Modest Mouse - The Moon & Artarctica (2000)

You could never label Modest Mouse as conformists because with The Moon and Antarctica they play the indie spectrum. The album has a loose feel, able at any time to take off down another avenue of invention that requires a little patience to crack what is generally another winning idea. Issac Brook's voice closely matches Porno for Pyros' Perry Farrell and at times Modest Mouse fly off in tangents like the now defunct Cable. Initially the albums 15 tracks can be a little too much to take in. So I started listening to the first 8 tracks repeatedly until their subtle nuances sat more comfortably. After that the albums grand panoramic vision made for a hugely enjoyable if bumpy eclectic listen. It seems remarkable that 'The Moon & Antarctica' is less than an hour long because of the immense ground that is covered. Its scope is massive, its potential unlimited.

Some of the tracks on the album are more accessible than others. While they all possess elegant alterations to tested formulas, some are a little more direct. '3rd Planet' is a good opener because it is chock full of near perfect jangle pop. Its fractured beauty is augmented by louder guitar riffs that indicate that something darker is at work. 'The Cold Part' doesn't need to rely on its scant lyrics because it is woven around an infectious circular bass melody. 'The Stars Are Projectors' signals early Whipping Boy and is a beautiful epic that is just waiting for the right movie to snatch it for its credit roll. Tracks like 'Gravity Rides Of The Universe' which are perfectly acoustic, have huge pretensions of being electric and make Modest Mouse sound like the brightest thing to escape from alt America since Steven Malkmus broke his first string. 'Dark Centre Of The Universe' is incredibly dashing with that violin sounding guitar screech at its heart. 'Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes' with its unsettling choral volley will have you checking that big cupboard in the corner of your bedroom for a bogeyman.

This is in essence what divorces Modest Mouse from the pack. The sinister undercurrent sets the bait, we fall for it and emerge at the other side somewhat shook but ready and willing to go through it all again. At times it is unforgiving music that is as attractive as matches are to a small child. Like 'Wild Packs Of Family', where the disturbing lyrics are somehow neutralised by an understated take on country. Expect Modest Mouse to be as popular as Bovril in the very near future. They will be loved by many but probably scoffed at by the same number. If I was you, I'd take a day off work, read a good book and let Modest Mouse provide the special effects. Few albums come so close to near faultless as this, so if you are going to make one adventurous purchase in the near future make it this album.

Rating: 7/10

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