Modest Mouse - The Golden Casket (June 25, 2021) • Page 5

Both new songs are alright, not mindblowing by any means.

My power rankings:
Moon and Antarctica
Lonesome Crowded West
Good News
We Were Dead
Long Drive
Building Nothing
Strangers

I'd give everything from We Were Dead up a 9/10 at least.

 

In general I think Long Drive deserves more love, it's a terrific debut and "Dramamine" remains one of the GOAT album openers

 

"Dramamine" is an all-time statement opener. Within ten seconds, you know exactly what the band is all about.

 

I can’t rank honestly. It shifts all the time.

 

I love Long Drive, but (in this moment) I think it's my least favorite "official" album. "Dramamine" is only ahead of "Strangers To Ourselves" (and maybe "3rd Planet") in terms of openers (unless you want to be strict about "Horn Intro" being the sole Good News opener instead of that and "The World At Large" as a combo). The band started out great and got better.

 

I think Dramamine and Talking Shit are in their absolute god-tier songs. Other parts of the album just don't grab me as much unfortunately. I started with We Were Dead in 2007. It was the first time I had purchased an 'indie' album, at least knowingly, and once I got used to it sounding different to pop-punk I absolutely fell in love with it. It opened my ears to a whole new world of music. I started caring way too much about Pitchfork scores etc. I still think We Were Dead is amazing but know I'm biased there. I worked my way back and loved every other album except Long Drive has just never quite captivated me the way the others have.

EDIT -- Is there a better LP1 track 1 than Dramamine? Legit question.

At a quick glance some of my favs (oldest to newest):
Sunday Morning by the Velvet Underground
Ol' 55 by Tom Waits
Blitzkrieg Bop by Ramones
Radio Free Europe by REM
Waiting Room by Fugazi
You Fucked Up by Ween
My Name is Jonas by Weezer
Positive Jam by the Hold Steady (maybe the definitive LP1 track 1)
Where I Want to Be by the Dangerous Summer
Lust for Life by Girls

 

Yeah, Long Drive has never clicked aside from “Dramamine” for me, either

 

I can't rank the albums atm but I remember my brother quoting Teeth Like God's Shoeshine when I was a kid and I looked it up and fell in love, that'll always be my favourite MM song

 

"Breakthrough," "Custom Concern," "Lounge," "Beach Side Property," "Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset"...it's probably because I heard it first, but I honestly prefer it to Lonesome Crowded West (which is also obviously great). I remember being so excited that they played "Breakthrough" when I saw them in 2015. Isaac Brock was screaming into his guitar pickups lol. Love that they don't really shy away from playing any part of their discography live.

 

Talking Shit is one of their best for sure. I should revisit that album again soon

 

Got tickets for Pittsburgh! First show back being modest mouse is fucking awesome.

 

Definitely revisit Talking Shit, it's amazing. It's definitely in the long list of MM songs I'd consider my favourite behind 3rd Planet.

 

i didnt realize long drive wasnt beloved. anyway, i have only heard tmaa, and stray songs from other albums, and dont love that album. what would be the next place to go if that one didnt grab me?

 

Bro absolutely TLCW

 

You would love it

 

Cowboy Dan

 

i trust you!

 

If you want something less polished/more abrasive, Lonesome Crowded West is the best (it's also their best overall).

If you want something a little more filled out/catchier, We Were Dead is an easy, popular entry (Good News and Strangers To Ourselves are both better, but the former is closest to Moon & Antarctica in sound and the latter is oddly disliked by a lot of fans).

You could also try listening to "Cowboy Dan," "Ocean Breathes Salty," "We've Got Everything," and "The Ground Walks, With Time In A Box" and then go with whichever album's song you like best (I picked them trying to give the best sense of the albums' overall tone and instrumental density).

 

Very thorough—thanks!

 

For any newcomer I'd recommend Good News 100%. Most accessible and still in their prime.

I know having started with We Were Dead myself, March Into the Sea is not the most inviting opener! And if you're not well versed in lo-fi/mid-fi, Lonesome Crowded West might seem a bit rough. Moon and Antarctica is probably their most mellow album, not overly representative of their various sounds. It's my fav but is kind of a transitional record as well, away from the guitar excursions of earlier albums and toward the more polished sound with (a lot) more instruments being utilised.

(Oh and March Into the Sea became my fav song on that record for a long time)

 

Yeah, there are definitely different kind of MM fans. I consider myself a fan of the more accessible stuff like We Were Dead and Good News but still appreciate the rawness and indie-vibe of Moon and LCW and Long Drive. But I didn’t start listening until the Good News album cycle so that was my first exposure and what stuck.

Personally We Were Dead is my favorite. It’s hard to recommend where to start for people who never listened because it all depends on their taste.

 

Lonesome crowded west is one of the greatest albums ever written.

My fav late career work of theirs is no ones first and your next. Very underrated mini LP/EP/whatever

 

there was a winter in my early 20's where LCW was the only album i listened to. immaculate album.

 

I was only introduced to it later in my life, but it was such an immediate punch in the face on that first listen. Was one of those “OHHHHh so this is what all my current fav bands have been ripping off of this entire time”. The influence on that record cant be stated enough.

 

Can't imagine not loving The Moon & Antarctica smh