Modest Mouse - The Whale Song
While a big fan of ‘Good News…’ and ‘The Moon and Antartica’, Modest Mouse have always been quite hit and miss. Even with those two defining records, in place there is material I am not keen on. Their forthcoming E.P.”No One’s First and You’re Next” however is the most consistent thing I’ve heard from them. The featured track is my personal favourite; a dark and mid-tempo song that plays ethereal vocal layering, and places the guitar solo at the beginning; what more could you want.
Essentially a b-sides and rarities E.P., but “repolished” the album constitutes and represents the full spectrum of Modest Mouse; from the twee indie pop, to the darker edges of indie rock. The E.P. is all encompassing, and it does it with such a masterful, refreshing edge that I’m glad these recordings are surfacing now, rather than earlier versions nearer to the time. Don’t be dismayed by the nature of this E.P.; it does not fail, in any way, to measure up to the brilliance of Modest Mouse at their best.
