Wow. So much to say about this album. Skipping all the background of Modest Mouse, skipping the story of their long trek to epic records, skipping everything ever said about lead singer/songwriter Isaac Brock....this album will make you piss your pants. Right off the bat, you're attracted to the quirky, perky poppiness of "3rd Planet". From then on, there's no going back. Just sit and soak it in. Soak in the unique guitar and drum stylings, the unique vocal stylings (hey, it's Isaac we're talkin' about here, did you doubt it?). And don't forget to keep track of Brock's lyrical pedagogy; there will be a quiz later on. A line in one song can easily be transformed into a theme for another. Not only does Brock display inciteful, poetic lyrics in songs such as "lives" and "life like weeds", but even his seemingly random, half-serious songs have deeper meaning, that will only begin to make sense after numerous late-night study sessions. Dig deeper into other albums and find recurring themes throughout every song this drunken genius has ever written. maybe some day Brock's doctrines will make perfect sense to us, but I hope not any time soon; this is just too much fun.
1. 3rd Planet
2. Gravity Rides Everything
3. Dark Center of the Universe
4. Perfect Desguise
5. Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
6. A Different City
7. The Cold Part
8. Alone Down There
9. The Stars Are Projectors
10. Wild Packs of Family Dogs
11. Paper Thin Walls
12. I Came as a Rat
13. Lives
14. Life Like Weeds
15. What People Are Made Of