Time capsule like God's shoeshine.
September 29, 2007 6:06 PM Subscribe
A previously unreleased documentary [Google video, 37 min.] of Modest Mouse shot during the recording sessions for their 1997 album The Lonesome Crowded West.
I truly love Modest Mouse from this era. Between 1996 & 2000 I don't think they wrote a bad song. But this documentary is awful... no one seems interested at all, no one cares, including the guy making it. He asks everyone the same questions, and each person gives off this hostile vibe like "what kind of dorky idiot is this." Calvin Johnson especially looks like he's going to punch the guy in the face.
No one says a damn thing that is remotely insightful or interesting. At least I figured Isaac Brock would act a little nuts, but he seems calm, if irritated. He looks amazingly thin, though. I'm used to the fat Isaac Brock by now.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 6:53 PM on September 29, 2007
No one says a damn thing that is remotely insightful or interesting. At least I figured Isaac Brock would act a little nuts, but he seems calm, if irritated. He looks amazingly thin, though. I'm used to the fat Isaac Brock by now.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 6:53 PM on September 29, 2007
He asks everyone the same questions, and each person gives off this hostile vibe like "what kind of dorky idiot is this." Calvin Johnson especially looks like he's going to punch the guy in the face.
But I think you have to admire the guy for making this video of them before they got big.
posted by jayder at 8:10 PM on September 29, 2007
But I think you have to admire the guy for making this video of them before they got big.
posted by jayder at 8:10 PM on September 29, 2007
Yeah, at this point only This Is A Long Drive... had been released. Interstate 8 may have been out by then as well, but even so. This was a crucial point for the band, and this guy, with perfect timing and (it seems) a good-enough relationship with the band and the surrounding Seattle music scene of the time, completely failed to do anything worthwhile with what was given to him.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 8:16 PM on September 29, 2007
posted by synaesthetichaze at 8:16 PM on September 29, 2007
This album was my introduction to Modest Mouse, recommended to me by one of my first teachers at college in the fall of 2001.
The documentary's okayish. You can see why it was never released.
The fact that it opens with them listening to the start of Homework, and it's not instantly recognized struck me as funnier than it probably is.
posted by sparkletone at 9:57 PM on September 29, 2007
The documentary's okayish. You can see why it was never released.
The fact that it opens with them listening to the start of Homework, and it's not instantly recognized struck me as funnier than it probably is.
posted by sparkletone at 9:57 PM on September 29, 2007
There was a time, mid 2000 to 2002, where every mix CD I made had back-to-back Modest Mouse's "Baby Blue Sedan" and the Beta Band's "Dry the Rain". I was damn-near evangelical.
What the hell changed in their music? The albums predating Good News were beautiful in their sparseness, soulful earnest and gripping. Everything since sounds like so much of everything else, with nothing to draw me in. Is it me?
Thanks for the link. It's an interesting find, but I'm having a hard time even wanting to watch it all.
posted by now i'm piste at 11:44 PM on September 29, 2007
What the hell changed in their music? The albums predating Good News were beautiful in their sparseness, soulful earnest and gripping. Everything since sounds like so much of everything else, with nothing to draw me in. Is it me?
Thanks for the link. It's an interesting find, but I'm having a hard time even wanting to watch it all.
posted by now i'm piste at 11:44 PM on September 29, 2007
I'm used to the fat Isaac Brock by now.
Enough time passes and even the kids get old, get jobs, and get guts.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:15 AM on September 30, 2007
Enough time passes and even the kids get old, get jobs, and get guts.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:15 AM on September 30, 2007
What the hell changed in their music? The albums predating Good News were beautiful in their sparseness, soulful earnest and gripping. Everything since sounds like so much of everything else, with nothing to draw me in. Is it me?
No, it's a sentiment widely shared in the MM community. The change came with adding a new guitarist with Good News, and yet another with Ship Sank.
I personally love both newer albums. They still have that quirkiness about them and lyrical genius. Spitting Venom is the best song I've heard all year.
posted by Mach3avelli at 1:59 AM on September 30, 2007
No, it's a sentiment widely shared in the MM community. The change came with adding a new guitarist with Good News, and yet another with Ship Sank.
