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opinions were like kittens i was giving them away. -modest mouse
there's nothing as something as one. -e. e. cummings
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When The Moon and Antarctica came out in 2000, it introduced a whole new side of Modest Mouse to their cult following, a more “produced” and truly epic sound, on their new label by the same name, Epic, more namely, Sony. And thus the heated discussions began, how could a band with such integrity, that fans so fiercely believed in, sign to a major label? There was the side that argued that the quality was still there, and the side that still cried “sell-outs!” And we won’t even get into all the conflict surrounding the minivan commercial here. Front-man Isaac Brock found himself defending the band having to make a living, explaining that he’d like to support him mom and girlfriend, and this was their job after all.
Track listing:
01 3rd Planet
02 Gravity Rides Everything
03 Dark Center Of The Universe
04 Perfect Disguise
05 Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes
06 A Different City
07 The Cold Part
08 Alone Down There
09 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
16 3rd Planet (BBC Radio 1 Session)
17 Perfect Disguise (BBC Radio 1 Session)
18 Custom Concern (BBC Radio 1 Session)
19 Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes (BBC Radio 1 Session)
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The Moon and Antarctica touched on many sharp issues about social mores, government infiltration into our personal lives, the existence of God, etc., and made these cultural comments against a backdrop of masterfully crafted tunes, tunes that were lauded and loved by many. Old fans were as avid as ever to have this as well as the raw sounds like those on The Lonesome Crowded West, and new fans came out of the woodwork upon hearing the studio sounds from The Moon and Antarctica on college stations everywhere. So, Modest Mouse being busy touring, there were no new releases except for the Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks EP. Until now. Suddenly, we have the “Float On” single, the Baron Von Bullshit Rides Again bootleg album, the soon-to-be released Good News for People Who Love Bad News, and this, The Moon and Antarctica [Expanded Edition].
So, the big question, is it worth it? Well, that depends. Let’s start with the differences, on this one we hear some more layering, and it seems a broader range of sound, but the difference is slight. But then there are the four BBC tracks on the end, “3rd Planet,” “Perfect Disguise,” a snappy and very catchy instrumental of “Custom Concern” that really makes it all worthwhile for me, and a stripped down but driving and intense “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes.” While I’ll argue that they produce music with the utmost talent and integrity until they prove otherwise, the question of why not a BBC EP or something is a tad bit looming. It boils down to this: if you don’t have the previous one, it’s t-o-t-a-l-l-y worth is because this is some of the best songwriting you will ever hear, and if you do have it, it’s worth the $13 if you thrive on any new sound, however slight, from the band.
-Jennifer Hall 04/04/04
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