It may seem redundant that I constantly refer to Modest Mouse and feature them in so many song referrals and what not but I can’t help but hype up my favorite band who actually killed it for many years before people had any idea who they were, including myself. The band had released a full length and two EP’s before releasing arguably their most accomplished and recognized album in The Lonesome Crowded West. The album has been on many top 100 Indie albums lists and with good reason because this album is packed with hits and great songs that many people who enjoy the band have never checked out.
The album starts off the with 7 minute beast and one of my top 5 favorite MM songs with ”Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine”. If you could sum up Modest Mouse’s song in one song it would have to be this song considering it shows every style the band is influenced by. The song just builds you up to lead you into an awesome break down for the rest of the song and just really gets your ready for the rest of the album. The next song which is “Heart Cooks Brain” a radio friendly throw back that gets played from time to time. You get through some great songs to come to a live favorite with “Doin’ The Cockroach” which is a weird song but it makes you going crazy during the concert when they start ripping into the song.
Midway through the album your feeling pretty good and getting everything thrown at you that Modest Mouse would be known for in years to come. You have the cult favorites in “Trailer Trash” and “Out of Gas” that don’t always get played live but make random appearances and have great sing along choruses. Isaac Brock the lead singer is setting the tone for his legacy in the Indie Rock genre by writing some of the best lyrics he’ll ever write. In the song “Out of Gas” he writes “Opinions were like kittens, I was givin them away.” Because you give opinions away and same with kittens, it’s hilarious and genius and he really does that when he writes along with writing alot of oxy moronic type verses. Even the title is an oxy moron and that really sets him apart from most lyric writer’s these days and is one of the reason’s Rolling Stone considers him one of the best lyricists in the past decade.
It’s not just the lead singer who makes the band because he is backed by some incredibly talented musicians who rip on the bass, drums, banjo, piano, violin, fiddle, accordian and every other possibly instrument you could think of. The music is so unique to what everyone is trying to do and I couldn’t even classify what they sound like because they are a mix of so many styles of music. Some songs have a punky feel to them when he screams and wails his guitar but a minute later in the song Isaac could be playing the banjo with a bluegrass feel going. The band has so much depth it’s incredible and even though this isn’t my favorite album by the band it definately is the most important album they have and is their Led Zeppelin IV if you will. If you enjoy Modest Mouse you need to pick this album up and I can’t guarantee you’ll love every song but their are some gems on this that any fan loves.
Tracklist:
