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Yep, like the topic says here, I'm getting ready to jump in and rank 96 songs by none other than Modest Mouse, that crazy group of lads from Washington State, led by one very talented (and sometimes a little weird) Isaac Brock.To be honest, I only got "into" this band fairly recently, but I've been listening to them pretty much nonstop for many months, and I'm really falling in love with their music, to the point where I can safely say they have become one of my elite favorite bands. MM have a seemingly endless horde of great songs, and even many of the ones ranked on the back end of this list have some good features. The further we get into this list, the more it becomes about which songs are just a little more amazing than others.Now, as to what the list will include. The 96 songs will come from their 5 proper studio LPs, plus the EP Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks, and the Building Something Out Of Nothing rarities record. (SSS won't be featured, sorry) Note that this includes the song "I've Got It All (Most)", which was left off the original US release of Good News for some dumb reason. I know MM have a ton of b-sides and rare stuff that's probably great, but I regret that I don't have enough of it or know it well enough to include it in this list.Some of my picks will not be all that controversial, but others might just be surprises. Even if one of your favorites is ranked low, I will try my best to justify my opinion and do each song the justice I think it deserves.Okay, enough of my ramblin'. Let's do it.

96

96. 96. Horn Intro: Good News for People Who Love Bad News







YouTube Link:

(Only the first ten seconds are this song; sorry, this is the best I could do for this one >_>)



Lyrical Highlight: lol >_> Alright! So...our list starts off with some nice horns courtesy of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, who worked with the band on Good News. Not a lot to say about it...just ten seconds of some horns, of course. Cool way to kick off the album, and it kind of sets the tone. But its placing should be kinda obvious. Hey, you gotta get through stuff like this to get to the real songs. You know. Songs you can write stuff about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJJNIChEPuc (Only the first ten seconds are this song; sorry, this is the best I could do for this one >_>)Lyrical Highlight: lol

>_> Alright! So...our list starts off with some nice horns courtesy of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, who worked with the band on Good News. Not a lot to say about it...just ten seconds of some horns, of course. Cool way to kick off the album, and it kind of sets the tone. But its placing should be kinda obvious. Hey, you gotta get through stuff like this to get to the real songs. You know. Songs you can write stuff about. <_<



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJJNIChEPuc

(Only the first ten seconds are this song; sorry, this is the best I could do for this one >_>)



Lyrical Highlight: lol

95

95. 95. Dig Your Grave: Good News for People Who Love Bad News







YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Well...I'm already digging/I hope you're dead, I guess. I know we're kind of off to an anticlimactic start here, but just bear with me. Here's another triviality thrown on Good News for no apparent good reason. I guess it's supposed to lead into Bury Me With It (or is it?), but to me it just kind of disrupts the flow of the album. It's just 13 seconds of ukulele(!) and Isaac rambling incoherently about digging some dude's grave and hoping he dies. That subject is covered much better on other "songs" from this album, and so this thing must go.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1kZXCa-dhA Lyrical Highlight: Well...I'm already digging/I hope you're dead, I guess.

I know we're kind of off to an anticlimactic start here, but just bear with me. Here's another triviality thrown on Good News for no apparent good reason. I guess it's supposed to lead into Bury Me With It (or is it?), but to me it just kind of disrupts the flow of the album. It's just 13 seconds of ukulele(!) and Isaac rambling incoherently about digging some dude's grave and hoping he dies. That subject is covered much better on other "songs" from this album, and so this thing must go.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1kZXCa-dhA



Lyrical Highlight: Well...I'm already digging/I hope you're dead, I guess.

94

94. 94. Dog Paddle: This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About







That said, I really wouldn't miss this song one bit. The lyrics are just nonsense (and not the fascinating nonsense that MM do well, just random shit), and the weird breathing and coughing at the beginning are just...weird. The music is nothing to write home about, and when you put it all together with Isaac's grating vocals, you just get an annoying little "song" that doesn't add anything to this otherwise stellar album. Some people probably love Modest Mouse songs like this; I can't say I do.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: none really...okay, I guess "I'm down on the county line and / We're all singing Carolina". But these "lyrics" suck. Really. A word about this album in general: while there is no doubt that Long Drive is a fantastic album, one that flows and fills out its theme very well, things do get a little trickier when you start taking each song individually, which I have to do here. As a result, some of the songs from this record might be ranked a little low in comparison to the album as a whole, because several of them only really work as songs when they're taken in the context of the album. There will be exceptions, obviously.That said, I really wouldn't miss this song one bit. The lyrics are just nonsense (and not the fascinating nonsense that MM do well, just random shit), and the weird breathing and coughing at the beginning are just...weird. The music is nothing to write home about, and when you put it all together with Isaac's grating vocals, you just get an annoying little "song" that doesn't add anything to this otherwise stellar album. Some people probably love Modest Mouse songs like this; I can't say I do.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjT-dEv4aJo Lyrical Highlight: none really...okay, I guess "I'm down on the county line and / We're all singing Carolina". But these "lyrics" suck. Really.

A word about this album in general: while there is no doubt that Long Drive is a fantastic album, one that flows and fills out its theme very well, things do get a little trickier when you start taking each song individually, which I have to do here. As a result, some of the songs from this record might be ranked a little low in comparison to the album as a whole, because several of them only really work as songs when they're taken in the context of the album. There will be exceptions, obviously.



That said, I really wouldn't miss this song one bit. The lyrics are just nonsense (and not the fascinating nonsense that MM do well, just random shit), and the weird breathing and coughing at the beginning are just...weird. The music is nothing to write home about, and when you put it all together with Isaac's grating vocals, you just get an annoying little "song" that doesn't add anything to this otherwise stellar album. Some people probably love Modest Mouse songs like this; I can't say I do.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjT-dEv4aJo



Lyrical Highlight: none really...okay, I guess "I'm down on the county line and / We're all singing Carolina". But these "lyrics" suck. Really.

93

93. 93. Interlude (Milo): Good News for People Who Love Bad News







YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: N/A, but that's some pretty spiffy babbling. Well...it's an interlude. With your typical interlude fare, except that there's also a baby babbling through part of it. Leave it to Modest Mouse to do something like that, right?YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM8SGnBabNM Lyrical Highlight: N/A, but that's some pretty spiffy babbling.

Well...it's an interlude. With your typical interlude fare, except that there's also a baby babbling through part of it. Leave it to Modest Mouse to do something like that, right?



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM8SGnBabNM



Lyrical Highlight: N/A, but that's some pretty spiffy babbling.

92

92. 92. Long Distance Drunk: The Lonesome Crowded West







Basically it's Isaac rambling about being hammered over some acoustic guitar and stuff. It might be forgivable if the song changed at all, but it doesn't. It just plods right through, with the same boring music, same uninspired vocals. I guess you could say it's the comic relief of LCW, but I just find it boring, obnoxious filler. The female background vocals are a nice touch, I guess, but they don't save the song from utter irrelevance.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Hang it up now or never / Hang it up again <_< I see this song get brought up more than probably any other when the discussion of "least favorite Modest Mouse song" ensues. I can understand why. It's not the worst thing ever put to tape or anything, but just putting it up against the rest of The Lonesome Crowded West reveals just how boring and unremarkable this one is.Basically it's Isaac rambling about being hammered over some acoustic guitar and stuff. It might be forgivable if the song changed at all, but it doesn't. It just plods right through, with the same boring music, same uninspired vocals. I guess you could say it's the comic relief of LCW, but I just find it boring, obnoxious filler. The female background vocals are a nice touch, I guess, but they don't save the song from utter irrelevance.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJUDzqM_siA Lyrical Highlight: Hang it up now or never / Hang it up again

I see this song get brought up more than probably any other when the discussion of "least favorite Modest Mouse song" ensues. I can understand why. It's not the worst thing ever put to tape or anything, but just putting it up against the rest of The Lonesome Crowded West reveals just how boring and unremarkable this one is.



Basically it's Isaac rambling about being hammered over some acoustic guitar and stuff. It might be forgivable if the song changed at all, but it doesn't. It just plods right through, with the same boring music, same uninspired vocals. I guess you could say it's the comic relief of LCW, but I just find it boring, obnoxious filler. The female background vocals are a nice touch, I guess, but they don't save the song from utter irrelevance.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJUDzqM_siA



Lyrical Highlight: Hang it up now or never / Hang it up again <_<

91

91. 91. Dance Hall: Good News For People Who Love Bad News







I have to admit, sometimes I find this song fun, even funny, if I'm in the right mood. It's really upbeat, a nice fun break from the seriousness of the album. But after a listen or two it starts to really test the nerves, especially Isaac's badly muffled vocals and the repetitive lyrics. Modest Mouse have a few of those kind of songs- ones that are just too damn repetitive. This is by far the worst offender. Some of the lyrics are actually alright, if you could, you know, hear them.



In the end, it's a kind of fun little blast of noise, but it just is too repetitive and silly to warrant serious merit.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: I need a can opener / Because I got some beans to spill is a pretty clever line Ah, yes. Another one down from Good News. If it looks like I really hate this album, I don't. It's just that it has a bunch of these intro/interlude/filler songs that kind of have to rank low by default. Dance Hall falls into the "filler" category. Or maybe it just falls into the "wtf were they thinking" category.I have to admit, sometimes I find this song fun, even funny, if I'm in the right mood. It's really upbeat, a nice fun break from the seriousness of the album. But after a listen or two it starts to really test the nerves, especially Isaac's badly muffled vocals and the repetitive lyrics. Modest Mouse have a few of those kind of songs- ones that are just too damn repetitive. This is by far the worst offender. Some of the lyrics are actually alright, if you could, you know, hear them.In the end, it's a kind of fun little blast of noise, but it just is too repetitive and silly to warrant serious merit.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv1-knVNDkI Lyrical Highlight: I need a can opener / Because I got some beans to spill is a pretty clever line

Ah, yes. Another one down from Good News. If it looks like I really hate this album, I don't. It's just that it has a bunch of these intro/interlude/filler songs that kind of have to rank low by default. Dance Hall falls into the "filler" category. Or maybe it just falls into the "wtf were they thinking" category.



