the lyrics: “You gave me some sound advice but I wasn’t listening.”
Other than “Dashboard,” highlights from We Were Dead include “Missed the Boat,” which is about how stupid we are to think we know anything, “Parting of the Sensory,” “We’ve Got Everything,” and “Spitting Venom.”
Huge fans of Modest Mouse will enjoy this record. Others familiar with the band might be a little tired of the band’s sound. Modest Mouse certainly deserves respect for not selling out and continuing to be genuine, but they certainly are not as refreshing as they once were. It doesn’t help that this record is a long one. The once-common 62-minute record seems a little bloated by today’s standards. In general, though, Modest Mouse has put out a solid album here with many good songs.
Scale:
0. Shoot yourself
1. Poor
2. So-So
3. Good
4. Excellent
5. Instant classic