For the Record

Author: Emily Temple

Glorious day. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, Modest Mouse's newest album, to be released March 20, 2007, has leaked to the internet. I almost can't believe that it's been three years since Good News for People Who Love Bad News, but it has.

This new album, which Isaac Brock called "a nautical balalaika carnival romp" has been anxiously awaited by fans who were either disappointed by or introduced to the band through their previous album. The anticipation has been heightened by the new addition to the band - indie rock royalty Johnny Marr, best known as the guitarist for The Smiths, who officially became a Mouse in August of 2006, not to mention the guest appearance by James Mercer of The Shins.

It shames me (sort of) to admit that I was one of those holier-than-thou, disapproving snobs when I first heard my beloved Modest Mouse on MTV. Even though 2000's The Moon and Antarctica was their first album on Epic, it was really with Good News for People Who Love Bad News in 2004 that Modest Mouse became a major label band.

There's something disquieting about the masses having access to brilliance, and whether this makes me a horrid snob or not, I generally don't think they deserve it. Okay, that's kind of harsh. But I do believe that there's something to be said for those who go out and proactively find music (or fashion, or films, or books) that speak to them, rather than simply sucking up the preachings of whatever popular culture station is most prominent at the moment.

To my own credit, even after "Float On" became the sweet ear-fodder for Walmart shoppers everywhere, and even once I started seeing the lyrics to "Grey Ice Water" pop up in cheerleaders' AIM profiles, I refused to denounce them, as some of my ¸ber-hip friends could not help from doing.

It's even worse because I really like "Float On." And, to charmingly segue, the first single on We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank reminds me of it - "Dashboard" is a bouncy, sunny winner, easily edible by all the MTV kiddies, but still at least somewhat satisfying to veterans.

The album as a whole is similar: it's pop-pier than anything we've heard from them before, following the trajectory started by Good News. Although in some places it sounds like the band is nostalgic for The Moon and Antarctica - "Parting of the Sensory" in particular seems almost out of place in its sprawling instrumentalism and sonic landscaping. But in general, this new album has a bigger, brighter sound, with snappy Franz Ferdinand-ish horns and much higher guitar production values, perhaps thanks to the addition of Johnny Marr. I'm not one to kick my chucks and cry "over-production," especially here, where it mostly works. However, I do miss the genius of raw tracks like "Heart Cooks Brain," one of my favorites from The Lonesome Crowded West, or The Fruit that Ate Itself in general.

Modest Mouse's albums have been consistently plagued by a tendency of some tracks to bleed together, and We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank is no different. In fact, it seems like the tracks are even more similar to one another than usual, giving the album an unappealing "background music" feel some of the time. I was excited about the addition of James Mercer, singer and songwriter for The Shins, on three tracks: "We've Got Everything," "Florida" and "Missed the Boat."

We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank is a decent album, especially after repeated listens. Certain tracks stand out, like "Spitting Venom," which sounds like that song from Aladdin, with a huge, screaming, guitar-crazy bit in the middle, and "Fire it Up" - my bet for their second single. However, it marks a continuation of a pattern that I feel moves Modest Mouse away from their best material.

The new album is tepid at worst and inconsistent at best, but there are bright moments. It is definitely worth a listen, if only to remind you of the genius of Isaac Brock's gruff whine and his years of creepy, anxious, fantastic albums.