I have to admit, sometimes I find this song fun, even funny, if I'm in the right mood. It's really upbeat, a nice fun break from the seriousness of the album. But after a listen or two it starts to really test the nerves, especially Isaac's badly muffled vocals and the repetitive lyrics. Modest Mouse have a few of those kind of songs- ones that are just too damn repetitive. This is by far the worst offender. Some of the lyrics are actually alright, if you could, you know, hear them.



In the end, it's a kind of fun little blast of noise, but it just is too repetitive and silly to warrant serious merit.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv1-knVNDkI



Lyrical Highlight: I need a can opener / Because I got some beans to spill is a pretty clever line

90

90. 90. 3 Inch Horses, Two Faced Monsters: Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks







And so it goes for this 3 Inch Horses, the first to fall off of the unfortunately titled Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks (I just...don't like that name >_>). It's a downbeat country-themed little number, with some thick, murky production and muffled vocals and an otherwise standard vocal delivery. The lyrics partly borrow from I Came As a Rat ("I don't know but I've been told / You never die, you never grow old"), reminding you that, at its heart, this song is a stepping stone to the far superior material that made it onto TM&A. It's a cool glimpse into the writing process and the making of that album. And on its own, it stands as a decent enough number, but it lacks pretty much anything to set it apart, just plodding along in its gloom and repetition.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: You said, "I hope you live forever" / Don't you wish that on me / You said, "Don't be clever" You probably noticed that I'm not grouping this list into tiers (ranking them is hard enough as it is), but if I were, this is probably where we would start the "real legitimate songs" tier. That means any given song from here on out might have a considerable amount going for it, it just lacks that certain "something" that the songs ahead of it have.And so it goes for this 3 Inch Horses, the first to fall off of the unfortunately titled Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks (I just...don't like that name >_>). It's a downbeat country-themed little number, with some thick, murky production and muffled vocals and an otherwise standard vocal delivery. The lyrics partly borrow from I Came As a Rat ("I don't know but I've been told / You never die, you never grow old"), reminding you that, at its heart, this song is a stepping stone to the far superior material that made it onto TM&A. It's a cool glimpse into the writing process and the making of that album. And on its own, it stands as a decent enough number, but it lacks pretty much anything to set it apart, just plodding along in its gloom and repetition.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbIZlmsBxmA Lyrical Highlight: You said, "I hope you live forever" / Don't you wish that on me / You said, "Don't be clever"

You probably noticed that I'm not grouping this list into tiers (ranking them is hard enough as it is), but if I were, this is probably where we would start the "real legitimate songs" tier. That means any given song from here on out might have a considerable amount going for it, it just lacks that certain "something" that the songs ahead of it have.



And so it goes for this 3 Inch Horses, the first to fall off of the unfortunately titled Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks (I just...don't like that name >_>). It's a downbeat country-themed little number, with some thick, murky production and muffled vocals and an otherwise standard vocal delivery. The lyrics partly borrow from I Came As a Rat ("I don't know but I've been told / You never die, you never grow old"), reminding you that, at its heart, this song is a stepping stone to the far superior material that made it onto TM&A. It's a cool glimpse into the writing process and the making of that album. And on its own, it stands as a decent enough number, but it lacks pretty much anything to set it apart, just plodding along in its gloom and repetition.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbIZlmsBxmA



Lyrical Highlight: You said, "I hope you live forever" / Don't you wish that on me / You said, "Don't be clever"

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89

89. 89. Steam Engenius: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank







Then there's the lyrics, which don't make a hell of a lot of sense. I suppose it's supposed to be a rant on organized religion, but Isaac goes off on a gibberish tangent toward the end that just kills any meaning the thing could've had.



The best part of the song (apart from the title, which is a decent pun) is probably the thumping, marching beat and the guitars, but they aren't enough to bring Isaac back from the brink on this one.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Human nature was instilled in me / Well, I did what's right but naturally it wasn't natural / Still not my fault Modest Mouse tried a lot of good ideas on this album, from bringing in Johnny Marr to the whole nautical theme to the background vocals from that guy from The Shins. This, however, was one of the ideas that didn't pan out so well. First off, the "woohoowoohoo"'s are pretty annoying. Come to think of it, the whole vocals here are nothing special.Then there's the lyrics, which don't make a hell of a lot of sense. I suppose it's supposed to be a rant on organized religion, but Isaac goes off on a gibberish tangent toward the end that just kills any meaning the thing could've had.The best part of the song (apart from the title, which is a decent pun) is probably the thumping, marching beat and the guitars, but they aren't enough to bring Isaac back from the brink on this one.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PrhGkguKSE Lyrical Highlight: Human nature was instilled in me / Well, I did what's right but naturally it wasn't natural / Still not my fault

Modest Mouse tried a lot of good ideas on this album, from bringing in Johnny Marr to the whole nautical theme to the background vocals from that guy from The Shins. This, however, was one of the ideas that didn't pan out so well. First off, the "woohoowoohoo"'s are pretty annoying. Come to think of it, the whole vocals here are nothing special.



Then there's the lyrics, which don't make a hell of a lot of sense. I suppose it's supposed to be a rant on organized religion, but Isaac goes off on a gibberish tangent toward the end that just kills any meaning the thing could've had.



The best part of the song (apart from the title, which is a decent pun) is probably the thumping, marching beat and the guitars, but they aren't enough to bring Isaac back from the brink on this one.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PrhGkguKSE



Lyrical Highlight: Human nature was instilled in me / Well, I did what's right but naturally it wasn't natural / Still not my fault

88

88. 88. The Air: Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks







That said, this is pretty cool headphones music, to just put on and space out to. But then again, it's only 4 1/2 minutes long, and even as an instrumental it just doesn't feel fully there. I'm not one to tell the band what they should do, but I would have either made this a longer, more experimental instrumental track and just gone all-out fucked up style, or, preferably, put some lyrics to it, because the sound and mood would fit pretty well somewhere on TM&A. This song had potential, but it just fizzles out at the end. But hey, I'm not Isaac Brock, now am I?



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Instrumental/10, but the bassline is the best part of it. I really wanted to put this one higher. The bassline is pretty fantastic, and the overall production lends itself to a nice, relaxed, spaced-out atmosphere. But, like a lot of the stuff on Everywhere, it feels like a half-baked idea that never got the opportunity to flourish into a developed song. There's also the fact that I don't think Modest Mouse is a band that lends itself terribly well to full-on instrumentals. Isaac Brock's genius needs some place to shine through bright and clear, and it just doesn't do that here.That said, this is pretty cool headphones music, to just put on and space out to. But then again, it's only 4 1/2 minutes long, and even as an instrumental it just doesn't feel fully there. I'm not one to tell the band what they should do, but I would have either made this a longer, more experimental instrumental track and just gone all-out fucked up style, or, preferably, put some lyrics to it, because the sound and mood would fit pretty well somewhere on TM&A. This song had potential, but it just fizzles out at the end. But hey, I'm not Isaac Brock, now am I?YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b8tK9d02Oc Lyrical Highlight: Instrumental/10, but the bassline is the best part of it.

I really wanted to put this one higher. The bassline is pretty fantastic, and the overall production lends itself to a nice, relaxed, spaced-out atmosphere. But, like a lot of the stuff on Everywhere, it feels like a half-baked idea that never got the opportunity to flourish into a developed song. There's also the fact that I don't think Modest Mouse is a band that lends itself terribly well to full-on instrumentals. Isaac Brock's genius needs some place to shine through bright and clear, and it just doesn't do that here.



That said, this is pretty cool headphones music, to just put on and space out to. But then again, it's only 4 1/2 minutes long, and even as an instrumental it just doesn't feel fully there. I'm not one to tell the band what they should do, but I would have either made this a longer, more experimental instrumental track and just gone all-out fucked up style, or, preferably, put some lyrics to it, because the sound and mood would fit pretty well somewhere on TM&A. This song had potential, but it just fizzles out at the end. But hey, I'm not Isaac Brock, now am I?



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b8tK9d02Oc



Lyrical Highlight: Instrumental/10, but the bassline is the best part of it.

87

87. 87. So Much Beauty In Dirt: Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks







As you might gather from the title, the theme of the song has to do with finding an appreciation for the simple things in life that people take for granted- finding beauty in the "dirt" of life, if you will. Under most bands' direction, that idea would be cliche and soppy, but Isaac injects just enough humor and references to mundane, everyday life that the song doesn't sound that way. He delivers the vocals in a monotone, chanty sort of way that kind of underscores that idea of finding beauty in simple things. It's not a bad lyric at all, telling the story of two people who go out into the world and find beauty in the small things. The chiming guitar at the end also sounds good.



Still, though, as much as I've praised it, this song feels like it could have been more. There are several good ideas here, but they feel like abandoned fragments. It ends abruptly, and you're left wanting more. And for a band that delivers as often and as consistently as Modest Mouse, that feeling is especially disappointing.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Walk a direction, see where we get / I never knew nothing so there's nothing to forget I've heard some people list this song among their favorites, but I just don't get it. Just like The Air, this one feels like it could have gone somewhere, if only they had taken a little more time to develop it. Unlike The Air, however, this one has lyrics, and it's quite an upbeat, happy little ditty.As you might gather from the title, the theme of the song has to do with finding an appreciation for the simple things in life that people take for granted- finding beauty in the "dirt" of life, if you will. Under most bands' direction, that idea would be cliche and soppy, but Isaac injects just enough humor and references to mundane, everyday life that the song doesn't sound that way. He delivers the vocals in a monotone, chanty sort of way that kind of underscores that idea of finding beauty in simple things. It's not a bad lyric at all, telling the story of two people who go out into the world and find beauty in the small things. The chiming guitar at the end also sounds good.Still, though, as much as I've praised it, this song feels like it could have been more. There are several good ideas here, but they feel like abandoned fragments. It ends abruptly, and you're left wanting more. And for a band that delivers as often and as consistently as Modest Mouse, that feeling is especially disappointing.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2iTRpZeWow&feature=related Lyrical Highlight: Walk a direction, see where we get / I never knew nothing so there's nothing to forget

I've heard some people list this song among their favorites, but I just don't get it. Just like The Air, this one feels like it could have gone somewhere, if only they had taken a little more time to develop it. Unlike The Air, however, this one has lyrics, and it's quite an upbeat, happy little ditty.



