 Modest MouseGood News For People Who Love Bad News ( Epic ) 2004 "If you try to inject thought or logic into it - you're fucked." - Tim Rutili on Califone's album Heron King Blues. Oh what mysteries we have before us - both audible & visual. Hot air balloons weighted by various anchors. Olive green walls marked with chalk white arrows that bleed pink. Hummingbirds that have "lost the plot". After the third full listen, Good News For People Who Love Bad News has officially penetrated my thick Antarctic skin. Marketing is a bitch, more so major marketing, but Epic gave all those who were expecting The Moon & Antarctica 2.0 that album a month ago. It was the said classic tweaked and bonused. One particular early review of Good News pegged it as being the most optimistic thing the mice have released to date. This particular statement scared me a bit. Now holding the tracklist in my own hands, the titles in themselves don't exactly point towards a optimistic path: "Dig Your Grave", "Bury Me With It", "Satin In A Coffin", "The Good Times Are Killing Me". Now unless you are one who favors the everlasting sleep as a positive stream of thought - this album is no more optimistic than an unexpected heart attack.. . at 13. First single and early seven-inch / iPod bestseller "Float On" is the defining moment on this albums only Hollywood-like ending, with it's anthem of "We'll all float on OK". After that folks - we have classic storm cloud poetry delivered by one musical poet Isaac Brock in his most clever disguise to date. " I just don't need none of that Mad Max bullshit " Starting at the end and working back - "The Good Times Are Killing Me", although carefully hidden underneath an Isaac-via-Brian Wilson vocal approach as tin whistles & pump organs act as the dirge, has quite the decided fate laid out for the listener. A tale of overusing (LSD, Methamphetamines) and late night marauding - the song itself is a glorious cry for help. Lyrically, it seems as though Isaac has always had a lopsided affair with the mythical character many refer to as "god" or "Jesus", dating back to the days of the lonesome crowded west (see: "trailer trash"; "jesus christ was an only child") and it seems the past few years have only led the child to even poorer terms with the nailed saviour. One of the albums many highlights is "Bukowski" (Charles, I'm guessing, who himself is quoted somewhere in time as saying " if you want to know where god is, ask a drunk. "). Taking a stand against this creature of a man whom we have no physical proof of existence (well there are those pictures at grandma's - but those are paintings), Isaac goes the path of checking God's card as an "indian giver" as well as a "control freak". By far one of the swankier and instant-classic tracks Good News has to offer. The addition of upright bass, accordion and mandolin make this the obvious choice for the albums centerpiece. " Evil home stereo, what good songs do you know?" "This Devil's Workday" will obviously get Tom Waits comparisons, but my what a bizarre set of minutes this song offers. We must remember that in 2002 we were introduced to an entirely new side of the mouse leader than we had seen before in the outfit of Ugly Cassanova. A gently plucked banjo & dirty dozen horns place this song into the Cassanova category, but thankfully it found a home on this record. Another number that may fall more on the side of Ugly Cassanova rather than Modest is "Blame It On The Tetons". A spooky little tune complete with fiddle & piano - it holds it own against the most fragile Brock tunes of the past. " Yeah everybody's talkin' about death " If you are basing your views of this record on the first single (Float On - which confused me for weeks, but now owns at least 20% of my memory) or a biased review - you will surely miss one of the more important releases of the year by all means. Sure - there are moments that leave you asking "what just happened?" or "why is this there?" - but at the close of the albums 48th minute you will find the scales are favorably tipped in the creative direction. Remember: "If you try to inject thought or logic into it ... . .." The bad news is that not everyone is going to take the time to grasp this albums unknown mysteries, and on the "optimistic" surface possibly pass it off. The good news is that this album is truly fucking fantastic. " God who'd wanna be such an asshole? "
