Modest Mouse Song: "Doin' the Cockroach"
Album: The Lonesome Crowded West
That’s right ladies and gentlemen, an article about the legendary band, Modest Mouse (MM). MM has been hitting the music scene for 16 years now, from playing small clubs in Issaquah, Washington, to sold-out venues across the world. I first started listening to MM freshman year of high school when they released, Good News for People Who Love Bad News (2004). I have such a love for this band because that album was the first album that opened doors for me to start listening to newer/indie music. I immediately hunted down their entire discography and have been a fan ever since. But enough about me, it's all about the band.
With their beginnings rooted in Issaquah, Washington, MM was composed of singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock (singer/lyricist/guitarist), drummer Jeremiah Green (drummer), and Eric Judy (bassist). In 1994, they released their first EP, Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect, and two years later came out with their first album This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About (1996). This album was followed a year later by Lonesome Crowded West. Many fans hail this album as their “breakthrough” album and received many accolades claiming it to be one of the best albums of the decade. After the success of their second album, the band signed with Epic Records and in 2000 release their first album under that label, The Moon & Antarctica. Pitchfork Media ranked the album as the third best album of 2000, trailing Kid A by Radiohead and Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Rós. Brock also released an album with his side project, Ugly Casanova at this time.
With continued success the band created more unique music and sharpened their sound even more. In 2004, they released Good News for People Who Love Bad News. This album provided MM with mainstream notoriety. With hits such as, “The World At Large”, “Bukowski”, and of course “Float On”, MM received increased radio play from this platinum-selling album.
With commercial success at their back, MM sailed into their next album with a new addition, The Smith’s guitarist Johnny Marr. MM and Marr released We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank in 2007. Brock describes this album and the introduction of Johnny Marr:
"He made a cautious commitment to write and record with us, and then the tighter we got, he was like, ‘okay, let's tour too'. Then he was pretty much a member of the band-- not pretty much. He's a full blown member of the band. It's really fuckin' nice." According to Brock, Marr was involved in songwriting on the album, and will even tour with the band in support of it. In the interview, Brock described We Were Dead... as a "nautical balalaika carnival romp". Johnny Marr later responded to Brock's comments by saying "Isaac contacted me and asked if I'd help Modest Mouse write the new album. I was intrigued and played with the band in Portland a couple of times. We hit it off and wrote three great songs straight away, something clicked, it felt right from the off. I have a new Healers album pretty much done, but we've been having such a good time playing these new Modest Mouse songs. When people hear the record they'll see why, we're very good together."
MM is also releasing No One's First and You're Next, an upcoming EP that will feature unreleased tracks and b-sides from their previous two studio albums. MM has made unique and genre-defying music for 16 years and I hope to see much more in the years to come.
Albums:
This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About (1996)
The Lonesome Crowded West (1997)
The Moon & Antarctica (2000)
Good News for People Who Love Bad News (2004)
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2007)
EPs:
Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect? (1994)
Interstate 8 (1996)
The Fruit That Ate Itself (1997)
Night on the Sun (1999)
Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks (2001)
No One's First and Your Next (2009)
Compilations:
Build Nothing Out of Something (2000)
Sad Sappy Sucker (2001)
Pictures: The Lonesome Crowded West, Isaac Brock, Johnny Marr, Modest Mouse
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