As you might gather from the title, the theme of the song has to do with finding an appreciation for the simple things in life that people take for granted- finding beauty in the "dirt" of life, if you will. Under most bands' direction, that idea would be cliche and soppy, but Isaac injects just enough humor and references to mundane, everyday life that the song doesn't sound that way. He delivers the vocals in a monotone, chanty sort of way that kind of underscores that idea of finding beauty in simple things. It's not a bad lyric at all, telling the story of two people who go out into the world and find beauty in the small things. The chiming guitar at the end also sounds good.



Still, though, as much as I've praised it, this song feels like it could have been more. There are several good ideas here, but they feel like abandoned fragments. It ends abruptly, and you're left wanting more. And for a band that delivers as often and as consistently as Modest Mouse, that feeling is especially disappointing.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2iTRpZeWow&feature=related



Lyrical Highlight: Walk a direction, see where we get / I never knew nothing so there's nothing to forget

86

86. 86. This Devil's Workday: Good News For People Who Love Bad News







Lyrically, it's a nasty, sometimes downright disturbing, song. The singer has pretty much decided go out and be a total asshole to everybody. Freezing a sack of puppies (0_o), stealing somebody's plants, eating somebody's wedding cake...Isaac must have wrote this one on a bad day. Still not totally sure what the chorus ("All those people that you know floating in the river are logs") is going on about, but I'm sure it's something unpleasant. And why, exactly, does he do all this? The song's last verse- "I could buy myself a reason / I could sell myself a job / I could hang myself for treason / For I am my own damn God!"- pretty much gives it away. This guy is fucking pissed off, and he's taking the world down with him. This is probably one of those MM songs that doesn't have any sort of deep philosophical meaning.



All in all, it's a funny song, more than a little tongue-in-cheek, and something different-sounding for Modest Mouse, but I find it kind of hard to take too seriously. And so it bows out.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Well, let's take that potted plant / To the woods and set it free / I'm going to tell the owners / Just how nice that was of me Those of you who hated my placement of Dance Hall probably won't like this ranking much, either. All I can say to folks like that: ...you have interesting taste. Actually, I do find this song mildly entertaining, and certainly more tolerable than Dance Hall. The off kilter horns, the banjos, the growly vocals- it kind of sounds like a ridiculous drunken sea shanty. The Tom Waits influence is clear here.Lyrically, it's a nasty, sometimes downright disturbing, song. The singer has pretty much decided go out and be a total asshole to everybody. Freezing a sack of puppies (0_o), stealing somebody's plants, eating somebody's wedding cake...Isaac must have wrote this one on a bad day. Still not totally sure what the chorus ("All those people that you know floating in the river are logs") is going on about, but I'm sure it's something unpleasant. And why, exactly, does he do all this? The song's last verse- "I could buy myself a reason / I could sell myself a job / I could hang myself for treason / For I am my own damn God!"- pretty much gives it away. This guy is fucking pissed off, and he's taking the world down with him. This is probably one of those MM songs that doesn't have any sort of deep philosophical meaning.All in all, it's a funny song, more than a little tongue-in-cheek, and something different-sounding for Modest Mouse, but I find it kind of hard to take too seriously. And so it bows out.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qpEsIg9dvU Lyrical Highlight: Well, let's take that potted plant / To the woods and set it free / I'm going to tell the owners / Just how nice that was of me

Those of you who hated my placement of Dance Hall probably won't like this ranking much, either. All I can say to folks like that: ...you have interesting taste. Actually, I do find this song mildly entertaining, and certainly more tolerable than Dance Hall. The off kilter horns, the banjos, the growly vocals- it kind of sounds like a ridiculous drunken sea shanty. The Tom Waits influence is clear here.



Lyrically, it's a nasty, sometimes downright disturbing, song. The singer has pretty much decided go out and be a total asshole to everybody. Freezing a sack of puppies (0_o), stealing somebody's plants, eating somebody's wedding cake...Isaac must have wrote this one on a bad day. Still not totally sure what the chorus ("All those people that you know floating in the river are logs") is going on about, but I'm sure it's something unpleasant. And why, exactly, does he do all this? The song's last verse- "I could buy myself a reason / I could sell myself a job / I could hang myself for treason / For I am my own damn God!"- pretty much gives it away. This guy is fucking pissed off, and he's taking the world down with him. This is probably one of those MM songs that doesn't have any sort of deep philosophical meaning.



All in all, it's a funny song, more than a little tongue-in-cheek, and something different-sounding for Modest Mouse, but I find it kind of hard to take too seriously. And so it bows out.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qpEsIg9dvU



Lyrical Highlight: Well, let's take that potted plant / To the woods and set it free / I'm going to tell the owners / Just how nice that was of me

85

85. 85. All Nite Diner: Building Nothing Out of Something







So the song is set in an All Night Diner (surprise!), and as the singer is sitting in there, "talking about root beer" (don't ask me), a guy comes in, put his arm around the narrator, and tells him:



"I have sex, I'm always thinking about the pavement

So I can avoid premature ejaculation"



Dot dot dot.



Then our hero gets up, because has better things to do apparently. Anyway, that should give you some idea about how odd the lyric is. That's not the part of the song I remember, though, because that's kind of hard to do once you've had "HAVE I TOLD YA?!?" pounded in your head 40,000 times. All in all, this is another one of those songs Isaac must have written on a "fun" day, and it's the worst on the fantastic BNOS by some margin.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: well...the above lyric is pretty memorable I guess... Have you ever heard one of those songs that you don't really like much, yet every time the song comes on you find yourself singing with it? You can't even help it. That's how this song is for me. It's another Modest Mouse song that suffers from too much repetition, but that "Have told'ya" part is just kind of catchy in a weird way. It's probably a good thing that that is the most memorable part of the song, because the lyric is a little...eccentric.So the song is set in an All Night Diner (surprise!), and as the singer is sitting in there, "talking about root beer" (don't ask me), a guy comes in, put his arm around the narrator, and tells him:"I have sex, I'm always thinking about the pavementSo I can avoid premature ejaculation"Dot dot dot.Then our hero gets up, because has better things to do apparently. Anyway, that should give you some idea about how odd the lyric is. That's not the part of the song I remember, though, because that's kind of hard to do once you've had "HAVE I TOLD YA?!?" pounded in your head 40,000 times. All in all, this is another one of those songs Isaac must have written on a "fun" day, and it's the worst on the fantastic BNOS by some margin.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWVKiiU50Ag Lyrical Highlight: well...the above lyric is pretty memorable I guess...

Have you ever heard one of those songs that you don't really like much, yet every time the song comes on you find yourself singing with it? You can't even help it. That's how this song is for me. It's another Modest Mouse song that suffers from too much repetition, but that "Have told'ya" part is just kind of catchy in a weird way. It's probably a good thing that that is the most memorable part of the song, because the lyric is a little...eccentric.



So the song is set in an All Night Diner (surprise!), and as the singer is sitting in there, "talking about root beer" (don't ask me), a guy comes in, put his arm around the narrator, and tells him:



"I have sex, I'm always thinking about the pavement

So I can avoid premature ejaculation"



Dot dot dot.



Then our hero gets up, because has better things to do apparently. Anyway, that should give you some idea about how odd the lyric is. That's not the part of the song I remember, though, because that's kind of hard to do once you've had "HAVE I TOLD YA?!?" pounded in your head 40,000 times. All in all, this is another one of those songs Isaac must have written on a "fun" day, and it's the worst on the fantastic BNOS by some margin.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWVKiiU50Ag



Lyrical Highlight: well...the above lyric is pretty memorable I guess...

84

84. 84. We've Got Everything: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank







However, there's writing some pop songs, there's leaving your comfort zone, and then there's this. Basically everything people have criticized WWD for is found somewhere in this song- the overtly pop melody, Johnny Marr's influence, the sickeningly sweet background vocals, the kind of generic structure (actually, "generic" describes the song pretty well). It's all here. And it really does go overboard in its poppiness. For some bands this would be par for the course, but Modest Mouse just sound kind of awkward trying to play a song like this.



So why do I have it this high, then? Because it's fucking catchy, that's why! Unlike Steam Engenius, which has next to nothing to set it apart, this one will be stuck in your head for a while, maybe to the point of insanity. It really doesn't pretend to be anything other than a lightweight pop song, and it does that fairly well. But as I said earlier, power pop is not Isaac Brock's thing, and so most of this song sounds uncomfortable.



