"Good News..." by Modest Mouse
"Good News For People Love Bad News" has really impressed me. I had an appreciation for Modest Mouse based on "The Moon and Antarctica," but their new album has made me look at them in a new light. Now that it has become a favorite album of mine, it doesn't make it any easier to describe, however. All comparison to other bands fail.
I have read reviews that say Modest Mouse is trying to appeal to a broader audience, but I think the broader appeal of this album is due more to the effective arrangement of the Modest Mouse sound than to any shift in the direction by the band. I can't see anything in this album that wasn't present in small doses in previous Modest Mouse albums. The lyrics are interetingly clever, but it takes the intensity of Isaac Brock's vocals to make them engaging. You are rewarded if you listen to the lyrics, but it is not necessary. It is what is going on beneath the vocals that is really important. It is experimental at times, but even the weirdest moments support a melody or rhythm that holds it all together. It is really impossible to describe the Modest Mouse sound, so listen to it online or at the store before you buy it.
Design notes: The album cover is great, and their video for "Float On" is excellent. Very nice.