I personally love both newer albums. They still have that quirkiness about them and lyrical genius. Spitting Venom is the best song I've heard all year.
posted by Mach3avelli at 1:59 AM on September 30, 2007
What the hell changed in their music? The albums predating Good News were beautiful in their sparseness, soulful earnest and gripping. Everything since sounds like so much of everything else, with nothing to draw me in. Is it me?
No. But I did really like Good News. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank has its moments and is generally catchy but I hardly find myself wanting to listen to it.
They did have a really good run of fantastic music starting from Interstate 8 and The Lonesome Crowded West is the absolute pinnacle. Thanks for this link.
posted by Drowsy Baker at 3:06 AM on September 30, 2007
No. But I did really like Good News. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank has its moments and is generally catchy but I hardly find myself wanting to listen to it.
They did have a really good run of fantastic music starting from Interstate 8 and The Lonesome Crowded West is the absolute pinnacle. Thanks for this link.
posted by Drowsy Baker at 3:06 AM on September 30, 2007
Enough time passes and even the kids get old, get jobs, and get guts.
posted by Civil_Disobedient
I should say that Isaac Brock has lost his guts.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 9:13 AM on September 30, 2007
posted by Civil_Disobedient
I should say that Isaac Brock has lost his guts.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 9:13 AM on September 30, 2007
Yeah, I agree that this documentary leaves a bit to be desired. However, as my title suggests, it serves at the very least as a time capsule of a particular time and place in this band's sound and history.
Brock and co. certainly act as if they had no inkling of what would happen to them in seven years time. I wouldn't have guessed either.
posted by Neilopolis at 9:35 AM on September 30, 2007
Brock and co. certainly act as if they had no inkling of what would happen to them in seven years time. I wouldn't have guessed either.
posted by Neilopolis at 9:35 AM on September 30, 2007
All "I liked them before Float On" hipsterisms aside, I found this fascinating. It will probably only really appeal to MM fans though, because nothing much happens and it's really slow, but even then it's worth watching only for the appearance of a very aloof Elliott Smith.
A time capsule indeed, thanks for posting this Neilopolis.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 9:39 AM on September 30, 2007
A time capsule indeed, thanks for posting this Neilopolis.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 9:39 AM on September 30, 2007
I saw Modest Mouse on tour for this album in some no name shit town, in a dive unsurprisingly next to railroad tracks.
It was a cramped, humid and people were milling between other people's girlfriends - mostly frustrated young men drinking themselves through another boring night but when the band ratcheted into the ramp up of "Cowboy Dan" the place fucking exploded.
I don't know what happened between that night and the Jimmy Kimmel show, but for me, I think I'll always like them.
posted by four panels at 9:48 AM on September 30, 2007
It was a cramped, humid and people were milling between other people's girlfriends - mostly frustrated young men drinking themselves through another boring night but when the band ratcheted into the ramp up of "Cowboy Dan" the place fucking exploded.
I don't know what happened between that night and the Jimmy Kimmel show, but for me, I think I'll always like them.
posted by four panels at 9:48 AM on September 30, 2007
For anyone that doesn't yet like We Were Dead..., listen to Little Motel.
I think that there's value in every MM album (although, I'm still trying to find it in Sad Sappy Sucker). Lonesome Crowded West was the first album that really showed some serious depth. Listening to a very lo-fi Styrofoam Boots you start to get a sense of Isaac Brock's attitude towards god and the universe, something that is pervasive throughout almost every song MM have released. "God takes cares of himself, you of you". Compare that to this verse from Bukowski:
"If God controls the land and disease,
keeps a watchful eye on me,
If he's really so damn mighty,
my problem is I can't see,
well who would wanna be?
Who would wanna be such a control freak?"
I didn't know much about MM at all until Float On. There, I said it. I once picked up an MM disc my brother had lying around (Lonesome Crowded, btw), and I didn't make it through 2 songs. But now.. now I think I like MM a little too much.
