more mandatory music ...

well ladies - and there might be a couple of guys who read this blog, but i know who my audience really is - the papers are all handed in, one more week and then 2 finals, a week off, and the last one on the 12th of november! i am officially back from burrowing under in order to finish the semester and the first thing i did was ... my laundry. but the second thing i decided to do was ... get some sushi from my favorite sushi train, makoto, and then thirdly i came home and decided to write about some mandatory music.

it feels good to be writing about tunes again - so this week i have decided to go back nearly a decade to the millennium (thats 2000 for you aussies) in order to talk about modest mouses smash hit, 'the moon & antarctica'.

'the moon & antarctica' is probably my favorite modest mouse cd closely followed by 'good news for people who like bad news' and it did receive a 9.8 from the music geeks (elitists) at pitchfork. so what the hell lets do this...

the album kicks off with a 'third planet' which has such an innocent beginning but slowly picks up to introduce you to lead singer, issac brocks vocal range and his ability to sound melodic with a microphone and a bull horn. the soft opening theme thats playing on the creation of the world continues with the next track called 'gravity rides everything'. here the listener is introduced to the layered, multi percussion, rhythmic sound that is so central to modest mouses distinct post punk sound. following 'gravity' we are treated to the edgy and hallow opening of 'dark center of the universe' which starts off all hallow and innocent but then kicks your chair over and while standing over top of your body declares 'this is fucking modest mouse!'

the next section of the cd starts off with the banjo introduction of 'perfect disguise' a song filled with angst directed at someone who obviously hung brock out to dry. next track, 'tiny cities made of ashes' introduces the listeners to the choppy head bopping thumping angry rhythmic modest mouse that is so awesome that it makes me want to chain smoke camel lights while getting a full sleeve tattoo. sticking with the urban theme the next track on the album is called 'a different city'. 'different city' has that modest mouse cringing guitar set as the backdrop for some more pretty brock vocals.

'the cold part' is the next track whose full ensemble sound creates a very hallow vibe which exudes a fittingly cold ambiance. the next song 'alone down there' continues the slow, cold, and detached feeling that started with 'the cold part' which helps to link the two tracks together. 'the starts are projectors' is the longest track of the album clocking in at 8:47. the song starts off disjointed and confusing but transitions from this initial confusion and turns astral and reflexive in a stripped down acoustic setting. funny enough the longest track of the album proceeds the shortest track 'wild pack of family dogs' which is just shy of 2 minutes. this song really emulates the upbeat and sing a long chilled out nature that modest mouse can demonstrate from time to time. the next track is the one that you have probably heard before - its easy to love 'paper thin walls' - i know i love it. the last song that i need to tell you about is 'lives' which starts out rather melodramatic but after the 1:26 mark the song turns out to be some of the most beautiful modest mouse out there.

let me know what you think if you pick it up ...