Soundbites

Modest Mouse “Good News For People Who Love Bad
News” Sony

On their follow-up to the landmark “The Moon &
Antarctica,” Modest Mouse seem to be finished with images of
desolation. “Even if things get heavy, we’ll all float
on all right,” Isaac Brock sings in the chorus of the upbeat
“Float On.” “Good News For People Who Love Bad
News” is just that ““ an album of sunny discordant pop
by a kinder, gentler Modest Mouse. Many of the musical textures and
rough edges of their previous works have been smoothed out. Gone
are the Radiohead-like instrumental passages of “The Moon
& Antarctica,” as well as much of the grit of their
pre-major label music. What remains are Brock’s angular
melodies and chaotic guitars, though expert work by the rhythm
section keeps the songs confined to tight, three-minute pop
structures. Experimentation has taken a back seat to the new pop
sheen, which works best when Brock focuses on melody. The verse of
the longing “I’ve Got It All (Almost)” and the
tense rocker “The View” are striking examples of this
technique. Thankfully, Modest Mouse hasn’t forgotten its
roots entirely. “Please Bury Me With It” is reminiscent
of the old Modest Mouse, with Brock swearing amid a cacophony of
crashing cymbals and voices intoning the album title, as is the
Pixies-esque “Dance Hall.” The band is not afraid to
explore new dimensions in its sound, and one can only imagine what
this album could have been had the members not constrained
themselves. The song “Bukowski” is an eerie foray into
the Deep South, with banjos and a wavering cello conjuring up
visions of abandoned houses in the middle of the woods.
“Blame It On The Tetons” is a gorgeous alt-country
ballad which might just be Modest Mouse’s sweetest song ever.
When Brock sings, “Everyone’s a burning building / With
no one to put us out,” maybe Modest Mouse hasn’t
changed so much after all. -David Greenwald