At one point Isaac blares, "We've done everything like trial by fire / So I guess we'll stop trying now". This song is what it sounds like when Modest Mouse stop trying and just let the pop stars in them come out. Make of that what you will.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Well, look at our boat in the bay / It looks like some sad ass little canoe So poppy...so catchy...but so...annoying sometimes! I am not one of the people who are upset about MM becoming a mainstream band and adopting new sounds. I think it's extremely healthy, and their major label albums are some of their best developed and flat-out strongest work. There is nothing wrong with being a pop band as long as you are a very good one. Not that Modest Mouse are a "pop band" really, but they like to play one occasionally.However, there's writing some pop songs, there's leaving your comfort zone, and then there's this. Basically everything people have criticized WWD for is found somewhere in this song- the overtly pop melody, Johnny Marr's influence, the sickeningly sweet background vocals, the kind of generic structure (actually, "generic" describes the song pretty well). It's all here. And it really does go overboard in its poppiness. For some bands this would be par for the course, but Modest Mouse just sound kind of awkward trying to play a song like this.So why do I have it this high, then? Because it's fucking catchy, that's why! Unlike Steam Engenius, which has next to nothing to set it apart, this one will be stuck in your head for a while, maybe to the point of insanity. It really doesn't pretend to be anything other than a lightweight pop song, and it does that fairly well. But as I said earlier, power pop is not Isaac Brock's thing, and so most of this song sounds uncomfortable.At one point Isaac blares, "We've done everything like trial by fire / So I guess we'll stop trying now". This song is what it sounds like when Modest Mouse stop trying and just let the pop stars in them come out. Make of that what you will.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AceNg5WrF9I Lyrical Highlight: Well, look at our boat in the bay / It looks like some sad ass little canoe

So poppy...so catchy...but so...annoying sometimes! I am not one of the people who are upset about MM becoming a mainstream band and adopting new sounds. I think it's extremely healthy, and their major label albums are some of their best developed and flat-out strongest work. There is nothing wrong with being a pop band as long as you are a very good one. Not that Modest Mouse are a "pop band" really, but they like to play one occasionally.



However, there's writing some pop songs, there's leaving your comfort zone, and then there's this. Basically everything people have criticized WWD for is found somewhere in this song- the overtly pop melody, Johnny Marr's influence, the sickeningly sweet background vocals, the kind of generic structure (actually, "generic" describes the song pretty well). It's all here. And it really does go overboard in its poppiness. For some bands this would be par for the course, but Modest Mouse just sound kind of awkward trying to play a song like this.



So why do I have it this high, then? Because it's fucking catchy, that's why! Unlike Steam Engenius, which has next to nothing to set it apart, this one will be stuck in your head for a while, maybe to the point of insanity. It really doesn't pretend to be anything other than a lightweight pop song, and it does that fairly well. But as I said earlier, power pop is not Isaac Brock's thing, and so most of this song sounds uncomfortable.



At one point Isaac blares, "We've done everything like trial by fire / So I guess we'll stop trying now". This song is what it sounds like when Modest Mouse stop trying and just let the pop stars in them come out. Make of that what you will.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AceNg5WrF9I



Lyrical Highlight: Well, look at our boat in the bay / It looks like some sad ass little canoe

83

83. 83. Might: This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About







The lyrics are vague, but they seem to be about some kind of relationship. The singer broke his jaw- maybe they got in a fight? I don't know, doesn't really matter I guess. The lyrics are kind of secondary to this song anyway. It's more about the feeling. And there's really not much more to say about this minute and a half song.



Oh yeah. I don't like the way Isaac sings "might".



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: I broke every bone in my goddamn jaw / That's a lot, it's the last one I ever got For some reason I have a feeling I'm gonna catch some flack for this ranking. No reason, just call it a gut feeling. I guess you could say I just don't think much of the shorter songs on Long Drive. I find them kind of trivial. But as trivial songs go, this one ain't all that bad. I actually planned to rank it lower, but it's started to grow on me some. It starts out with a nice rolling guitar, before the drums come in and the song gets that sense of motion- this is definitely music that sounds best listened to while driving.The lyrics are vague, but they seem to be about some kind of relationship. The singer broke his jaw- maybe they got in a fight? I don't know, doesn't really matter I guess. The lyrics are kind of secondary to this song anyway. It's more about the feeling. And there's really not much more to say about this minute and a half song.Oh yeah. I don't like the way Isaac sings "might".YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMjkCAT9hPo Lyrical Highlight: I broke every bone in my goddamn jaw / That's a lot, it's the last one I ever got

For some reason I have a feeling I'm gonna catch some flack for this ranking. No reason, just call it a gut feeling. I guess you could say I just don't think much of the shorter songs on Long Drive. I find them kind of trivial. But as trivial songs go, this one ain't all that bad. I actually planned to rank it lower, but it's started to grow on me some. It starts out with a nice rolling guitar, before the drums come in and the song gets that sense of motion- this is definitely music that sounds best listened to while driving.



The lyrics are vague, but they seem to be about some kind of relationship. The singer broke his jaw- maybe they got in a fight? I don't know, doesn't really matter I guess. The lyrics are kind of secondary to this song anyway. It's more about the feeling. And there's really not much more to say about this minute and a half song.



Oh yeah. I don't like the way Isaac sings "might".



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMjkCAT9hPo



Lyrical Highlight: I broke every bone in my goddamn jaw / That's a lot, it's the last one I ever got

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82

82. 82. Willful Suspension of Disbelief: Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks







So about this piece of mediocrity. Well, that's not totally fair, because this song does have a nice atmosphere. It's kind of akin to The Air, in that, with the right lyrics and a little more tweaking, it could have had a place on TM&A. It starts with some low-fi guitar strumming before kicking into a nice, spacey guitar riff. If there's one thing that makes this song, it's probably the vocals- Isaac's "everywhereeverywhereeverywhereeverywhere...". They're so spaced out and soft. "Spaced out" may be the best description of this song, almost to a fault.



The lyrics are sparse, but what is here is pretty good. "The sky doesn't ever end / The air just gets much thinner further up". Lines like that are classic Modest Mouse. They're surreal, and vaguely philosophical, but not preachy or annoying. I just wish there were more.



I sound like a broken record, but it's obvious why Everywhere is a collection of B-Sides- most of these songs have potential, they were just never fully fleshed out for whatever reason. Give this song credit for trying something different, because songs like these reveal Modest Mouse's painful (but ultimately incredibly successful) transition to high-budget record making.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: The sky doesn't ever end / The air just gets much thinner further up And another one gone from Everywhere. I have to admit, it's definitely my least favorite of all the albums included in this list. It's basically got one or two phenomenal songs (hint hint), one or two good ones, and a pile of mediocrity. But that's why it's an EP, I guess.So about this piece of mediocrity. Well, that's not totally fair, because this song does have a nice atmosphere. It's kind of akin to The Air, in that, with the right lyrics and a little more tweaking, it could have had a place on TM&A. It starts with some low-fi guitar strumming before kicking into a nice, spacey guitar riff. If there's one thing that makes this song, it's probably the vocals- Isaac's "everywhereeverywhereeverywhereeverywhere...". They're so spaced out and soft. "Spaced out" may be the best description of this song, almost to a fault.The lyrics are sparse, but what is here is pretty good. "The sky doesn't ever end / The air just gets much thinner further up". Lines like that are classic Modest Mouse. They're surreal, and vaguely philosophical, but not preachy or annoying. I just wish there were more.I sound like a broken record, but it's obvious why Everywhere is a collection of B-Sides- most of these songs have potential, they were just never fully fleshed out for whatever reason. Give this song credit for trying something different, because songs like these reveal Modest Mouse's painful (but ultimately incredibly successful) transition to high-budget record making.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnhwzb5Zxdg Lyrical Highlight: The sky doesn't ever end / The air just gets much thinner further up

And another one gone from Everywhere. I have to admit, it's definitely my least favorite of all the albums included in this list. It's basically got one or two phenomenal songs (hint hint), one or two good ones, and a pile of mediocrity. But that's why it's an EP, I guess.



So about this piece of mediocrity. Well, that's not totally fair, because this song does have a nice atmosphere. It's kind of akin to The Air, in that, with the right lyrics and a little more tweaking, it could have had a place on TM&A. It starts with some low-fi guitar strumming before kicking into a nice, spacey guitar riff. If there's one thing that makes this song, it's probably the vocals- Isaac's "everywhereeverywhereeverywhereeverywhere...". They're so spaced out and soft. "Spaced out" may be the best description of this song, almost to a fault.



The lyrics are sparse, but what is here is pretty good. "The sky doesn't ever end / The air just gets much thinner further up". Lines like that are classic Modest Mouse. They're surreal, and vaguely philosophical, but not preachy or annoying. I just wish there were more.



I sound like a broken record, but it's obvious why Everywhere is a collection of B-Sides- most of these songs have potential, they were just never fully fleshed out for whatever reason. Give this song credit for trying something different, because songs like these reveal Modest Mouse's painful (but ultimately incredibly successful) transition to high-budget record making.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnhwzb5Zxdg



Lyrical Highlight: The sky doesn't ever end / The air just gets much thinner further up

81

81. 81. Fly Trapped In a Jar: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank







That's when things violently switch, and the guitars and rhythms take over. Isaac then proceeds to plunge into a manic rant. There's this dude named Gary, see, and he's drunk. And he and the singer go out and do things or something. This is probably supposed to be one of the more philosophical songs on WWD, but beneath the funky guitars and the general schizophrenia it sure doesn't come off that way.



It's an interesting sound, and again it's nice to hear them try something genuinely new, but my problem with all this is that the transition from the straight-ahead rock part to the more groovy part is just awkward, and from that point on the song just feels forced. It's like the band was saying, "By God, we WILL play funk, and we WILL put in on the damn album".



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed / That they really didn't want us around / So we all just opened up our mouths and wallets to this town In which Modest Mouse attempt to get FUNKEH!!! to varying results. I really like the way this song starts off. It's kind of anthemic, and it seems like a straight-ahead rock song. Isaac's vocals steal the show- he sings in this really cool low growl, before whooping into a full-on wail for the "One wing wasn't even enough" part. The guitars contain just a whiff of funk, but it's not really obvious until about halfway in.That's when things violently switch, and the guitars and rhythms take over. Isaac then proceeds to plunge into a manic rant. There's this dude named Gary, see, and he's drunk. And he and the singer go out and do things or something. This is probably supposed to be one of the more philosophical songs on WWD, but beneath the funky guitars and the general schizophrenia it sure doesn't come off that way.It's an interesting sound, and again it's nice to hear them try something genuinely new, but my problem with all this is that the transition from the straight-ahead rock part to the more groovy part is just awkward, and from that point on the song just feels forced. It's like the band was saying, "By God, we WILL play funk, and we WILL put in on the damn album".YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1FFOB3aP-M Lyrical Highlight: Well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed / That they really didn't want us around / So we all just opened up our mouths and wallets to this town

In which Modest Mouse attempt to get FUNKEH!!! to varying results. I really like the way this song starts off. It's kind of anthemic, and it seems like a straight-ahead rock song. Isaac's vocals steal the show- he sings in this really cool low growl, before whooping into a full-on wail for the "One wing wasn't even enough" part. The guitars contain just a whiff of funk, but it's not really obvious until about halfway in.



