LAist Reviews: Modest Mouse - We Were Dead...

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We don't care what you think about Isaac Brock and by the tone of the psychotic laughter punctuating We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank's opening track ("March Into the Sea"), neither does he. Brock grew up in Issaquah, Washington, where he lived in a (reportedly not-so-shabby) trailer home with his parents, who were part of the Grace Gospel Church, which in some way was affiliated with the infamous Waco Branch Davidians.

As Modest Mouse's previous (four+) records, We Were Dead is littered with obscure references to God, water, and the universe, and replete with twisted, cynical lyrics that are brightened by catchy melodies and tight, edgy rhythms. Brock continues his post-Ugly Casanova implementation of the occasional violin, accordion, banjo, and even a horn. But before we label Brock a songwriting genius, its worth noting that he may be more than a little bit insane (as the 'Fork notes, Brock highlighted MM's performance of "Tiny Cities" in South Dakota this week with some bloody self-mutilation).

Water is a dominant element on We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank and as the title suggests, no matter how MM gets pushed around -- or even embarrassed and abused (see the 12 American Idol finalists obliterate "Float On" in this Ford commercial) the band can't be drowned.

The Shins' James Mercer guests on a few tracks with some nice upper-register harmonies but the real butter is the addition of former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. It must be remembered that Marr's sound hasn't sounded much like the Smiths since the band split some 20 years ago, as evidenced by his later bands Electronic, and The Healers. But his penchant for melody and New Wave-ish riffs is a brilliant complement to Brock's sometimes shrill and wanky (albeit melodic) guitar and vocal work. In fact, Brock's vocals are more confident -- and controlled -- than ever, and on some songs ("Little Motel") where you'd expect him to just go off, he shows restraint. After several listens, Marr's imprint and influence is apparent on every track.

Also notable is the return of original MM drummer Jeremiah Green (joined by Joe Plummer on the two-kit attack).

The first single, "Dashboard," assures all MM-newcomers (via "Float On") that they will not be completely alienated and promises more of the heavy-bottomed grooves that have evolved with the band through songs like "Doin' the Cockroach," "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes," and "The View." In the context of the album, however, "Dashboard" falls flat -- its lyrics are among the weakest in Brock's career and, quite frankly, the best thing about the song is the music video (see below) produced by Venice-based Motion Theory.

Some favorite parts of We Were Dead center around the lyrical wordplay Brock is known for. "Spitting Venom" could be heard as an ode to Gen-X frustration at leaders with "a knack for fucked up history." "So we carried all the groceries in while hauling out the trash / And if this doesn't make us motionless I do not know what can." The slow, yet tension-filled "Parting of the Sensory" builds to a shouting match in which the phrase "Some day you will die and somehow / Something's going to steal your carbon" gets turned inside out before dissolving into a whiskey-soaked and phlegmmy, Tom Waits-like break down.

"We've Got Everything," a quirky, sarcastic, the-man-didn't-sell-us-out type song, comes out of "Missed the Boat," which may be MM's poppiest number to date."Fire it Up," which sounds exponentially better on the record than it did in concert last November, is a sure hit, topped with this desert island cherry: "When we find the perfect water / We'll hang out on the shore / Just long enough to leave our clothes there"

Sure, there are a few weak spots on the record, but at 14 songs and 60+ minutes, WWD more than holds its own on one of the strongest New Music Tuesdays in recent memory.

Modest Mouse is coming to the Greek Theatre on May 13. Tickets go on sale Saturday at 12 noon but if you click here and type "ENGENIUS" you may still be able to score on the presale and avoid surcharges Sorry, looks like presale tix (for the Greek at least) are sold out. A KROQ presale starts at 10 a.m. tomorrow via TM, no word yet on a presale password. Also, via interstate-8:

Full tour dates below."Steam Engenius"

"Dashboard"

Full tour dates:

Wed, 03/21/07 South Lake Union Naval Reserve Seattle, WA
Fri, 03/23/07 Six Flags Magic Mountain, CA, KROQ Ditch Day (see above)
Sun, 04/15/07 Paramount Theatre Seattle, WA
Mon, 04/16/07 Pacific Coliseum Vancouver, BC
Fri, 04/20/07 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN
Sat, 04/21/07 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN
Sun, 04/22/07 Auditorium Theatre Chicago, IL
Tue, 04/24/07 Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts Toronto, ON
Wed, 04/25/07 Metropolis, Montreal, PQ
Thu, 04/26/07 Main Street Armory Rochester, NY
Fri, 04/27/07 Orpheum Theatre Boston, MA
Sun, 04/29/07 United Palace Theatre New York, NY
Mon, 04/30/07 United Palace Theatre New York, NY
Wed May 2 Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel Providence, RI
Thu, 05/03/07 The Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA
Sat, 05/05/07 Masquerade Atlanta, GA
Sun, 05/06/07 BJCC Concert Hall Birmingham, AL
Tue, 05/08/07 House of Blues New Orleans New Orleans, LA
Wed May 9 The Backyard, Austin, TX
Thu, 05/10/07 Nokia Theatre At Grand Prairie Grand Prairie, TX
Sat, 05/12/07 Mesa Amphitheatre Mesa, AZ
Sun, 05/13/07 Greek Theatre Los Angeles, CA
Mon, 05/14/07 San Diego State University - Cox Arena San Diego, CA
Wed, 05/16/07 San Jose State Event Center Arena San Jose, CA

Sun May 20 Somerset, UK ATP VS The Fans
Wed May 23 London, England Royal Albert Hall
Fri Jun 1 Barcelona, Spain Primavera Sound

photos of Johnny Marr and Isaac Brock by AngryCitizen via flickr.