Album Rating: 5.0

I like both albums from a lyrical perspective, but I agree, this is pretty much the pinnacle for them.

Album Rating: 5.0

>>Since I'm the type to not give a damn about lyrics in general



Maybe this is why the transitions irritate you so much, whereas to me they heighten the impact of the lyrics, and the lyrics explain the shifts.

Album Rating: 5.0

Not trying to 'gatekeep,' but it doesn't make much sense to me to listen to a band like Modest Mouse and not give at least some attention to the lyrics. Brock's writings are a central component of the music and definitely a large part of the group's appeal.

Album Rating: 2.0

What are the lyrics about then?

Album Rating: 5.0

'Lives' is my favourite song here lol

Album Rating: 3.0

I agree, that's like not bothering with The National's lyrics. The style of music tends to control how much I care for the lyricism, or there's at least some correlation. Relatable or poignant lyrics certainly add something, even if it would never be my primary reason for listening.

Album Rating: 5.0

"What are the lyrics about then?"



They cover a whoooole bunch of ground dude. For the most part they've historically delved into existentialist drama in many forms (insecurity, love, acceptance, not fitting in, self hate, etc etc).



There's stuff about God, stuff about society, stuff about drugs, stuff about sex, you name it and it's there.

Album Rating: 5.0

Modest Mouse and The National lyrics are amazing yea. This album gets existential and touches on celestial themes and ideas about the universe and other planets. Their most ambitious and poignant album.

Lyrics here are excellent, but I've never seen them as all-time great (plus Lives has always struck me as more nauseatingly self-absorbed than it is insightful). If it weren't for 3rd Planet and Life Like Weeds, this would probably be a 3.5, honestly

Album Rating: 5.0

nuttin nauseating about 'Lives'



musical/lyrical transitions working together in excelsis

Album Rating: 5.0

Where do you stand in terms of ranking their discog Doof?

[double post - positive space - What People Are Made of has awesome lyrics]

Everything about that song is pitched to seem more profound that it really is; it all screams 'I'M having a crisis of self-worth and mortality and you MUST ALL relate to it'

Album Rating: 5.0

According to my AOTY % ratings:



M&A = 98%, LCW = 96%, Long Drive = 86%, We Were Dead = 78%, Strangers = 71%, Good News = 65%



Not a real fan of Good News

Album Rating: 5.0

Pika, it's probably a bit difficult to answer your question, because I could be totally wrong. But if you look at maybe the opener, I can give you my opinion.



The song starts with the singer talking about personal crisis and being so concerned with the details of life that he can't deal with. He also talks about how people trust in god, represented by an eye (observer) since we're not really sure there's any direct intervention by god. Ironically, we want to 'shake the eye's hand', signifying we don't know if god is capable of that sort of relationship.



The song shifts up into a euphoric phase, talking about love and the aftermath of sex, then a quiet reflective phase of maybe two lovers swimming, unaware they've conceived. The singer ruminates on how the foetus is all potential, and like the child, we are like an ecosystem or universe to all the things living within us. Then it widens to talk about giant circular patterns we are often not consciously thinking about, like the universe expanding and how these giant patterns are mirrored on a smaller scale everywhere.



Then it ends in a circular way, to the singer becoming stuck and obsessed again with his crumbling personal position, which he knows now is in some ways unimportant in the scheme of things considering the massive forces at play, but he can't escape his problems.



I could be wrong, but if I am, I still think that's a pretty cool bunch of stuff to pack into a 4 minute song, and it sets the themes for the rest of the record - trapped in circular patterns of depression or isolation, our lack of control over these giant patterns, gossip, how people are, time and how we can't stop decay, etc etc. It works for me, and I think these are the kind of lyrics which could mean something different to someone else and still be pretty cool.

Rogue call I think Perfect Disguise might be top 5 here

Album Rating: 5.0

“Gravity Rides Everything” has quickly become one of my absolute favorite songs of all time. Has provided me a lot of comfort in a stressful year.

Album Rating: 4.0

Life Like Weeds is a hard ass fucking 5.

Top 10 Modest Mouse right there. Probably like #9 or #10 but damn that song goes

Album Rating: 4.0

Had also forgotten how good Night on the Sun was, damn.