Modest Mouse Band • Page 10

Really loving TMAA. I love the title first of all. The two places we cant really survive in representing an album that talks about surviving as well as running the gamut of philosophical and religious beliefs. So many references to religious texts and to different depressionist writers and all kinds of cool little gems like that. Plus this album is surprisingly catchy which I wasnt expecting.

 

Let me know what you think of Life Like Weeds!

 

The Moon and Antarctica is, like, my third favorite record of all time probably.

 

Loved it as well as the whole album!

im not sure if any one singular MM record will end up in my top X albums or anything since I'm such a new fan, but I can say for sure this is one of my favorite discographies

 

Hey Kenneth if I were you I'd stop listening after TMAA if it's not too late because it's seriously downhill from there

 

Good News, WWD, and Strangers are all very solid

 

WWD is solidish, Good News has its moments and Strangers is mostly a dumpster fire

 

definitely understand that! I got into MM in late high school, so they were a pretty formative band for me and TMAA especially is just incredibly influential to me as a musician and as a listener as well.

 

well, and this is due partly to having a sleepless night, I've actually listened to all the albums about two times each. I guess I can give brief thoughts since youve all accompanied me on this most auspicious of journeys but suffice to say that I enjoy the material after TMAA even if its not quiiiiiiite as good.

TIALD: Very very good debut, but very very rough and somewhat meandering which I guess fits the theme of a long drive. It probably wont be one I revisit super often in full but every song on it is at the very least good.

LCW: Maybe my favorite as of right now. Several brilliant moments, a wonderful sense of thematic cohesion, and just catchy indie rock songwriting. I cant really complain about anything here.

TMAA: A very very close second, I love that LCW deals with a much more contained and smaller story while TMAA tackles such lofty concepts as the universe and our place in it as well as deriding not just God but religion as a whole. Has catchy moments and has some of my favorite instrumentals.

GNFPWLBN: sounds the most, ugh, "mainstream" of the bunch but I dont think thats a bad thing at all. This is my 3rd favorite and its clipping at the heels of the former two LPs, has a lot of just straight up bouncy fun songs but theres some heavier moments and more brilliant lyrics by Isaac.

WWDBTSES: this is probably my least favorite gun to my head but theres still gems throughout and it has flashes of brilliance mixed in with what seems like bog standard boilerplate indie rock instrumentation but thats ok because Isaac still has his bag of lyrical tricks so the songs come off at the very least as decent. Its also really weird to think Johnny Marr is on here but a lot of these songs have jangly guitar parts so his presence is noted.

STO: a little bit more....idk, rock sounding? Like, this feels more like a rock album than anything but it works and doesnt feel out of place. Some of the songs feel slicker and shinier than past MM. Theres some absolutely bizarre moments here and there but I still find myself enjoying the album for what it is.

BNOoS: I'm counting this just because most fans seem to and honestly it works better as an album than STO and WWD do tbh. Those two albums feel more like a collection of singles than this album does which is mind boggling. Lots of highlights and experimental tracks which keeps it fresh. A wonderful little gem.

the EPs are quite good as well, the two that contain b-sides and such. The earlier ones I havent listened to yet and idk if i ever will.

 

TMAA is an absolute masterpiece and a fully realized project from a fully realized band. Surprised you havent said anything about The Stars are Projectors. That song is truly godly

 

oh The Stars are Projectors is wonderful and I love that it changes tempo quite a bit, its just a beautiful piece of indie rock. I've been neglecting talking about individual songs because I already feel like I'm exasperating everyone with my long-winded posts lol

 

We all, in a way, are living vicariously through you. It was so exciting experiencing Modest Mouse's discography for the first time, so your posts are no problem at all. Another individual song thats amazing is I Came As A Rat. Sooo good

 

Pls keep posting thoughts

 

this is an underappreciated post. the fruit that ate itself is tragically missing from most modest mouse discussions.

 

also, someone really needs to stop me from buying tickets for three shows in eight days. after how few times i was able to see them from 2004-2012, i'm overwhelmed by all of the times they've been within 4 hours of me in the past two years living in eastern upstate new york.

 

Not sure if you counted No One's First And You're Next in those EPs, but make sure you listen to that one! Definitely a few classics on there, Whale Song, King Rat, I've Got It All(most) are all great.

 

We Were Dead and Good News were my introductions to the band in high school, but I actually heard This is a Long Drive before TLCW and I still connect with it quite a bit more. Idk, each of their albums is excellent in its own unique way and well-executed in what they set out to accomplish and I think that's what makes them my all-time favorite band. Often imitated, never duplicated.

Also referring to Good News as "seriously downhill" is b l a s p h e m y. Yes it's poppier and "Float On" hit radio but there are some god-level tracks there - "Ocean Breathes Salty," "Bukowski," "The Good Times are Killing Me." It's honestly second only to TM&A to me and also the MM album I can throw on anytime

 

all of the albums are great.

 

Anyone who hates Good News, We Were Dead or Strangers is just bitter that the band didn't keep making the same album over and over again.

 

That's a little unfair. Good News is fantastic but it is genuinely different in a lot of ways and it's fine if that's not what you're looking for. I'm really glad that was my intro all the same

 

I'm fine with people not liking those records as much as their old stuff.

But to the people that say to just ignore the band post TMAA and that they're later records are "dumpster fires", cmon.

 

We Were Dead is important

 

Little Motel = the jam.

 

it just seems kind of silly to dismiss their later albums like that because they really aren't that different stylistically, the songwriting is more polished but the quality is absolutely still there (even if it's slightly spottier), but hey, more MM albums for me to love I suppose

 

Strangers never really grew on me but I still think it's pretty good. I fucking LOVE We Were Dead though.