This
has been a year of evolution for Modest Mouse, as in 2004
we have seen this bashful rodent transform from an indie
ugly duckling to a beautiful alt Americana butterfly.
Confused zoological metaphors aside,
there has definitely been a lot going on with Modest Mouse
in recent times. Skip back
to spring this year, and unless you were the crowned monarch
of obscure alternative US bands in your particular locale,
the odds are on that you had never heard of Isaac Brocks’ leftfield
slacker three-piece.
But somewhere around 2003 the band lost drummer Jeremiah Green,
hired replacement Benjamin Weikel and extra guitarist Dann
Gallucci, and recorded an album completely different to anything
they had done before.
Good News For People Who Love Bad News is a near-perfect
set of pristinely recorded, succinct alternative-rock excellence.
While purists argue that its commercial sheen and comparative
brevity has robbed the band of their edge, it is worth pointing
out that these people are just being grumpy ELITISTS. There’s
some great stuff in Modest Mouse’s back-catalogue, but
what we have now is essentially a different band that needs
to be taken on its own terms.
Though with Brocks at the helm there is no way that Modest
Mouse could lose their character. An explosive mix of rage,
disgust and resignation, he comes across like a bigger Frank
Black in a smaller bottle, though he does have a gentler touch
than the Pixies’ alien-baiting nutjob. And at tonight’s
headline Astoria set Brocks is a proper showman - indicated
by his strawberry-liquorice striped suit, making him every
bit the circus ringleader.
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