That's when things violently switch, and the guitars and rhythms take over. Isaac then proceeds to plunge into a manic rant. There's this dude named Gary, see, and he's drunk. And he and the singer go out and do things or something. This is probably supposed to be one of the more philosophical songs on WWD, but beneath the funky guitars and the general schizophrenia it sure doesn't come off that way.



It's an interesting sound, and again it's nice to hear them try something genuinely new, but my problem with all this is that the transition from the straight-ahead rock part to the more groovy part is just awkward, and from that point on the song just feels forced. It's like the band was saying, "By God, we WILL play funk, and we WILL put in on the damn album".



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1FFOB3aP-M



Lyrical Highlight: Well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed / That they really didn't want us around / So we all just opened up our mouths and wallets to this town

80

80. 80. Ohio: This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About







This Is a Long Drive has a bunch of these long-ish songs scattered through the middle of it, that all kind of run together (in a good way) when the album is playing, but which, of course, have to be looked at on their own merits for this list. This (the first of two state-titled songs on the list) one is the first to go, because it kind of drags on a little too long and gets repetitive. Even so, it has its good points, and in the right mood it really sounds great. The kind of quiet banjo is a nice touch, and the guitars sound appropriately dreamy and reverb-y.



Listening to this song and the lyrics, I kind of get the idea that Ohio kind of...sucks (I've never been there, even though it's not that far off). This seems to be one of the first songs where Isaac laments urban sprawl, which is an idea he would expand up on a lot in later records (especially LCW). See lyrics like "Rows of lights to illuminate lines / Why don't they turn them off and let us see night?". The singer just wants to spend a quiet, starry night on a midwestern farm somewhere, but the big bad city's reach and chaos have killed the experience for him. These lyrics aren't WOAMG amazing, but they're not bad at all for this point in the band's life. Remember, this is when they're still writing lyrics about the kind of random thoughts you have when you're riding in the backseat of some minivan rolling through the desert.



Really, I wish I had more to say about this song (the write-ups should begin to get longer soon). It's just that it's basically the same (good) idea repeated for six minutes, and it simply outstays its welcome. Taken as a part of Long Drive, this is a vital song that adds to the atmosphere. Taken as its own song, it's a good but not great piece of moody Modest Mouse.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Rows of lights to illuminate lines / Why don't they turn them off and let us see night? OHIIIIIIIIIIIIO!!!This Is a Long Drive has a bunch of these long-ish songs scattered through the middle of it, that all kind of run together (in a good way) when the album is playing, but which, of course, have to be looked at on their own merits for this list. This (the first of two state-titled songs on the list) one is the first to go, because it kind of drags on a little too long and gets repetitive. Even so, it has its good points, and in the right mood it really sounds great. The kind of quiet banjo is a nice touch, and the guitars sound appropriately dreamy and reverb-y.Listening to this song and the lyrics, I kind of get the idea that Ohio kind of...sucks (I've never been there, even though it's not that far off). This seems to be one of the first songs where Isaac laments urban sprawl, which is an idea he would expand up on a lot in later records (especially LCW). See lyrics like "Rows of lights to illuminate lines / Why don't they turn them off and let us see night?". The singer just wants to spend a quiet, starry night on a midwestern farm somewhere, but the big bad city's reach and chaos have killed the experience for him. These lyrics aren't WOAMG amazing, but they're not bad at all for this point in the band's life. Remember, this is when they're still writing lyrics about the kind of random thoughts you have when you're riding in the backseat of some minivan rolling through the desert.Really, I wish I had more to say about this song (the write-ups should begin to get longer soon). It's just that it's basically the same (good) idea repeated for six minutes, and it simply outstays its welcome. Taken as a part of Long Drive, this is a vital song that adds to the atmosphere. Taken as its own song, it's a good but not great piece of moody Modest Mouse.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y80lllUrOmI&feature=related Lyrical Highlight: Rows of lights to illuminate lines / Why don't they turn them off and let us see night?

OHIIIIIIIIIIIIO!!!



This Is a Long Drive has a bunch of these long-ish songs scattered through the middle of it, that all kind of run together (in a good way) when the album is playing, but which, of course, have to be looked at on their own merits for this list. This (the first of two state-titled songs on the list) one is the first to go, because it kind of drags on a little too long and gets repetitive. Even so, it has its good points, and in the right mood it really sounds great. The kind of quiet banjo is a nice touch, and the guitars sound appropriately dreamy and reverb-y.



Listening to this song and the lyrics, I kind of get the idea that Ohio kind of...sucks (I've never been there, even though it's not that far off). This seems to be one of the first songs where Isaac laments urban sprawl, which is an idea he would expand up on a lot in later records (especially LCW). See lyrics like "Rows of lights to illuminate lines / Why don't they turn them off and let us see night?". The singer just wants to spend a quiet, starry night on a midwestern farm somewhere, but the big bad city's reach and chaos have killed the experience for him. These lyrics aren't WOAMG amazing, but they're not bad at all for this point in the band's life. Remember, this is when they're still writing lyrics about the kind of random thoughts you have when you're riding in the backseat of some minivan rolling through the desert.



Really, I wish I had more to say about this song (the write-ups should begin to get longer soon). It's just that it's basically the same (good) idea repeated for six minutes, and it simply outstays its welcome. Taken as a part of Long Drive, this is a vital song that adds to the atmosphere. Taken as its own song, it's a good but not great piece of moody Modest Mouse.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y80lllUrOmI&feature=related



Lyrical Highlight: Rows of lights to illuminate lines / Why don't they turn them off and let us see night?

79

79. 79. Jesus Christ Was an Only Child: The Lonesome Crowded West







There's nothing "rock" about song. It's all acoustic guitar and fiddle(!). Though there is that weird thing in the background that kind of sounds like Daffy Duck. In fact that, kind of brings the song down, but since this is Modest Mouse, I guess little weird things like that are bound to happen. I like the little breakdown at the end when everything speeds up and it's just the fiddle before it all ends. It's a simple song musically, something different for the band, but I really think it would be interesting if they tried more songs that sound like this.



Isaac's lyrics seem to be religiously-based here (hence the title). I've always thought Isaac had a certain fascination for religion and God and spirituality, even if he's not a believer. He sure likes to talk about it a lot, and not always in an explicitly negative way (though that is true some of the time). Now as to exactly what the message here is...I'm still not totally sure. But I do know I like the line "Should have insured that planet before it crashed". Don't know why, it's just that kind of wordplay and simple imagery and half-sarcastic philosophizing is a big part of why I love Modest Mouse.



Then there's the lyric down there at the bottom, about internet cash. I have no idea what that line has to do with the rest of the song (it seems kind of random), but it's another one of Isaac's simple observations on modern life- how we supposedly work so hard all day, but yet we don't realize how easy we've got it sitting on our asses all day, thanks to the wonders of technology (the same wonders, ironically, that are allowing me to make this very list!).



Wow, I had a lot of good things to say about this song. So why is it only at #79? Because Modest Mouse have 78 songs that are even better!



YouTube Link: So, THIS is what it would sound like if Modest Mouse were a country/western band. I really do like this song. It's so bouncy and breezy, a nice break from the long (but amazing, don't get me wrong) heavy jams that dominate much of this album. But looking at what it has to compete with, it's easy to understand why it usually gets forgotten in comparison to other things on LCW.There's nothing "rock" about song. It's all acoustic guitar and fiddle(!). Though there is that weird thing in the background that kind of sounds like Daffy Duck. In fact that, kind of brings the song down, but since this is Modest Mouse, I guess little weird things like that are bound to happen. I like the little breakdown at the end when everything speeds up and it's just the fiddle before it all ends. It's a simple song musically, something different for the band, but I really think it would be interesting if they tried more songs that sound like this.Isaac's lyrics seem to be religiously-based here (hence the title). I've always thought Isaac had a certain fascination for religion and God and spirituality, even if he's not a believer. He sure likes to talk about it a lot, and not always in an explicitly negative way (though that is true some of the time). Now as to exactly what the message here is...I'm still not totally sure. But I do know I like the line "Should have insured that planet before it crashed". Don't know why, it's just that kind of wordplay and simple imagery and half-sarcastic philosophizing is a big part of why I love Modest Mouse.Then there's the lyric down there at the bottom, about internet cash. I have no idea what that line has to do with the rest of the song (it seems kind of random), but it's another one of Isaac's simple observations on modern life- how we supposedly work so hard all day, but yet we don't realize how easy we've got it sitting on our asses all day, thanks to the wonders of technology (the same wonders, ironically, that are allowing me to make this very list!).Wow, I had a lot of good things to say about this song. So why is it only at #79? Because Modest Mouse have 78 songs that are even better!YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeUBJmlC8us

So, THIS is what it would sound like if Modest Mouse were a country/western band. I really do like this song. It's so bouncy and breezy, a nice break from the long (but amazing, don't get me wrong) heavy jams that dominate much of this album. But looking at what it has to compete with, it's easy to understand why it usually gets forgotten in comparison to other things on LCW.



