We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank - Modest Mouse

This is a review I originally wrote for the comparedby.us site but I am now placing here for your consideration: As of the time of writing this is the latest album from the group modest mouse. In between Good News and this album, Johnny Marr hooked up with the group and he plays on this album throughout. Also included on a handful of tracks are the vocals of The Shins main man James Mercer. The album itself is consistent but some fans that have been around since the beginnning may not like the new shiny and glossy looking modest mouse record. It is certainly a pop record, although having said that some of the weird mouse spirit of old remains ...  Read the complete review

First up: Modest Mouse have perhaps the most rubbish name for any band, ever, and that list includes Limp Bizkit, a band so bad they resemble a disabled digestive with dyslexia. And it's a terribly inaccurate name, too. The Mouse, as we in The Know call them, make songs which tend to veer towards the hysterical rather than the shy and subliminal. Not for Modest Mouse the hushed antics of... The Beautiful South, oh no. Why have quiet reflection when you can surround your worries about human behaviour in the form of a big, brassy, sea shanty? Modest Mouse have almost cornered the market in sea shanties, you see, although as there are only one other band who could claim ...  Read the complete review

My girlfriend first intrduced me to Modest Mouse a few months ago. She gave me all of the bands albums and over the 12 years they have been formed they have developed their own unique style. This most recent album was an eagerly anticipated collaboration with ex-Smiths Jonny Marr, a well renowned British songwriter. Many loyal Modest Mouse fans were not impressed with the idea of Marr - who has historically been involved well polished and produced pop music - working with MM, whos style has has been very lo-fi and rough around the edges indie since their debut in 1996. It is my opinion however that this collaboration has produced one of the most ...  Read the complete review