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 modest mousethe moon & antarctica (expanded & remastered) (epic , 2004) Oh my, oh my - the shit that is being talked about THE modest mice as I write this simple text - it's truly a sight for a true fan's eyes. Now, please be aware, I do not spend idle time on webboards - but if you Google a certain phrase and you end up there - you may as well poke & peek a little. Situation the same if you accidentally stumble upon modest pornography - a couple of glances may just open up a whole new world. Like prison. When The Moon & Antarctica was originally released on Epic in 2000, the shit was flying around the neighborhoods much as it is tonight: "sellouts" seems to be a big cry from many a critic and "used to be" fan. Punks. This here album is a work of perfection, so when I find out that it is set to be remastered & expanded only 4 years after it's initial release, I am thinking someone knows what the fuck they're doing in major label land. But how could this album get any better? What needs to be tweaked that I maybe missed before? I sure could use a new copy of it, cause I have worn rings through my original - so let's check it out. In an interview earlier in the year*, Isaac Brock stated that he has 'been "entirely dissatisfied" with the final mix & album artwork of The Moon & Antarctica'. Is it perfection you are seeking young man, for that is the work of the devil. I've listened to it, the remaster, twice (in a dark room, smoking white stones back-to-back with the original version) - and must be missing the big sha-bang. This album sounds equally as magical as the first time I heard the original 4 years ago, and I only hope that anyone who missed it the first round will now take the discounted opportunity to gather the etheral space that it holds. As for the "new" artwork - yeah, fantastic job Babok Radboy - it totally fits the feel of the album tilte & all - and blue & orange sure are easy on the eyes. The actual cd art is like a totally inverted version of the cd art from This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Talk About, and maybe this is just another riddle for the listeners - who knows. All said - a huge "how did you get them to do it?" to the boys in Modest Mouse - 'cause you just do not see big labels remastering & repackaging music for anybody these days unless you are dead or accidentally touring again. Maybe it was the hand of god, maybe a payback for the use of a song in a family van commercial. Never the less, they did it. I'm still confused. In a life like weeds, if you are "just a rock to me" - is this a good thing? Some weeds are simply out of control, but I still feel that the dandelion is a great "flower", not a standard weed. Ever so, if you place a rock atop a dandelion, it crushes the poor thing and stunts further growth. Forever. Bonus material: Does anybody know the way to April 6th, 2004? [ * FILTER 9 / Winter '04 ]
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 modest mouseFloat On / I've Got It All (most) 7" (epic , 2004) Being the modest mouse fan I have become, you might find it a bit difficult to believe my first encounter with the (then) trio was The Stars are Projectors (yeah), and I only heard that by accident on a CMJ comp back in 2001. Well, I have come a long way since then - collecting nearly every piece of material they had released prior to The Moon and Antarctica and all the goods since. Well - the time has come to test the new waters that the mice have sourced to us, the overexpecting buying public, and unless you have downloadedthe right tracks to yr iPod - this here 7" is most likely the only way you are going to hear Float On until April 6th. Well, of course you may have a great friend that can hook you up with an advance or something, but let's be realistic. You may also live in a city that has a decent college radio station - but, carry on. The first single to the upcoming, highly anticipated Good News For People Who Love Bad News 'Float On' is a peppy little fucker isn't it - with it's "Don't worry, we'll all float on alright - already / even if things end up a bit to heavy". Shit I guess it's all gonna be ok then ain't it, the same light chorus that forecasted fakes on Trailer Trash in 1997 now tells us that "things gone be just fine" - i'm buying it. Certainly a more radio-friendly track than what I had expected, no worrys in this camp - 'cause we've heard the other side of this single too. 'I've got it all (most)' - this is the modest mouse-isms I have come to love. Still a bit more upbeat that the dark mice of the past (maybe it's just the production), Isaac breaks loose in a more "look at his neck-veins popping out" - kinda way ( - "this isn't a party, this is a crowd.") Anger ain't something to be ashamed of, let us know. Still 2 tracks deep I have yet to hear a fuck, goddamn, or any reference to those dead religious characters we're told to fear (maybe we'll get a better taste of that on "Satin in a Coffin" - maybe). It's all gonna be alright - yeah.
