Modest Mouse
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
(Epic)
Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock comes swaggering in like a drunken pirate, swilly and gulpy and bellowing. The band dives
in with "March into the Sea," and it's satisfying as all hell. Although Dennis Herring, who produced the band's last
album, the disparate Good News for People Who Love Bad News, has joined them once again, this record sounds much
more deliberate and ... what's the word? Better. Much. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank is a seafaring
nautical implosion, equipped with their signature accordion, strings, pirate singing, honks and bells.
There's no hesitation, as the band moves on to "Dashboard," the second track and single; much different from the heavily
diluted radio version for dummies, it's rich and ringing. Its dancy, driving force is infectious and the swooning
string section sweeps in and out like waves.
Modest Mouse is optimistic and the band is playing it off. As it took a nose-dive for the mainstream, Modest Mouse
experienced a bit of turbulence. Its airtime might suggest otherwise, but the last album was a major letdown. Now,
it's patched things up and come into its own. Modest Mouse is a different species than it was in the days of
underground popularity, but it's defiantly maintained its personality — thank goodness for that.
"Fire It Up" takes a different tune, electronic beats and a slower pace — an introspective one, even. Brock's tumultuous character has
come a long way to find this sense of stability. The pirate theme isn't just kitsch; there's some truth to it.
Now, there is one key difference, which I have neglected to mention thus far: Johnny Marr (the Smiths' guitarist) is now a full-fledged member
of the group. What began as an experiment has been recorded and is soon to be touring. There is a certain richness on the album, which is a
direct result of Marr's guitar. He has taken a slightly safe route, if you single him out, but this is the start of a great partnership.
"Missed the Boat" incorporates another new voice, as James Mercer (the Shins) lends to the nautical noise on backup. He sings beautifully in
harmony with Brock, nicely contrasting his hooting and hollering. It's funny how one person can change the tone so drastically. Man, he sure
does sing pretty. Mercer also chimes in on "We've Got Everything" with a pop back-up worthy of claps, a shimmy and a shake.
The proverbial ship takes it down a few knots on "Florida" and "Parting of the Sensory." These dark moments scatter the scene and the
album wouldn't be complete without them. They journey through peaks and valleys; from Mercer's track, a long valley follows. Modest Mouse
takes these moody, familiar moments to break up its new sound; the band acknowledges the importance of range. "People as Places as People"
picks it back up and "Invisible" wraps it up with a rousing romp. Overall, this is a sturdy album that deserves to stand (almost)
alongside Everwhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks.
The original version
of this review appeared on CultureCloud.com.
— Julianne Weiss (julianne.weiss@gmail.com)
