Forum Album Club #9 Modest Mouse-The Lonesome Crowded West

[YimBlaylock]

Listening party starts in about 20 minutes, thought I'd get things started with a little introduction. I've mentioned before that in 2001, I was pulled away from mainstream music by 3 albums: The White Stripes' White Blood Cells, The Strokes' Is This It, and Modest Mouse's The Moon and Antarctica. While the Strokes have fallen out of my favor a bit (though I still love Is This It), The White Stripes (and every other Jack White related project) and Modest Mouse are still among my favorite bands. About the time Modest Mouse's Good News for People Who Love Bad News came out, I went back and started listening to MM's previous output, especially The Lonesome Crowded West. I'm assuming most of the people in the club are familiar with the album. If not, get ready for an experience.
From the start, "Teeth Like God's Shoeshine" sets the tone. The album is very epic and grandiose in a very "indie" fashion. As with pretty much all other Modest Mouse's albums, the sound is very eclectic. The only genre that Modest Mouse fits into is Modest Mouse. They've very much developed their own sound. A sound that the Lonesome Crowded West epitomizes.

[YimBlaylock]

Listening party starts now. Let the fun begin.

[YimBlaylock]

The guitars on "Shoeshine" are haunting, aggressive, overall just amazing.

[ManNamedTruth]

I've had this one in rotation recently myself. I've had this album for awhile and It's taken me a long time to get into. I'm not sold on it being their best but I like it more every time I listen.

[ManNamedTruth]

The guitars on "Shoeshine" are haunting, aggressive, overall just amazing.

Great song to crank up at a high volume in the car.

[YimBlaylock]

I've had this one in rotation recently myself. I've had this album for awhile and It's taken me a long time to get into. I'm not sold on it being their best but I like it more every time I listen.

Moon and Antarctica is still my favorite, though this one is a close second. I love all their albums. I'm anxious for them to finally put out another.

[YimBlaylock]

"Heart Cooks Brain" has definitely been one that has slowly grown more and more on me. Still my least favorite song on the album, one that I almost always skipped when I first got the album, but I can get into it now. The density that Modest Mouse has on their albums is very trance-like, I think "Heart Cooks Brain" is a great example of that.

[YimBlaylock]

I started to say the guitars on "Convenient Parking" were some kind of awesome adjective, but I realized I'm gonna wind up saying that for every song. So just let it be known that YimBlaylock thinks every single song on this album has great guitars.

[ManNamedTruth]

"Heart Cooks Brain" has definitely been one that has slowly grown more and more on me. Still my least favorite song on the album, one that I almost always skipped when I first got the album, but I can get into it now. The density that Modest Mouse has on their albums is very trance-like, I think "Heart Cooks Brain" is a great example of that.

yeah i agree this track sounds dated and it's a little slow but i like the lyrics "my brain's the burger and my heart is the coal"

[ManNamedTruth]

I thought there'd be more people here when i heard the baseball game was canceled.

[YimBlaylock]

I thought there'd be more people here when i heard the baseball game was canceled.

Yeah, hopefully they'll filter in. If nothing else, it should make for good discussion throughout the week when people are available. I'm gonna try and keep the discussion alive until next week's album.

[YimBlaylock]

Lounge (Closing Time). This song starts off so exhilarating, but it's the breakdown that makes the song. The vocal harmonies seem so unconventional. I love the way Isaac Brock uses voice layering in his music. "Whale Song" off their latest EP is a masterpiece in my opinion.

[mjk73]

Long Distance Drunk is great to just drink and chill too.

Trailer Trash is a fantastic song.

Doin' The Coachroach is so damn fun when they play it live.

Was messing around with learning to play Cowboy Dan and Trailer Trash last week.

[ManNamedTruth]

So what's up with Isaac Brock, he seems like a pretty crazy guy just from hearing his music.

[YimBlaylock]

Long Distance Drunk is great to just drink and chill too.

Trailer Trash is a fantastic song.

Doin' The Coachroach is so damn fun when they play it live.

Was messing around with learning to play Cowboy Dan and Trailer Trash last week.

Never had the fortune of seeing them live. Definitely on my list though. And the slower part of Cowboy Dan is one of my favorites to play on my guitar.

[ManNamedTruth]

Lounge (Closing Time). This song starts off so exhilarating, but it's the breakdown that makes the song. The vocal harmonies seem so unconventional. I love the way Isaac Brock uses voice layering in his music. "Whale Song" off their latest EP is a masterpiece in my opinion.

A lot of elements throughout the album repeat and gives it a concept album kinda feel. The repeating of the lyrics "my brain's the burger and my heart's the coal" in Lounge and some of the guitar sounds throughout remind me of the end parts of Teeth.

[YimBlaylock]

So what's up with Isaac Brock, he seems like a pretty crazy guy just from hearing his music.

I've read interviews and he definitely comes across as being a little left of normal. And he's had trouble with drugs and alcohol in the past if I'm not mistaken. If you read about his background, his early life was really messed up. Don't think anyone would come from what he did and still be entirely normal. But he seems like he's really mellowed out in recent years, a guy I'd definitely like to have a conversation with.

[YimBlaylock]

Lounge (Closing Time). This song starts off so exhilarating, but it's the breakdown that makes the song. The vocal harmonies seem so unconventional. I love the way Isaac Brock uses voice layering in his music. "Whale Song" off their latest EP is a masterpiece in my opinion.

A lot of elements throughout the album repeat and gives it a concept album kinda feel. The repeating of the lyrics "my brain's the burger and my heart's the coal" in Lounge and some of the guitar sounds throughout remind me of the end parts of Teeth.

Agreed. All their albums have their own feel, sound, and particular elements that frequently pop up. Probably why their albums are among my favorites of all time. For me to truly say I love an album as a whole, there's gotta be some sense of cohesiveness there. It's a lot more than just really liking every song on the album. Modest Mouse definitely knows how to make an album-y album.

[mjk73]

Seen them many times. They are great. They used to have some awful shows do to being drunk on stage.

True- He's a bit of an odd duck. In some interviews I've read he comes across as a complete dick but in others he seems cool. I know he does or used to drink waaaaay to much.

[ManNamedTruth]

Long Distance Drunk is great to just drink and chill too.

Trailer Trash is a fantastic song.

Doin' The Coachroach is so damn fun when they play it live.

Was messing around with learning to play Cowboy Dan and Trailer Trash last week.

Never had the fortune of seeing them live. Definitely on my list though. And the slower part of Cowboy Dan is one of my favorites to play on my guitar.

I saw them once, two or three years ago. The sound sucked at the venue, it was at this old shitty ice hockey rink : http://www.therostravericegarden.com/