There's nothing "rock" about song. It's all acoustic guitar and fiddle(!). Though there is that weird thing in the background that kind of sounds like Daffy Duck. In fact that, kind of brings the song down, but since this is Modest Mouse, I guess little weird things like that are bound to happen. I like the little breakdown at the end when everything speeds up and it's just the fiddle before it all ends. It's a simple song musically, something different for the band, but I really think it would be interesting if they tried more songs that sound like this.



Isaac's lyrics seem to be religiously-based here (hence the title). I've always thought Isaac had a certain fascination for religion and God and spirituality, even if he's not a believer. He sure likes to talk about it a lot, and not always in an explicitly negative way (though that is true some of the time). Now as to exactly what the message here is...I'm still not totally sure. But I do know I like the line "Should have insured that planet before it crashed". Don't know why, it's just that kind of wordplay and simple imagery and half-sarcastic philosophizing is a big part of why I love Modest Mouse.



Then there's the lyric down there at the bottom, about internet cash. I have no idea what that line has to do with the rest of the song (it seems kind of random), but it's another one of Isaac's simple observations on modern life- how we supposedly work so hard all day, but yet we don't realize how easy we've got it sitting on our asses all day, thanks to the wonders of technology (the same wonders, ironically, that are allowing me to make this very list!).



Wow, I had a lot of good things to say about this song. So why is it only at #79? Because Modest Mouse have 78 songs that are even better!



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeUBJmlC8us

78

78. 78. She Ionizes & Atomizes: This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About







Anyway, the first thing that grabs you in this song is the opening vocals. In contrast to the low, spacey guitars and percussion, Isaac opens by spitting and growling his way through, "She iy-oh-ny-zes!! And ah-tom-y-ze-eh-eh-ehs!!" in a way that it's almost hard to tell what he's going on about at first.



I suppose the metaphor Isaac is going for here is to compare these lovers' relationship to florescent light bulbs. Where artificial light is just "empty" (as the song says, "florescent light bulbs will make an absence of dark / But the light just ain't there", and "florescent lights will always equal empty"), sunlight is the only "real" light, the only kind that truly qualifies as light. And their relationship has become the empty, superficial florescent kind, as opposed to the fulfilling sunlight which it once was.



Got all that? It took me a while to get it all, but really it's not a bad metaphor. My main complaint about this song would have to be that the vocals are kind of off (the opening is attention-getting, but still sort of obnoxious), and that, like some of this album, it drags, even though it only clocks in at 4 1/2 minutes. I would also encourage Modest Mouse never to expect a sponsorship from the light bulb industry.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Florescent light bulbs will make an absence of dark / But the light just ain't there A geek love song if I ever heard one. At it's heart, this is an observational love song about a couple going through trying times, but Isaac peppers it with scientific references and tangents about florescent lights. It doesn't feel sad, really- more observational and brainy. It sounds like a nerd trying his best to sound angsty and emotional, but he just can't quite muster it. (I never thought of Isaac Brock as a nerd, however).Anyway, the first thing that grabs you in this song is the opening vocals. In contrast to the low, spacey guitars and percussion, Isaac opens by spitting and growling his way through, "She iy-oh-ny-zes!! And ah-tom-y-ze-eh-eh-ehs!!" in a way that it's almost hard to tell what he's going on about at first.I suppose the metaphor Isaac is going for here is to compare these lovers' relationship to florescent light bulbs. Where artificial light is just "empty" (as the song says, "florescent light bulbs will make an absence of dark / But the light just ain't there", and "florescent lights will always equal empty"), sunlight is the only "real" light, the only kind that truly qualifies as light. And their relationship has become the empty, superficial florescent kind, as opposed to the fulfilling sunlight which it once was.Got all that? It took me a while to get it all, but really it's not a bad metaphor. My main complaint about this song would have to be that the vocals are kind of off (the opening is attention-getting, but still sort of obnoxious), and that, like some of this album, it drags, even though it only clocks in at 4 1/2 minutes. I would also encourage Modest Mouse never to expect a sponsorship from the light bulb industry.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdTnIHkjecA Lyrical Highlight: Florescent light bulbs will make an absence of dark / But the light just ain't there

A geek love song if I ever heard one. At it's heart, this is an observational love song about a couple going through trying times, but Isaac peppers it with scientific references and tangents about florescent lights. It doesn't feel sad, really- more observational and brainy. It sounds like a nerd trying his best to sound angsty and emotional, but he just can't quite muster it. (I never thought of Isaac Brock as a nerd, however).



Anyway, the first thing that grabs you in this song is the opening vocals. In contrast to the low, spacey guitars and percussion, Isaac opens by spitting and growling his way through, "She iy-oh-ny-zes!! And ah-tom-y-ze-eh-eh-ehs!!" in a way that it's almost hard to tell what he's going on about at first.



I suppose the metaphor Isaac is going for here is to compare these lovers' relationship to florescent light bulbs. Where artificial light is just "empty" (as the song says, "florescent light bulbs will make an absence of dark / But the light just ain't there", and "florescent lights will always equal empty"), sunlight is the only "real" light, the only kind that truly qualifies as light. And their relationship has become the empty, superficial florescent kind, as opposed to the fulfilling sunlight which it once was.



Got all that? It took me a while to get it all, but really it's not a bad metaphor. My main complaint about this song would have to be that the vocals are kind of off (the opening is attention-getting, but still sort of obnoxious), and that, like some of this album, it drags, even though it only clocks in at 4 1/2 minutes. I would also encourage Modest Mouse never to expect a sponsorship from the light bulb industry.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdTnIHkjecA



Lyrical Highlight: Florescent light bulbs will make an absence of dark / But the light just ain't there

77

77. 77. Perfect Disguise: The Moon & Antarctica







But by no means is it bad. It's just that...well, there's not a lot to say about it. The music is mostly low-key and atmospheric, pretty typical stuff for this album. Also typical for this album is Isaac's lyrical content, a combination of bitterness and reflectiveness. Actually, these lyrics are some of the more bitter on the album, which is saying something. The singer is confronting an adversary of his, who has "cocked [their] heard to shoot me down", apparently so they can move up in status. I always saw it as a stab at shallowness and our culture, which encourages people to knock others out of the way to obtain their own selfish goals.



Then again, this is Isaac Brock we're talking about here, so he probably doesn't even know what this song is about.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Because you cocked your head to shoot me down, down / And I don't give a damn about you or this town no more Well, look who finally showed up! Yes, it's true. The worst song from The Moon & Antarctica is still better than a full fifth of the group's discography. It was a tough fight for last place between this and a certain other tune that will fall off the list soon, but this one "won" in the end, mostly because it kind of feels like an interlude of sorts. Maybe that's because it comes immediately after one of the biggest 1-2-3 Punches in the band's discography, and proceeds another mountain of great songs, or maybe because it's on the short side, but there you go.But by no means is it bad. It's just that...well, there's not a lot to say about it. The music is mostly low-key and atmospheric, pretty typical stuff for this album. Also typical for this album is Isaac's lyrical content, a combination of bitterness and reflectiveness. Actually, these lyrics are some of the more bitter on the album, which is saying something. The singer is confronting an adversary of his, who has "cocked [their] heard to shoot me down", apparently so they can move up in status. I always saw it as a stab at shallowness and our culture, which encourages people to knock others out of the way to obtain their own selfish goals.Then again, this is Isaac Brock we're talking about here, so he probably doesn't even know what this song is about.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNUsV4knxTM Lyrical Highlight: Because you cocked your head to shoot me down, down / And I don't give a damn about you or this town no more

Well, look who finally showed up! Yes, it's true. The worst song from The Moon & Antarctica is still better than a full fifth of the group's discography. It was a tough fight for last place between this and a certain other tune that will fall off the list soon, but this one "won" in the end, mostly because it kind of feels like an interlude of sorts. Maybe that's because it comes immediately after one of the biggest 1-2-3 Punches in the band's discography, and proceeds another mountain of great songs, or maybe because it's on the short side, but there you go.



But by no means is it bad. It's just that...well, there's not a lot to say about it. The music is mostly low-key and atmospheric, pretty typical stuff for this album. Also typical for this album is Isaac's lyrical content, a combination of bitterness and reflectiveness. Actually, these lyrics are some of the more bitter on the album, which is saying something. The singer is confronting an adversary of his, who has "cocked [their] heard to shoot me down", apparently so they can move up in status. I always saw it as a stab at shallowness and our culture, which encourages people to knock others out of the way to obtain their own selfish goals.



Then again, this is Isaac Brock we're talking about here, so he probably doesn't even know what this song is about.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNUsV4knxTM



Lyrical Highlight: Because you cocked your head to shoot me down, down / And I don't give a damn about you or this town no more

76

76. 76. Invisible: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank







Fortunately, it's a little better than other poppish stuff like We've Got Everything, because it's a little rougher around the edges. It's pop influenced, sure, but it doesn't sound like something your local Top 40 DJ would reach for. And so the band sound more comfortable and at home here.



It begins with some fast-beating drums that fade in, then the guitars take over and it all explodes into a dance party freakout. Isaac spits these vocals furiously, and this is probably one of his stronger vocal performances on WWD. Then he gets less abrasive for the chorus ("It's like the saline tea...").



The lyrics here are really influenced by the nautical theme of this album, especially the chorus:



I like the saline tea

Well, it's true that the moon can pull it

Back and forth away from me

And there's the orphaned sea

We were never invisible, but that I guess we didn't see



The "saline tea" would be the ocean I'm guessing, and of course the moon pulls the tides back and forth. He seems to be singing about his love for the ocean. The rest of the lyrics are more obscure, but I like the interpretation that the song has to do with the environment, specifically climate change. Isaac says we're not invisible inside our cars, while we're on some consuming sort of mission. Our cars are part of this problem, and before we know it, we've dug our own grave and harmed Mother Nature. But my favorite line of the song is the final one (and thus of the album):



We'll get crushed by the ocean, but it will not get us wet



That kind of sums up the album to me. The ocean will have its revenge on us for the way we treat it. What a way to end such a water-centic album, huh? Not a very comforting prophecy. Now as for the "it will not get us wet" part, I honestly don't know. That could have a million different meanings, and your guess is as good as mine. But I tell you, if this is supposed to be about the end of the world, it sure is fun!



