Modest Mouse's Epic debut, The Moon & Antarctica, finds them strangely subdued, focusing on mortality as well as the moody, acoustic side of their music and downplaying the edgy, spastic ock that helped make them indie stars. Not that their first major-label release sounds like a sellout -- actually, the slight sheen of Brian Deck's production enhances the album's introspective tone -- but occasionally The Moon & Antarctica's melancholy becomes ponderous. Unfortunately, the album's middle stretch contains three such songs, "The Cold Part," "Alone Down There," and "The Stars Are Projectors," which tend to blur together into one 17-minute-long piece that bogs down the album's momentum. Individually, each of these songs is sweeping and haunting in its own right, but grouping them together blunts their impact. However, this trilogy does provide a sharp contrast to, as well as a bridge across, The Moon & Antarctica's more vibrant beginning and end. Though it explores death and the afterlife, The Moon & Antarctica's liveliest moments are its most effective. "3rd Planet"'s simple, ramshackle melody and strange, moving lyrics ("Your heart felt good"), the elastic guitars on "Gravity Rides Everything," and the angular, jumpy "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes" and "A Different City" get the album off to a strong start, while the fresh, unaffected "Wild Packs of Family Dogs," "Paper Thin Walls," and "Lives" bring it to an atmospheric, affecting peak before "What People Are Made Of" closes the album with a climactic burst of noise. Their most cohesive collection of songs to date, The Moon & Antarctica is an impressive, if flawed, map of Modest Mouse's ambitions and fears.
Sorry for the Delay!Yes, I won the Mog contest to see Modest Mouse. I have always liked the group, but didn't know all that much about them nor had I seen them live, so I was real excited by this opportunity. There were many surprises, the first being the last minute change in venue from the Greek due to a fire in the park. This was kind of a bummer, as we have heard what a great place the LA Gree
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this is pretty much one of my favorite modest mouse songs. i dig the crazy lyrics and awesome beats.
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The poem "I Died as a Mineral" by 13th century Persian poet and theologian Rumi is featured in one of my favorite books: "The Years of Rice and Salt" by Kim Stanley Robinson. Here is an excerpt:I died as a mineral and became a plant,I died as plant and rose to animal,I died as animal and I was Man.Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?More >
I'm going to see Against Me! in a bar! And it's 18+, so no dumb scene kids! My girlfriend got me a ticket, so me and her are going in April to see them in Dekalb, Illinois. AWESOME.The new Bright Eyes e.p. , "Four Winds" comes out in about 2 weeks.The new Nine Inch Nails DVD comes out next week.The new Modest Mouse comes out in one month! It probably has the coolest name ever, "We Were Dead Bef...
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Just got back from a trip to Ithaca. When the city shut down yesterday, I took some pics to complement the ones I took when I was there this summer. Now I get to wait for the airline to deliver my bag and relish my decision to relinquish seasons.
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Plug your ears until the scary lady stops with the mouth movement. Lyrics for his and her pleasure.Everything that keeps me together is falling apart/i've gotThis thing that I consider my only art of fucking people over.My boss just quit the job says he's goin out to find blindSpots and he'll do it.The 3rd planet is sure that they're being watched by anEye in the sky that can't be stopped.When...
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Plug your ears until the scary lady stops with the mouth movement. Lyrics for his and her pleasure.Everything that keeps me together is falling apart/i've gotThis thing that I consider my only art of fucking people over.My boss just quit the job says he's goin out to find blindSpots and he'll do it.The 3rd planet is sure that they're being watched by anEye in the sky that can't be stopped.When...
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Speaking of tour announcements, Modest Mouse has released MORE dates and places that you can catch their show. The most up to date schedule that I found today is over at Pitchfork. What is it with bands not updating their own websites and feeds? Well, you can count on mog to know who is where and when! Go check it out at pitchfork, but be sure to come back and scour the Modest Mouse Artists...
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That Modest Mouse band is hilarious. I can’t help but laugh at how funny their promo pictures are these days. Remember when all the pics were the trio of young men who look like little boys? And now, a totally different thing is going on there. Johnny Marr’s wrinkles and some of the more recent members just kind of don’t fit. Sometimes I just wonder what the hell Isaac Brock is smoking…
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Sorry for the Delay!Yes, I won the Mog contest to see Modest Mouse. I have always liked the group, but didn't know all that much about them nor had I seen them live, so I was real excited by this opportunity. There were many surprises, the first being the last minute change in venue from the Greek due to a fire in the park. This was kind of a bummer, as we have heard what a great place the LA Gree
More >
I'm going to see Against Me! in a bar! And it's 18+, so no dumb scene kids! My girlfriend got me a ticket, so me and her are going in April to see them in Dekalb, Illinois. AWESOME.The new Bright Eyes e.p. , "Four Winds" comes out in about 2 weeks.The new Nine Inch Nails DVD comes out next week.The new Modest Mouse comes out in one month! It probably has the coolest name ever, "We Were Dead Bef...
More >
The poem "I Died as a Mineral" by 13th century Persian poet and theologian Rumi is featured in one of my favorite books: "The Years of Rice and Salt" by Kim Stanley Robinson. Here is an excerpt:I died as a mineral and became a plant,I died as plant and rose to animal,I died as animal and I was Man.Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?More >
Just got back from a trip to Ithaca. When the city shut down yesterday, I took some pics to complement the ones I took when I was there this summer. Now I get to wait for the airline to deliver my bag and relish my decision to relinquish seasons.
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I'm almost positive I have a new favorite song. Modest Mouse. That's all I have to say.
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Modest Mouse, The Dead Weather, and Band Of Horses are among the lineup for San Diego’s forthcoming Street Scene festival.The summer festival, which is set to take place August 28 and 29 in downtown San Diego, will also see performances by Black Eyed Peas, MIA, and Silver Sun Pickups.Girl Talk, Devendra Banhart, and Los Campesinos! are also set for the two-day event.For the complete lineup or t.
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awesome song.....awesome concert! awesome band. what else can i say.
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Genius - love the song, isaac is a god amongst men
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I just saw Modest Mouse live at the Orpheum in Boston, and it kicked ass! I luckily got amazing seats and loved every minute of it. They played mostly off their new album, which I like, and only 2 songs off Lonesome Crowded West: Trailer Trash and Doin the Cockroach(which was amazing).I sang along to every song. I never have more fun than when I see an awesome show.
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Modest Mouse is getting a lot of radio airplay right now, and I love their new stuff too... but come have a look at Pete's Pick for a little dose of some of their (not too far) back catalog.Pete's Pick: Modest Mouse
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this is pretty much one of my favorite modest mouse songs. i dig the crazy lyrics and awesome beats.
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I can relate to this song so much. Its a good song to listen to chill out to if someones just pissing you off, lol.
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 "The Moon & Antarctica")
