Modest Mouse 'We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank'

As indie music has become the latest trend of major music labels, the meaning of the term ‘indie’ no longer holds the same significance. What in the past described an attitude and path of self-sufficiency and a sound sovereign of conservative commercial influence, now simply is a descriptive term for any mainstream rock band with a distinctly authentic sound. There was a time when to be called an ‘indie-band’ first required independence from major labels and a strong dose of originality. While the influence of major labels has altered the meaning of the term indie, there are still bands that embody the autonomous attitude of its roots.

Modest Mouse has become a nationally recognized indie-rock band since their 2001 release of ‘The Moon and Antarctica’, which happened to be their first album under Sony’s Epic Records. Although this move to a major label would be seen as ‘selling out’ in the ‘80's, Mouse has done no such thing. The band released six adventurous albums either independently or through small labels before the move to Epic. The odd, unorthodox sound created by these albums established them as an indie-rock band. While signing with Epic expanded their audience significantly, it did not effect their quirky sound.

Modest Mouse’s latest studio album, ‘We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank’, combines their wacky off-kilter sound that has defined them, with the song writing and instrumentation of the Smiths Johnny Marr, creating an album that doesn’t try to transcend genre’s, rather flourishes in their introspective, indie-rock identity.
While much of their early work was experimental and innovative, ‘We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank’ offers a controlled, at times refreshingly reserved sound. Some might criticize this as the conservative influence of the major label, but to me it’s Mouse at their best, creating songs with a level of comfort and unity rather than the inharmonious unpredictability of past albums.

The song ‘Missed The Boat’ offers introspective lyrics on living life safe and predictably, only to later realize that opportunity has passed.
“I assume as much for other people
Oh, and I know this of myself
We've listened more to life's end gong
Than the sound of life's sweet bells.”

Was it ever worth it?
Was there all that much to gain?
Well, we knew we'd missed the boat
And we'd already missed the plane”
These contemplative, sometimes depressing lyrics added to the catchy rhythm guitar and up tempo melody makes for an instant Modest Mouse classic. ‘Parting With The Sensory’ combines calm acoustic rhythm guitars with the disorderly vocal harmonies that have come to define them.

Modest Mouse established themselves as an exploratory rock band with unpredictable, at times frantic vocals shouting deep subjective lyrics. Their latest album captures this identity while mixing in a resigned comfort that some will criticize while others will welcome as Mouse, modestly at their best.