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: We'll get crushed by the ocean, but it will not get us wet This schizophrenic blast ensures that We Were Dead ends on an upbeat note, if not necessarily a memorable one. I truthfully kind of forget about this song sometimes when listening to this album- it kind of breezes right by after People as Places as People, and before I even realize it, the record is over! That may have something to do with the fact that it sounds a lot like the rest of the album- it's another dance-flavored rock number, with bouncy guitars and "ooohoooh" background vocals and rambling lyrics. I still have to listen kind of hard to get into it, which is not a good thing, but I like it more now than I did at first.Fortunately, it's a little better than other poppish stuff like We've Got Everything, because it's a little rougher around the edges. It's pop influenced, sure, but it doesn't sound like something your local Top 40 DJ would reach for. And so the band sound more comfortable and at home here.It begins with some fast-beating drums that fade in, then the guitars take over and it all explodes into a dance party freakout. Isaac spits these vocals furiously, and this is probably one of his stronger vocal performances on WWD. Then he gets less abrasive for the chorus ("It's like the saline tea...").The lyrics here are really influenced by the nautical theme of this album, especially the chorus:I like the saline teaWell, it's true that the moon can pull itBack and forth away from meAnd there's the orphaned seaWe were never invisible, but that I guess we didn't seeThe "saline tea" would be the ocean I'm guessing, and of course the moon pulls the tides back and forth. He seems to be singing about his love for the ocean. The rest of the lyrics are more obscure, but I like the interpretation that the song has to do with the environment, specifically climate change. Isaac says we're not invisible inside our cars, while we're on some consuming sort of mission. Our cars are part of this problem, and before we know it, we've dug our own grave and harmed Mother Nature. But my favorite line of the song is the final one (and thus of the album):We'll get crushed by the ocean, but it will not get us wetThat kind of sums up the album to me. The ocean will have its revenge on us for the way we treat it. What a way to end such a water-centic album, huh? Not a very comforting prophecy. Now as for the "it will not get us wet" part, I honestly don't know. That could have a million different meanings, and your guess is as good as mine. But I tell you, if this is supposed to be about the end of the world, it sure is fun!YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz88Rz2raog Lyrical Highlight: We'll get crushed by the ocean, but it will not get us wet

This schizophrenic blast ensures that We Were Dead ends on an upbeat note, if not necessarily a memorable one. I truthfully kind of forget about this song sometimes when listening to this album- it kind of breezes right by after People as Places as People, and before I even realize it, the record is over! That may have something to do with the fact that it sounds a lot like the rest of the album- it's another dance-flavored rock number, with bouncy guitars and "ooohoooh" background vocals and rambling lyrics. I still have to listen kind of hard to get into it, which is not a good thing, but I like it more now than I did at first.



Fortunately, it's a little better than other poppish stuff like We've Got Everything, because it's a little rougher around the edges. It's pop influenced, sure, but it doesn't sound like something your local Top 40 DJ would reach for. And so the band sound more comfortable and at home here.



It begins with some fast-beating drums that fade in, then the guitars take over and it all explodes into a dance party freakout. Isaac spits these vocals furiously, and this is probably one of his stronger vocal performances on WWD. Then he gets less abrasive for the chorus ("It's like the saline tea...").



The lyrics here are really influenced by the nautical theme of this album, especially the chorus:



I like the saline tea

Well, it's true that the moon can pull it

Back and forth away from me

And there's the orphaned sea

We were never invisible, but that I guess we didn't see



The "saline tea" would be the ocean I'm guessing, and of course the moon pulls the tides back and forth. He seems to be singing about his love for the ocean. The rest of the lyrics are more obscure, but I like the interpretation that the song has to do with the environment, specifically climate change. Isaac says we're not invisible inside our cars, while we're on some consuming sort of mission. Our cars are part of this problem, and before we know it, we've dug our own grave and harmed Mother Nature. But my favorite line of the song is the final one (and thus of the album):



We'll get crushed by the ocean, but it will not get us wet



That kind of sums up the album to me. The ocean will have its revenge on us for the way we treat it. What a way to end such a water-centic album, huh? Not a very comforting prophecy. Now as for the "it will not get us wet" part, I honestly don't know. That could have a million different meanings, and your guess is as good as mine. But I tell you, if this is supposed to be about the end of the world, it sure is fun!



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz88Rz2raog



Lyrical Highlight: We'll get crushed by the ocean, but it will not get us wet

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75

75. 75. Space Travel Is Boring: This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About







There are several different ideas in here that could, on their own, make for interesting songs. There's the opening fast drum part, there's the more anthemic rock part that follows that, there's the more traditional (for this album, anyway) slow, meandering guitar part that makes up the second half of the song. In a way, this song is a summation of the musical ideas from the rest of the album, from the frantic feelings of stuff like Exit Does Not Exist to the long, jammy Beach Side Property to the more straight-ahead rock of Breakthrough.



Even so, and even though I admire this song a lot for what it is, I have a couple major gripes with it. First, and most obviously, it's too short. I think a song centered around being in space and the isolation involved could have made for an excellent song on this album, but this little ditty tacked on at the end just doesn't develop the idea enough. Which leads me to my other complaint- it doesn't fit as an album closer, IMO. I think the record would sound much better ending with Make Everyone Happy/Mechanical Birds, and just letting this be somewhere else on the record to break up the monotony somewhere.



So, conclusion: It's a fun punkish song, a neat relic from the early days of Modest Mouse, and kind of underrated. But what's here is evidence that it could have been much more.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: I'm shot to the moon / Been there a half an hour and I want to come home soon This is without a doubt the best of the short (i.e. under 3 minutes) songs on Long Drive. It's spastic and energetic, and it feels longer and more interesting than its <2 minutes, because there's so much crammed into this tiny space.There are several different ideas in here that could, on their own, make for interesting songs. There's the opening fast drum part, there's the more anthemic rock part that follows that, there's the more traditional (for this album, anyway) slow, meandering guitar part that makes up the second half of the song. In a way, this song is a summation of the musical ideas from the rest of the album, from the frantic feelings of stuff like Exit Does Not Exist to the long, jammy Beach Side Property to the more straight-ahead rock of Breakthrough.Even so, and even though I admire this song a lot for what it is, I have a couple major gripes with it. First, and most obviously, it's too short. I think a song centered around being in space and the isolation involved could have made for an excellent song on this album, but this little ditty tacked on at the end just doesn't develop the idea enough. Which leads me to my other complaint- it doesn't fit as an album closer, IMO. I think the record would sound much better ending with Make Everyone Happy/Mechanical Birds, and just letting this be somewhere else on the record to break up the monotony somewhere.So, conclusion: It's a fun punkish song, a neat relic from the early days of Modest Mouse, and kind of underrated. But what's here is evidence that it could have been much more.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t5cTBuA3yg Lyrical Highlight: I'm shot to the moon / Been there a half an hour and I want to come home soon

This is without a doubt the best of the short (i.e. under 3 minutes) songs on Long Drive. It's spastic and energetic, and it feels longer and more interesting than its <2 minutes, because there's so much crammed into this tiny space.



There are several different ideas in here that could, on their own, make for interesting songs. There's the opening fast drum part, there's the more anthemic rock part that follows that, there's the more traditional (for this album, anyway) slow, meandering guitar part that makes up the second half of the song. In a way, this song is a summation of the musical ideas from the rest of the album, from the frantic feelings of stuff like Exit Does Not Exist to the long, jammy Beach Side Property to the more straight-ahead rock of Breakthrough.



Even so, and even though I admire this song a lot for what it is, I have a couple major gripes with it. First, and most obviously, it's too short. I think a song centered around being in space and the isolation involved could have made for an excellent song on this album, but this little ditty tacked on at the end just doesn't develop the idea enough. Which leads me to my other complaint- it doesn't fit as an album closer, IMO. I think the record would sound much better ending with Make Everyone Happy/Mechanical Birds, and just letting this be somewhere else on the record to break up the monotony somewhere.



So, conclusion: It's a fun punkish song, a neat relic from the early days of Modest Mouse, and kind of underrated. But what's here is evidence that it could have been much more.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t5cTBuA3yg



Lyrical Highlight: I'm shot to the moon / Been there a half an hour and I want to come home soon

74

74. 74. Out of Gas: The Lonesome Crowded West







Out of gas

Out of road

Out of car

I don't know how I'm going to go and

I had a drink the other day

Opinions were like kittens

I was giving them away

I had a drink the other day

I had a lot to say



That is basically the extent of the lyrical content of this song, along with the "You will come down soon, too" chorus. The lyrics aren't fantastic, but they do a good job of characterizing the hopeless and empty, abandoned feeling that is predominant on this album. "Out of gas, out of road, out of car"...this guy's pretty much fucked, isn't he? He's stranded, got nothing left in life. So what does he do? He drinks, of course! And then he goes and more or less flips the world the bird, spouting off his opinions like he's giving away kittens.



