WWD was an obvious thematic and lyrical departure from Good News and it has a very different tone. It also broadened the band's roster to focus on indie pop and Talking Heads worshipping postfunkpunk in ways that were (sometimes) vaguely suggested on Good News but largely lost under its landfill indie skeleton.

It misses both the point and the palette of that alb to say it was just riding Good News' coattails; nothing on that album sounds remotely like Dashboard, Parting of the Sensory, the latter half of Spitting Venom or March Into the Sea. Plus it has maybe the most even tracklist of any MM album, which automatically sets it a cut above

Album Rating: 2.5

This is nice 👍 go yeah

Album Rating: 4.0

WWD is one of my fave MM albums because it is very consistent

I don't get the huge stylistic departure vibes though? feels very much to me like a slightly more refined Good News, the focus on indie-pop thing you said is ofc very true but they already started that transition on Good News and the aesthetic does not feel all that different going from one album into the next

Then StO takes it a step further by literally just sounding like a MM greatest hits 2004-2015 compilation; not bad but very uninspiring

New one is a major risk that will pay off for some more than others, but it's pretty indisputably the ballsiest thing they've done in decades, right? Which is all I said in my review altho tbf I kinda forget because I whipped it up in a frenzy so I'd welcome any especially egregious passages to be quoted so I can either double down on my stance or correct it

Also will be transitioning from desktop to mobile shortly and might lose all my motivation to debate until approx 24 hrs from now, oops, sorry in advance!

I said it's a large thematic/lyrical departure from Good News, not stylistic, which holds true: Good News is a morbid set of testimonials about death, self-abuse and perseverance, WWD captures the feeling of a grander narrative, and is much more dynamic and energised in its subject matter. I think that speaks to the heart of each album so much that reducing their differences to a case of "they both sound like accessible indie with guitars and sometimes other instruments, but one has more instruments and is more colourful than the other" is a v superficial read and not particularly helpful when it comes to explaining the kind of albums they are. Two v different standpoints going down there - what's more meaningful, to say we're comparing two Accessible Indie albums or to say we're comparing a glum album with a ratty kinetic one?

Anyway, musically, most of the brass backing/funk/pop elements on Good News were scrappy af, so I'm not sure how exploring those elements further, to the point where any of them could carry a dedicated song, counts as a step into stagnation

Enjoy your 24 hr dark age :]

Sowing phoneposting???

Okay he do be engaging in a spirited debate over the new modest mouse doe

Album Rating: 4.0

I missed where you said thematic/lyrical, oops :-)

Yes, that much is true (that the lyrics do not repeatedly cover the same sorts of topics) but as you correctly diagnosed, the focus of my review was on the musical atmosphere not written content. To that point, I def still say that GN -> WWD -> StO was all a very samey trek, whereas I could pull a Golden Casket song out of their discog any time.

Signing off soon but happy to continue to engage on why I'm most definitely 100% flawlessly correct in my random opinion, lol.

Album Rating: 3.0

Guys, only Sowing agrees with me, and Sowing likes everything (he isn't afraid to enjoy things), so he doesn't count -- but I really like acid trip. I've listened to it quite a few times to convince myself that I don't like it, but no, shit still slaps. Yes, it's Isaac taking a shit, but goddamn it, I like it, ok, I like it!



I also liked Pistol.



*runs away*

Album Rating: 4.0

"so he doesn't count"

yessss finally

although my low scores definitely are a blip on the radar, takes a lot for me to 2/1.5/1 something shit must be horrid

I don't think that Modest Mouse are the kind of band where it works to split ends over written content and musical atmosphere (as opposed to musical vocabulary) tbh; the tone of all their records is deeply lyrically informed, and I think that most of their criticism and general reception acknowledges this

Also, gonna dredge up this SCANDALous sowingpost from just a few months back because idk what is going on, the internet had gone BAD and no take is safe:

30 [WWD] is still my favorite Modest Mouse record, it's a weird choice but it always clicked with me for some reason.

Album Rating: 2.3 | Sound Off

I am legit worried about Isaac after some of his comments on the AMA today. dude needs some help in a serious way

Pasta us plz // hasn't half the point of this band always been that he needs help in a serious way?

Album Rating: 4.0

Haven't heard but I'll find a way to rate it a 4.5 probably and go on with my day

"hasn't half the point of this band always been that he needs help in a serious way?"

Been saying this

Album Rating: 3.0

if you're referring to the indieheads AMA, do you mean this one?

https://www.reddit.com/r/indieheads/comments/o7qkj9/isaac_from_modest_mouse_here_ask_me_anything_ill/h30uwfi/

"Hi PORM, thank you for your concern. Gang stalking is tricky. It is specifically designed to make people look crazy. I get that, I'm comfortable with that. There are worse stigmas. I had the good fortune of cameras running in during one of these instances. With regard to who I am working with, it would be counter productive to my case to publicly announce specific details to the general public.

As far as my head getting used as a cell phone- that is tricky. I am working with someone who had done work with the Cuban embassy situation when it initially happened and a bunch of other people who deal with various electronic harassment problems. turning over every stone to figure this out. Mankind specializes in finding new ways to mess with one another. We are coming up with new ways everyday. When the mkultra project started they didn't even have computers that you didn't essentially need a whole building to house. ...but yes, it all sounds crazy to me too."

Album Rating: 2.3 | Sound Off

^ yes



I know he's always been off his rocker but I feel a bit weird handwaving it away as like "oh that crazy Isaac Brock doin his thing again" when the man believes people are using his head as a cellphone. we're edging into undiagnosed schizophrenia territory there, and it's scary stuff, and not at all funny

Album Rating: 2.5

Yeah I love Isaac Brock and this band I really feel like he's given us enough and maybe he should go buy a ranch and hang out off the grid for a while. It honestly feels to me like he's producing music because he feels he has to and it is his livelihood. As someone who has seen the band live probably a dozen times it doesn't feel like he is loving putting on a show at this point.

Album Rating: 2.5

Yeah I’m legitimately kind of concerned for him at this point.

Album Rating: 3.0

yeah I still have--no idea what to make of all that. i'm hoping things work out and he gets the necessary help. im just glad people didn't try to make the whole fuckin AMA about that and kept it civil unlike some of the jokesters in the thread for the NME interview where all of that was discussed.

(loved reading isaac's answers though, some of them were earnest and heartfelt to me).

Album Rating: 4.0

Holy shit

Album Rating: 3.5

I'm really digging this new album. Certainly not their best work, but I think it I like it more than Strangers