Modest Mouse, which has released other albums prior to the major label debut of ‘The Moon and Antarctica,’ is known for its instrumental soundscapes.
On their much anticipated major label debut, Modest Mouse has traded in the road atlas that guided 1997’s “The Lonesome, Crowded West” album for a map of the constellations.
With song titles like, “Third Planet,” “The Stars are Projectors” and “Dark Center of the Universe,” it is clear that the new album “The Moon and Antarctica” finds Modest Mouse’s enigmatic front man Isaac Brock probing for soul in a cold solar system. The result is a loftier, more speculative album that strives to break through the atmosphere and into the expanse of space.
Musically, it comes as no surprise that this first record on Epic sounds tighter and more polished than the band’s previous independent releases. The frayed edges that defined the band’s early sound on numbers like “Dramamine” and “All Night Diner” have been smoothed out to make way for more refined transitions.
The vocals are mixed in a little bit louder, but there are also more studio effects put on them than ever before, creating atmospheric textures that compliment the layers of guitar tracks. Drummer Jeremiah Green is still the most solid player of the trio and his inventive licks propel the instrumental sections.
On the opener, “Third Planet,” an ethereal guitar glides along lyrics with a childish kind of charm punctuated by Brock’s syllable lisp. When he sings, “Your heart felt good, it was dripping with pitch and made of wood,” you can’t help but smile at the closest thing to a love song the band has attempted since their 1996 EP “Interstate 8.” “Third Planet” sounds so peaceful that you can’t help but wonder if Brock has fallen in love or something.
But darkness lingers not far beneath the whimsical opener. “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes” employs a disco beat, and Brock raps a menacing verse about hell freezing over and God telling him to get a sweater.
“As we’re headed down the road towards tiny cities made of ashes/I’m going to get dressed up in plastic/Gonna shake hands with the masses,” Brock sings before breaking into a gut wrenching chorus recalling equal parts Pixies and Nirvana. This line makes for a pretty good comment on indie rock’s current darling’s sentiments on being mass distributed in cellophane packaging.
Modest Mouse is fueled by their lyrics. Never knowing what Brock will spew out next is enough of a reason for any fan to pick up this new album. If you’ve never heard these boys from Issaquah, Wash., “The Moon and Antarctica” makes an excellent introduction to this most unusual band.