My point with all of this is that every creative enterprise, be it a band, a writing team on a TV show, a photographer... they all need to grow. So to fault MM for sounding different than they did 8 years ago... maybe it's just me, but I hope they do. We Were Dead... is hi-fi, studio produced. But it is also very clearly still MM. And for what it's worth, for as much as I like them I still had to listen to We Were Dead alot before I really got it.
posted by ninjew at 10:59 AM on September 30, 2007
I think that there's value in every MM album (although, I'm still trying to find it in Sad Sappy Sucker). Lonesome Crowded West was the first album that really showed some serious depth. Listening to a very lo-fi Styrofoam Boots you start to get a sense of Isaac Brock's attitude towards god and the universe, something that is pervasive throughout almost every song MM have released. "God takes cares of himself, you of you". Compare that to this verse from Bukowski:
"If God controls the land and disease,
keeps a watchful eye on me,
If he's really so damn mighty,
my problem is I can't see,
well who would wanna be?
Who would wanna be such a control freak?"
I didn't know much about MM at all until Float On. There, I said it. I once picked up an MM disc my brother had lying around (Lonesome Crowded, btw), and I didn't make it through 2 songs. But now.. now I think I like MM a little too much.
My point with all of this is that every creative enterprise, be it a band, a writing team on a TV show, a photographer... they all need to grow. So to fault MM for sounding different than they did 8 years ago... maybe it's just me, but I hope they do. We Were Dead... is hi-fi, studio produced. But it is also very clearly still MM. And for what it's worth, for as much as I like them I still had to listen to We Were Dead alot before I really got it.
posted by ninjew at 10:59 AM on September 30, 2007
I don't think anyone faults them for sounding different, just for sounding worse. Any number of other bands grow their sound and manage to create better music. Look at Liars, for instance. Modest Mouse just isn't writing the high quality songs they used to; the higher production values of Good News & Ship Sank don't mean a thing to me. That was already there for The Moon & Antarctica, and that is my favorite album of theirs.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 11:41 AM on September 30, 2007
posted by synaesthetichaze at 11:41 AM on September 30, 2007
I'm in love with the latest album. MM keeps getting better,imo.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:02 PM on September 30, 2007
posted by five fresh fish at 12:02 PM on September 30, 2007
Mach3avelli: The change came with adding a new guitarist with Good News, and yet another with Ship Sank.
They didn't just add another guitarist, they added Johnny Marr. Johnny Fucking Marr. Every once in a while when I'm listening to their music or they come up in conversation, suddenly, with blinding force, I get hit with the thought: "Johnny Fucking Marr's in Modest Mouse. What the hell. What the fucking hell?!" I don't think I'll ever get used to this.
And for me every album sounds different from the album before that. And completely different from the album one before.
posted by Kattullus at 2:45 PM on September 30, 2007
They didn't just add another guitarist, they added Johnny Marr. Johnny Fucking Marr. Every once in a while when I'm listening to their music or they come up in conversation, suddenly, with blinding force, I get hit with the thought: "Johnny Fucking Marr's in Modest Mouse. What the hell. What the fucking hell?!" I don't think I'll ever get used to this.
And for me every album sounds different from the album before that. And completely different from the album one before.
posted by Kattullus at 2:45 PM on September 30, 2007
"sounds different" ... true, that, kattulus. Gotta respect a musician that reinvents himself time and again.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:59 PM on September 30, 2007
posted by five fresh fish at 8:59 PM on September 30, 2007
They were fantastic at the Treasure Island Music Festival.
I've always loved their older stuff, to me I describe albums like Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks as the band is sober but their instruments are very drunk.
I don't get overly excited over the new stuff, but I consider it good, solid music and great lyrics.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 5:35 PM on October 1, 2007
I've always loved their older stuff, to me I describe albums like Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks as the band is sober but their instruments are very drunk.
I don't get overly excited over the new stuff, but I consider it good, solid music and great lyrics.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 5:35 PM on October 1, 2007
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My greatest consumer moment was when I bought Lonesome Crowded West and Beta Band's Three EPs on a whim from the new releases rack of my local record shop. I knew nothing about either band but they both looked interesting.
posted by Kattullus at 6:22 PM on September 29, 2007