This is one of Isaac's drunken rant sort of songs, but it's on the better end of those, because you actually feel some sympathy for the angry, bitter guy in the song. It's not a very classy or fancy song, but it has that humble, unpretentious white trash thing about it that makes The Lonesome Crowded West so charming.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: I had a drink the other day / Opinions were like kittens, I was giving them away This is another one of the less memorable songs on The Lonesome Crowded West, but it still has something to add to the theme of the album. The lyrics are just the same verse repeated twice, with the very repetitive but oddly catchy chorus being the focal point of the song. Let's take a look at some of these lyrics:Out of gasOut of roadOut of carI don't know how I'm going to go andI had a drink the other dayOpinions were like kittensI was giving them awayI had a drink the other dayI had a lot to sayThat is basically the extent of the lyrical content of this song, along with the "You will come down soon, too" chorus. The lyrics aren't fantastic, but they do a good job of characterizing the hopeless and empty, abandoned feeling that is predominant on this album. "Out of gas, out of road, out of car"...this guy's pretty much fucked, isn't he? He's stranded, got nothing left in life. So what does he do? He drinks, of course! And then he goes and more or less flips the world the bird, spouting off his opinions like he's giving away kittens.This is one of Isaac's drunken rant sort of songs, but it's on the better end of those, because you actually feel some sympathy for the angry, bitter guy in the song. It's not a very classy or fancy song, but it has that humble, unpretentious white trash thing about it that makes The Lonesome Crowded West so charming.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_heR2ekoxI Lyrical Highlight: I had a drink the other day / Opinions were like kittens, I was giving them away

This is another one of the less memorable songs on The Lonesome Crowded West, but it still has something to add to the theme of the album. The lyrics are just the same verse repeated twice, with the very repetitive but oddly catchy chorus being the focal point of the song. Let's take a look at some of these lyrics:



Out of gas

Out of road

Out of car

I don't know how I'm going to go and

I had a drink the other day

Opinions were like kittens

I was giving them away

I had a drink the other day

I had a lot to say



That is basically the extent of the lyrical content of this song, along with the "You will come down soon, too" chorus. The lyrics aren't fantastic, but they do a good job of characterizing the hopeless and empty, abandoned feeling that is predominant on this album. "Out of gas, out of road, out of car"...this guy's pretty much fucked, isn't he? He's stranded, got nothing left in life. So what does he do? He drinks, of course! And then he goes and more or less flips the world the bird, spouting off his opinions like he's giving away kittens.



This is one of Isaac's drunken rant sort of songs, but it's on the better end of those, because you actually feel some sympathy for the angry, bitter guy in the song. It's not a very classy or fancy song, but it has that humble, unpretentious white trash thing about it that makes The Lonesome Crowded West so charming.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_heR2ekoxI



Lyrical Highlight: I had a drink the other day / Opinions were like kittens, I was giving them away

73

73. 73. Fire It Up: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank







First off, sorry stoners the world over, but no, this song is not about lighting one up. Or at least that's what Isaac said in an interview, that it wasn't supposed to have anything to do with the heavenly hash. Instead, it is about firing up the car and traveling the world. But hey, this is Modest Mouse. If you want this song to be your stoner anthem, knock yourself out.



As for my opinion of the song. I find it mildly annoying and repetitive, but the beginning is cool, and this was one of the first songs that musically stood out to me when I first listened to WWD. Since then, my opinion of it has fallen quite a bit. Going just by that intro, it could be a stoner song. Pretty cool and groovy, something different for MM, even on this album where they tried just about everything. It took me forever to figure out what Isaac is chanting there at the intro, too. Turns out it's "etceteranough". Yeah, I get it, a combination of "etcetera" and "enough". But as to what it means, don't ask me. Probably something Isaac thought up when he was stoned, incidentally.



I really don't have a lot else to say about this song honestly, because I don't like it that much. But I can see that objectively it's a good straight-ahead groovy rock song that doesn't do much special, but manages not to sound awful, either. And looking back at these lyrics, on second thought, I think Isaac is full of shit. This song is definitely about hitting the bong.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: Oh, we ate all of the oranges / Off the navels of our lovers / Grabbed a book and read the cover This is the last of what I consider We Were Dead's "low tier" songs. All of the songs off this album after this one are considerably better to me, and there's a pretty wide gap between this song and the next tune from WWD that will get knocked off.First off, sorry stoners the world over, but no, this song is not about lighting one up. Or at least that's what Isaac said in an interview, that it wasn't supposed to have anything to do with the heavenly hash. Instead, it is about firing up the car and traveling the world. But hey, this is Modest Mouse. If you want this song to be your stoner anthem, knock yourself out.As for my opinion of the song. I find it mildly annoying and repetitive, but the beginning is cool, and this was one of the first songs that musically stood out to me when I first listened to WWD. Since then, my opinion of it has fallen quite a bit. Going just by that intro, it could be a stoner song. Pretty cool and groovy, something different for MM, even on this album where they tried just about everything. It took me forever to figure out what Isaac is chanting there at the intro, too. Turns out it's "etceteranough". Yeah, I get it, a combination of "etcetera" and "enough". But as to what it means, don't ask me. Probably something Isaac thought up when he was stoned, incidentally.I really don't have a lot else to say about this song honestly, because I don't like it that much. But I can see that objectively it's a good straight-ahead groovy rock song that doesn't do much special, but manages not to sound awful, either. And looking back at these lyrics, on second thought, I think Isaac is full of shit. This song is definitely about hitting the bong.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6DjyXQl7L8 Lyrical Highlight: Oh, we ate all of the oranges / Off the navels of our lovers / Grabbed a book and read the cover

This is the last of what I consider We Were Dead's "low tier" songs. All of the songs off this album after this one are considerably better to me, and there's a pretty wide gap between this song and the next tune from WWD that will get knocked off.



First off, sorry stoners the world over, but no, this song is not about lighting one up. Or at least that's what Isaac said in an interview, that it wasn't supposed to have anything to do with the heavenly hash. Instead, it is about firing up the car and traveling the world. But hey, this is Modest Mouse. If you want this song to be your stoner anthem, knock yourself out.



As for my opinion of the song. I find it mildly annoying and repetitive, but the beginning is cool, and this was one of the first songs that musically stood out to me when I first listened to WWD. Since then, my opinion of it has fallen quite a bit. Going just by that intro, it could be a stoner song. Pretty cool and groovy, something different for MM, even on this album where they tried just about everything. It took me forever to figure out what Isaac is chanting there at the intro, too. Turns out it's "etceteranough". Yeah, I get it, a combination of "etcetera" and "enough". But as to what it means, don't ask me. Probably something Isaac thought up when he was stoned, incidentally.



I really don't have a lot else to say about this song honestly, because I don't like it that much. But I can see that objectively it's a good straight-ahead groovy rock song that doesn't do much special, but manages not to sound awful, either. And looking back at these lyrics, on second thought, I think Isaac is full of shit. This song is definitely about hitting the bong.



YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6DjyXQl7L8



Lyrical Highlight: Oh, we ate all of the oranges / Off the navels of our lovers / Grabbed a book and read the cover

72

72. 72. Wild Packs of Family Dogs: The Moon & Antarctica







It's very low-key for this album (to say nothing of its shortness), with only Isaac, an acoustic guitar, what sounds like a harmonica, and little else. The focus here is all on the lyrics. And these lyrics are...cryptic, to say the least. For example, in the first verse:



A wild pack of family dogs came running through the yard one day

My father got his gun, shot it up, they ran away, OK

A wild pack of family dogs came running through the yard

And as my own dog ran away with them

I didn't say much of anything at all



My interpretation of this song is as another one of Issac's musings on death and mortality, which abound on this record. We see the narrator losing people around him- his dog, his sister (who gets eaten by the dogs), and finally, himself. It certainly doesn't seem to affect him much. The whole thing has basically a matter-of-fact, observational tone, not an emotional or soppy one.



Since the song is short and cryptic, and it's sandwiched among songs that are far more memorable, it kind of gets lost in the shuffle of the album. But I'd say it's a fairly important song, and it serves as a quiet, meditating break from the epics on TM&A.



YouTube Link:



Lyrical Highlight: I'm sitting outside by my mudlake / Waiting for the pack to take me away / And right after I die /The dogs start floating up towards the glowing sky Ah, contrary to some of your predictions earlier in the topic, the song that sparred with Perfect Disguise for the bottom spot on TM&A was not What People Are Made Of, but this one. It's definitely better than Perfect Disguise, though, but as much as I like it, I can't bring myself to place it any higher than this.It's very low-key for this album (to say nothing of its shortness), with only Isaac, an acoustic guitar, what sounds like a harmonica, and little else. The focus here is all on the lyrics. And these lyrics are...cryptic, to say the least. For example, in the first verse:A wild pack of family dogs came running through the yard one dayMy father got his gun, shot it up, they ran away, OKA wild pack of family dogs came running through the yardAnd as my own dog ran away with themI didn't say much of anything at allMy interpretation of this song is as another one of Issac's musings on death and mortality, which abound on this record. We see the narrator losing people around him- his dog, his sister (who gets eaten by the dogs), and finally, himself. It certainly doesn't seem to affect him much. The whole thing has basically a matter-of-fact, observational tone, not an emotional or soppy one.Since the song is short and cryptic, and it's sandwiched among songs that are far more memorable, it kind of gets lost in the shuffle of the album. But I'd say it's a fairly important song, and it serves as a quiet, meditating break from the epics on TM&A.YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FOkY4IakPs Lyrical Highlight: I'm sitting outside by my mudlake / Waiting for the pack to take me away / And right after I die /The dogs start floating up towards the glowing sky

Ah, contrary to some of your predictions earlier in the topic, the song that sparred with Perfect Disguise for the bottom spot on TM&A was not What People Are Made Of, but this one. It's definitely better than Perfect Disguise, though, but as much as I like it, I can't bring myself to place it any higher than this.



It's very low-key for this album (to say nothing of its shortness), with only Isaac, an acoustic guitar, what sounds like a harmonica, and little else. The focus here is all on the lyrics. And these lyrics are...cryptic, to say the least. For example, in the first verse:



A wild pack of family dogs came running through the yard one day

My father got his gun, shot it up, they ran away, OK

A wild pack of family dogs came running through the yard

And as my own dog ran away with them

I didn't say much of anything at all



My interpretation of this song is as another one of Issac's musings on death and mortality, which abound on this record. We see the narrator losing people around him- his dog, his sister (who gets eaten by the dogs), and finally, himself. It certainly doesn't seem to affect him muc