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We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Indie rock may not be the juggernaut that "classic rock" was in the 70s when I was growing up. The Stones, The Who, Led Zepplin, they have no match in today's music scene.
But that doesn't mean there aren't great bands putting out great records. The Arcade Fire, The Shins, The Decemberists, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, and Modest Mouse are to me now what those bands were then. And thankfully we've got new records from a bunch of these bands this spring.
I've already posted about Neon Bible from Arcade Fire and Wincing The Night Away from The Shins. The third record in that triumverate is We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse, available for pre-order on Amazon. I got an advance copy yesterday and it took me less than a nanosecond to put it on and give it a listen.
I'd heard a bunch of the songs at the live show at Webster I saw last November. This record is classic Modest Mouse, but it sounds a bit different than the prior two (Antartica and Good News). The addition of Johnny Marr (formerly of The Smiths) does bring a new guitar sound to the record and I like it.
The record has apparently leaked and there are a bunch of the new songs on The Hypemachine. And you can hear the new single Dashboard on Modest Mouse's MySpace page or their official website.
But this wouldn't be a music post without some music on it. So here's my favorite track on the record, called Fire It Up.
Comments (10) | Posted February 17, 2007 in My Music
Comments
I think "classic rock" was more of a juggernaut to you because you grew up of that generation. But that's a debate as old as the hills...
That Modest Mouse track is great and I think Johnny Marr is a great addition to a great band.
Posted by: Dave! | Feb 17, 2007 11:24:03 AM
70's music, particularly rock, really has to be considered a juggernaut. (Perhaps that's why I've always loved the film Almost Famous, even though it doesn't deal directly with those bands.)
What I love about Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, The Shins, and similar bands is their spirit of innovation. You listen to Funeral and just think, "Wow, I've just never heard a band sound like that... and the songs are awesome!"
Just bought the Shins and can't wait for Modest Mouse. I get to see Arcade Fire here in London soon.
If you're looking for a harder rock sound, I personally recommend ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead. Saw them in concert at Irving Plaza a few years ago, and it was legendary. Their most recent album isn't the greatest; buy Worlds Apart, it'll blow your mind. (Or at least I think so.)
Posted by: Jed Christiansen | Feb 17, 2007 2:08:38 PM
i give it c++ but i can see why you digging given the deal-like line... though where she fools you madly and you love her the more for it, this one more mundanely just bounces about...
Posted by: phil | Feb 18, 2007 11:58:46 AM
fred -
thanks for the track...
arcade fire on friday was excellent.
here's some video footage I took.
http://uncutvideo.aol.com/search/relevant/8d2050e7f8314ed6afc7e30a44b9fbcb?value=arcade%20fire&index=1
Posted by: josef | Feb 18, 2007 4:56:05 PM
* good points ... there is lots of great music being made today. It can all be found if one frequents the Internet.
* Unfortunatley for these musicians the customer channels of the '70s don't exist to create "huge" bands. There is just too much choice these days for our spare time.
* GigaOm had a great guest post the other day on the topic of the New New Music Industry.
Posted by: iain | Feb 19, 2007 1:49:51 PM
Nice MM track. And you're right; Johnny Marr's guitar gives it a very compelling jangle. But comparing these still-cult-ish indie rockers to the 70’s uber giants...? A bit of a stretch, IMO. Parallels can certainly be drawn between these American (and Canadian!) indies and the British indie explosion of 20 years ago - from a teenage Marr in The Smiths through to so-called “baggy” bands like The Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses. Those outfits thought that UK chart pop music sucked, and they wanted to do something about it – which rocked! (And, for the Mondays, danced!) For me, the new North American indie wave is nothing grander than that. To be sure, MM, The Shins, et al, make "real" music that means "a lot" to fans today... and the odd stand-out track boarders on “classic” (I’m thinking “Float On” in MM’s case). But I doubt their collective catalogues will be played uncritically, or with universal fondness, in three decades time like those of the 70’s giants you mention. Think of it this way: will you really be placing “We Were Dead…” up there in your all time top ten with, say, “Sticky Fingers”, “Physical Graffiti” or “Who’s Next”? (and this from a confirmed modernist-music snob). Tobias
Posted by: tobias | Feb 21, 2007 1:05:31 AM
eh, in my opinion this cd is a little bit better then mediocre, not a big fan of new modest mouse, the lonesome crowded west, this is a long drive for someone with nothing to think about, and even the moon and antarctica where better albums. Not at all a bad cd, got the leak, its decent but not like the modest mouse i grew up loving.
