Only Modest Mouse, in all their oddly appealing, edgy eclecticism, could manage to translate darkly incisive lyrics, jabs of guitar, and lead singer\/lyricist Isaac Brock\u2019s near-vicious, growling vocals into commercial success. <\/p>\n
2004\u2019s Good News For People Who Love Bad News<\/i>, featuring the Issaquah, Washington natives\u2019 standout hit \u201cFloat On,\u201d could have easily portended the band\u2019s foray into radio-pandering. Thankfully, their latest, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, <\/i>is anything but watered-down. <\/p>\n
Most notably, this disc adds legendary Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr into the mix, resulting in his signature chiming, jangling sound coming to the forefront of these 14 tracks and subtly nudging the band into more innovative directions. While still retaining the band\u2019s prevailingly morose attitude (though somehow it\u2019s always endearingly so), songs like lead single \u201cDashboard\u201d are unabashedly catchy, with bright proclamations such as \u201cThe dashboard melted but we still have the radio\u201d set to swelling strings, throbbing drums and an anxiously upbeat pace. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, opener \u201cMarch Into The Sea\u201d is immediately explosive, a sort of demented sea-shanty featuring Brock yelping manically as the guitars build to an inexorable climax. Next up, midtempo \u201cFire It Up\u201d returns to old-school Modest Mouse with a simplistic yet stick-in-your-head chorus and dreamily offbeat lyrics like \u201cIt honestly was beautifully bold \/ Like trying to save an ice cube from the cold.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cFlorida\u201d is the first of three tracks to feature guest vocals by James Mercer of the Shins. Deceptively poppy, \u201cFlorida\u201d is definitely single-worthy, combining a lilting chorus with warm, swirling instrumentation as it unexpectedly soars towards a crunching, foreboding conclusion. Mercer appears again on the lush, folksy, \u201cMissed the Boat,\u201d an instant standout that definitely recalls the Shins, and \u201cWe\u2019ve Got Everything,\u201d a diversion into INXS territory with pounding drums, abrasive guitars and fist-pumping vocals. <\/p>\n
\u201cFly Trapped In A Jar\u201d is another standout, beginning bristly and jagged-edged and switching halfway through to a slick dance groove, all launched off by Marr\u2019s guitar imitating a fly.\u00a0 However, from there, the bulk of the second half is slightly underwhelming, falling into the trap of echoing the previous material a bit too closely. Lower-tempo ballads \u201cLittle Motel\u201d and \u201cSteam Engenius\u201d are individually decent, albeit play-it-safe, but pairing the two nullifies their impact, and closer \u201cInvisible\u201d packs a punch but is too reminiscent of \u201cWe\u2019ve Got Everything\u201d to stand on its own. <\/p>\n
We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank <\/i>showcases the band defying the typical trappings of success to deliver their classic indie sound. Overall, it\u2019s a solid, layered release, one that\u2019s more than definitely worth your time to delve into. <\/p>\n
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