This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About

by

Modest Mouse

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Did you ever buy one of those albums that, after owning it for a few weeks, you realize you haven't even heard 3/4 of the songs yet? Reason being, at least in the case of albums like "This Is A Long Drive...", you've gotton so much enjoyment out of just the first few songs you haven't felt a need to listen to the rest of the material yet. These are The Great Records, and I can count the number that I've listened to on one hand.

In all honesty, "Dramamine", "Breakthrough", and "Custom Concern" (tracks 1, 2, and 3) were on constant repeat in my car CD player for over a week before I even thought about listening to anything else, and even though I've moved on to the rest of the album since then, I think these three epitomize everything fascinating and wonderful about Modest Mouse. Moving from the trance-inducing "Dramamine" to the gleefully psychotic "Breakthrough" to the yearning country twang of "Custom Concern" is a disarmingly impressive flex of musical range, and these kids pull it off almost flawlessly.

Given the quality of "This Is A Long Drive...", it's suprising that Modest Mouse didn't find critical success until the release of it's follow-up "The Lonesome Crowded West". It's possible that because of this, "This Is A Long Drive..." has been excluded from indie-rock fans' "must buy" lists. Well put it on there mister, because you must buy this album.

3 1/2 stars

A veritable "meat and potatoes" disc ushering in this seminal indie band's lo-fi stew of jarred rhythms, angular riffs, and entranced vocals. Somehow the overall talent of this band, in particular the damaged genius behind singer songwriter Brock turned another potentially laughable alternative attempt into an earnest view peering down the brain of an insane, yet insanely catchy group. For all the attention to the off kilter ugliness of everything they are usually trying to express, Modest Mouse's music has always been a lovingly fractured tribute to pop sentiment, and this strained recording accentuates those two extremes very entertaingly. At times the repetition does seem more a chore then a flow, but there is an understated elegance to the distorted strumming that usually keeps things afloat nicely.