As far as people saying that music was better in the 70's, i disagree, theres alot more music out nowadays if you know where to find it, the 70's had its moments in terms of music but theres a bigger variety out there nowadays. I like 3rd wave ska, punk, indie, rap, and a bunch of other genres, i dont hate on particulars and i think that you should keep your mind open to others musics and not stay focused with whats "in" and the mainstream, because, frankly, mainstream sucks. Its mediocre, the big labels sign bands like modest mouse and give them deadlines and take away some of the artists creativity so that they can sell. Thats what americas all about, selling stuff, so thats what big record labels like universal, sony, rca, warner bros, and much more that are restricting todays music to 3-4 genres and each band must have a certain sound. For instance, the creed factor, after creed was the big thing on the radio, bands like puddle of mudd, trapt, staind, evenescense. The music scene today is limited, thats why you people think the music in the 70's was better, the music on the radio was, but if you know how to look, theres some really kick ass stuff out there. Try out some of these bands if you want some variety - the heatskores, the johnstones, mischief brew, leftover crack, catch 22, against me!, bandits of the acoustic revolution, hepcat, streetlight manifesto, and interpol
Posted by: randal | Feb 24, 2007 12:50:19 AM
oh yeah, and, way better song on that cd then fire it up - missed the boat, if you can find it, dload it.
Posted by: randal | Feb 24, 2007 12:57:03 AM
Randal - I take your point on record labels turning the handle too quick for the creative process to take full hold. Indeed, one of the bands you mention, Interpol, suffered from that. First album, "...Bright Lights" is easily up there with, yes, “Sticky Fingers”, “Physical Graffiti” and “Who’s Next”? Second album? Can't even remember the name it was so poor, felt rushed, and was too "pop" (thanks, A&R guy!). Of course, there are many contradictions to every argument. Did the Beatles have time to let the creative juices flow between "Rubber Soul", “Revolver”, "Sgt Pepper" and “Magical Mystery Tour” (er, all released in the space of 2 years!). And, to use a modern example, what happened when The Rapture disappeared into a creative zone for 3+ years, doing it their own way, trying to follow up the frankly stunning "Echoes" album? Er, they made a dog in "Pieces of the People we Love". ho hum. But, yes, I agree – there’s a lot of good stuff out there. And a lot of forums like this to talk about it ;-)
Posted by: tobias | Feb 24, 2007 1:32:45 PM
I completely agree, Indie rock is the genre at the moment that most closely mimics the spirit of Classic Rock. In 20 years, people are going to be still dicussing albums like Moon & Antarctica, but who's going to be talking about Avril Lavigns latest release? Hell, I've already forgotten the title of her last one, that was ~2 years ago. Classic rock was about being creative and artistic, and now Indie rock is about being creative and artistic.
There are too many good records coming out this year. Already I have the new CYHSY , of Montreal and Arcade Fire albums, I've still yet to pick up the new !!! album, Menomena - Friend and Foe or the NA release of Mew - Frengers. And there's Modest Mouse , Cloud Cult, LCD Soundsystem and Cornelius coming out within the next month or so. I hear the latest Blonde Redheads album is epic, I've heard nothing but endless praise for it.
Then Feist, Radiohead, Interpol (for the record, their second album was called 'Antics') all coming later this year... and Stars and Islands are working on new albums, who knows when they'll come out.
Nevermind the many, many back catalogs I need to catch up on.
My poor wallet (and time) ;_;
Posted by: CircleTriangles | Mar 7, 2007 12:50:57 AM
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