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 monoWalking cloud and deep red sky, Flag fluttered and the sun shined ( Temporary Residence ) 2004 What's the highest you've ever been? For this particular question regarding mono, we will accept your reply via either definitions of "high": "up, up in the sky" high (elevation) and "what the fuck did that guy slip me last night?" high (intoxicated). Sure, I have flown over mountains in a plane, been to the top of the space needle and talked to a bearded bastard calling himself the 'Messiah' after a night or two of regret - but it takes a specially outfitted piece of machinery to get to the height where, under normal circumstances, you will hear sounds like Tokyo's mono have crafted on Walking cloud and deep red sky, Flag fluttered and the sun shined - as fitting a name as there need be for this album of bipolar-like hush and howl. For the record, I should clear up the fact that the mono I speak of hail from Japan - not the dreamy Potishead-ish duo Mono that soundtracked motion pictures in the late nineties. With that said, we shall continue.. If you are still with me, you have made a wise decision in allowing us to share our praise of 'Walking cloud.. .' with you. Opener "16.12" (that runs for 10.57) had me in trance, I found myself incapable of endlessly spinning in the seat I had become comfortable with - my faithful cat in the lap. As a team, we twirled and clung on from the initial openings of oncoming elements of instruments, cymbals and echoes of guitars approached until the tsunami finally rose and lashed out against us. Delicate sounds of a storm in the distance had escalated into a full monstrosity of tear-invoking noise. By the dawn of the six minute mark on "16.12", this barren land we once called neutral had oddly become a land of surprisingly comforting revelation. Like the creator had broke through from the skies and was preparing to call the names of the chosen 144,000. Sadly, the wave only lasted for 3 minutes at the most - but as the tracklisting had forecasted, at least seven more were on there way. One of the following surges, "halcyon (beautiful days)", plays us for the fool yet again - balancing the alpha and omega, the darkness and the light just as "16.12" had done previous. Thank goodness someone (Steve Albini) was recording or else nobody would believe you. Now, we have likely scared you into thinking that what we have on our hands with this effort from mono is an album of catastrophic proportions, making Florida look like deadweight - but it's not entirely so. "Mere your pathetique light" and "2 candles, 1 wish" would be near-perfect selections for describing the glory of an autumn sunset to a visionless child as any song of beauty I can think of. If I made you cry, or evoked any inkling of shedding a tear, I have come as close as possible through text to describing the emotion this instrumental quartet has committed to album. To call it post-rock serves as a contestable injustice. This is the sound of all things said to be dull, beginning to re-sharpen themselves for the wake of dead-rock. Was this review helpful to you? If not, you've yet to seek out what we spoke of - please review the top section again. + kaleb :: [09:27:04] |
 moonbabiesThe Orange Billboard ( Hidden Agenda ) 2004 "All the docs and the pros couldn't make you stronger than I am" America is a funny place. Yes - you can certainly laugh at the place from a global distance, but it's more of a "sad" funny to most of it's population. We have the oh too powerful watchful eyes of the government making all the calls on what is sent out of this place - and these same judicial suits keep most interesting things from making it here. Sure, we can grow our own potent opium - under lock & key - but some other needed things also make it through the pipes every now and again. Which brings us to The Orange Billboard by Malmo's moonbabies, I'm glad they made it through - and you will be too. The dreamy Swede-duo of Carina Johannsson and her soundmate Ola Frick have put to record some of the most diverse and atmospheric sounds I have heard in quite some time. Blending a stomachable brew of rock ('Fieldtrip USA', 'Slowmono'), gorgeous piano-led anthems (over my head) and electronic instrumentals (Jets) - moonbabies have delivered, via Hidden Agenda, a solid album to the States. With the vocal duties split near-evenly between the two - the album keeps on a very interesting path, and even finds the duo in harmony on album highlight 'Forever Changes Everything Now'. If it's consistency you are seeking, you may need to search elsewhere. But be reminded - this is an album of choice variety, but a variety that works to the young bands benefit. It's now making complete sense why the disc came with a equipped with a bio of 9 artistic comparisons ( including [with due right] Stereolab, Yo La Tengo and the Notwist ). If we did the "rating stars" thing - you'd see nearly all of them full on this one... . yes. Welcome to America - I apologize in advance for her current condition, but please, stay a while. + kaleb | 04.17.04 |
 MorrisseyViva Hate [Cassette, Side 2] (Sire, 1988) Never being a Smiths nor Morrissey fan (gasp!), this all comes as a fairly big surprise. I mean, I do have one friend who claim's Morrissey is the "White Tupac", but that's an entirely seperate conversation in itself. It just so happens I have this loose tape in a car I've been driving, and I am fairly sure that side 2 of Viva Hate has won me over (Everyday Is Like Sunday of course in on the A side). It is quite the listen, is it not? A bit dated, yes, but all the while this cat had some grizzly things to say - and he said them well. + k :: (02/19/04) |
 Mt. GiganticOld Smiler ( Friends And Relatives Records ) 2005 Downward from the mighty Mountain sworn 'Gigantic', S.J. Wayne and his crew of talented partners (most practicing musicians on their own set of feet) bring you Old Smiler. Should the artwork - a special mixture of headless beings, pink & green mice (rats, perhaps.. ) and multi-fathomed bees - not grasp your attention, the tunes shall! Hinting upon such topics as trust fund children on "Dip into My Daddy" and the kitten-slaughtering obsession of masturbation (see: "Making time for / it is time for"), Mt. Gigantic make the remnants of your tired record collection seem quite stale. Really, without these terrific handwritten lyrics you might be a bit in the dark. At times more "on-edge" than you would imagine a land of overstuffed rats (mice, perhaps) posing as mountains [see: "bring back the healthy"], by the albums end you will come to spin her up again.. . time and time over. "So, have I heard anything like this Mt. Gigantic" asks you, the kind reader.. to which I ask "has your copy of On Avery Island ever been misplaced in one of your Slayer cd cases? (say, South of Heaven)". A unique quest Old Smiler is, and they who have trekked it knows the pleasure it can bring! If your mind is currently set to a campfire scene where the religious kids trade acoustic strings for smiles, think of Old Smiler as the official parade of pentagrams. Chant on brothers and sisters, chant on! I, kejesus®, describe music very poorly. HEAR OLD SMILER, preferably very early in the mornin'. kejesus® 01.25.05 |
 Mountain Goats We Shall All Be Healed ( 4AD; 2004 ) When John Darnielle signed to 4AD, many of his long-time fans went ahead and wrote his obituary. Having recorded his earlier (and his best, in my opinion) albums on an old boombox with a built-in condenser mic, many thought that his newfound budget would gloss over part of what was so glorious about those earlier creations. Although the hiss was gone, most fans probably didn't find themselves too frustrated with last years Tallahassee, another fairly solid creative entry in his output. aaron ::(02/20/04) |
 MovietoneThe Sand And The Stars (Drag City/Domino) After listening to The Sand And The Stars, it seems that Movietone is getting as far away as possible from the group that many of their past members hail from (Flying Saucer Attack). The lo-fi noise sound that seemed to dominate their first few releases (and even crept into their last disc, The Blossom Filled Streets) has gone away almost completely, leaving the group creating a sort of an understated psychedelic folk that's all their own on their fourth full-length album. As the title hints at, the record was not only recorded in parts on a beach, but in a church, a warehouse, and on a cliff path by a gorge. Perhaps it was the open atmosphere or simply something else, but this newest release is also easily the least bleak by the group. Heck, some songs are even downright celebratory, which is definitely a shock if you've been following them for any time at all now. Much of the release exudes an aquatic vibe, although it's more sea-shanty than anything else. In several places, the locations bleed through into the songs, giving them an even more captured feel. "We Rode On" is one of those tracks where the environment definitely plays a large part in the song. As guitars and banjos are plucked and clarinets provide a warm breathy backdrop, you can hear waves lapping in the background while Rachel Brooks sings in her usual, slightly monotone way. Everything builds to a soft crescendo at the end, with the horns (including a bass saxophone) dueling with the ways in a way that really works. Likewise, "Beach Samba" (which may be one of the most upbeat tracks the group has done) moves along with an almost happy shuffle anchored by double bass and more banjo. Elsewhere, things are different in little ways as well. "In Mexico" is a twangy piece of folky Americana highlighted with a gorgeous cello melody and tin-can percussion while "Snow Is Falling" (the track recorded in a church) has the resonance of a slinky old Nina Simone track. Overall, The Sand And The Stars is the sound of a group really coming into their own. There's no hiding behind effects or noise or anything else, and most of the tracks sound like one-mic recordings (in a good way) in which the mic was simply placed in the middle of the group and they played their songs, wherever the setting. A great little record from a group that most people haven't heard anything about. Rating: 7.75 aaron ::(11/28/03). [ originally posted at the excellent almostcool.org ] |
 M U S EAbsolution (East West / Taste); 2003 [ Import ] "it's time we saw a miracle / come on it's time for something biblical" |