Best of the Oughts: Albums 41-50

Strangely enough, I discovered all these albums after moving here. A couple were actually released before making the nine-hour trek, but I didn't listen to them until landing in Misery. It says something about my tastes that so many albums from recent years are popping up at the top of my list. I'm either forgetting how much I loved music from the first half of the decade or the newer stuff is just fresher. It will be interesting to see what I'm listening to in ten years.

This list really could be someone's top-10 of the decade. I'm not kidding about that.

Although my list is still vacant of female musicians, there are typically 2-3 in each set of ten, which isn't as bad as I thought. It's certainly better than the hip-hop representation.


50. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
All the magazines told me this was the best album of 2006 and I believed them. With this record, TVOTR became the next REM/Radiohead/Wilco. Now, they're collectively known as Remradioheadwilcotvontheradio: The Band Pitchfork will never admit to loving all the way, but Spin will crown as album of the year every time.


49. Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy
Have I mentioned my affinity for Will Sheff and his indie rock star powers?


48. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
I still can't get that "Funeral" song out of my head. This formula of falsetto voices over straight up guitar onslaughts should not work anymore, but it does. That and trucker hats and beards. Aren't we done with that look yet? Apparently not.


47. Eef Barzelay - Bitter Honey
I never really ever got Clem Snide, but this I did get. Eef Barzelay made the saddest record about Thanksgiving disasters and music video girls you've never heard.


46. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
What a perfect way to end a band's run. Clap Your Hands decided to put out their best record first, delegating them to one-indie-hit wonders. Bravo! It sounds like a John Hughes movie to me.


45. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
Lovely Jenny Lewis and the lovelier Watson Twins Patsy Clined and Neko Cased their way into our hearts. Pairs nicely with She and Him.


44. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - The Letting Go
Who knew that Bjork wasn't the only Icelandic princess? Will Oldham is bald with a beard to boot. Haunting and beautiful and haunting. Again.


43. Cat Power - The Greatest
Actually, it's #43, not the greatest of the oughts. Chan Marshal sold her soul to get some soul and a rhythm section plus some horns and guitar. This shouldn't have worked, but it did.


42. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Spoon. They are all over this list. They might be another candidate for band of the decade. This album just has them chugging along until the next. They are on such an incredible roll of great, great albums it's unbelievable.


41. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
For me, this was Isaac Brock's best effort of this decade. He brings in guitarists from melodramatic 80's Manchester bands and singers from melodramatic 00's Portland in order to add layers to his warped vision never thought possible. I suspect big things beyond this album.

Best of the Oughts: Albums 51-60

I could do this all month and I almost did.


60. Iron and Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
Even when fully polished, Sam Beam can make anything sound like a cool breeze on a mid-summer afternoon as you sip lemonade on the back porch. Even a fart.


59. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans
I didn't care for all the religious imagery until my recovering Catholic partner explained it to me. Then this record took on a whole new meaning. Haunting, beautiful, lo-fi: this is what Sufjan Stevens was before he he got all orchestral.


58. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News
This record broke Modest Mouse. I know it's not a favorite for most because a certain song was overplayed one summer, but it's a really good record, an appropriate break-out release from an indie workhorse.


57. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
This was the album that reminded you all that Sonic Youth could still rock. Forget building their own instruments. Forget their advancing ages. Forget all you thought you knew about rock and roll. Sonic Youth just reinvented it.


56. Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender
You either love or hate this album (along with the next choice). Joanna Newsom does some crazy Kate Bush shit over a harp. Can you get any more punk rock than that?


55. The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
Weird in a seventies and show tune kinda way, this brother and sister duo will blow your mind...or completely frustrate you with every release since.


54. Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill
Who knew that some of Smith's best material was never released before his suicide/murder? I expected throw-aways when I bought this one, only to be thoroughly surprised and reminded how great a songwriter this man was.


53. She and Him - Volume One
I know that some of the luster has been lost on this one since M Ward has moved on and Zooey has starred in cotton commercials. Forget all of that. This record is timeless.


52. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
I love that Sleater-Kinney were known for how much they rocked harder than your favorite boy punks. Then, they release an even harder hitting record just before calling it quits.


51. Feist - The Reminder
This was, at one time, my favorite album of one particular year, but it faded for me over the following months. Upon, a revisit, I rediscovered the magic and beauty in Feist's effort. This album is cool from beginning to end.

We're halfway there. I bet you're wondering what's next? Well, all I can say as that any of the remaining sets of ten could be someone's top-10. Stay tuned...

Best of the Oughts: Albums 71-80

This list reminds me of a lot of my last couple of years in Ohio. Other than a couple of the selections, this was most of my listening during that period. It's weird how certain years have lumped together on this decade list. Makes me think I didn't do a very good job of mixing things up.

Oh well.


80. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica
A lot of people have identified this as Modest Mouse's best work. While I don't agree with that assessment, I do feel this is as solid an a major label debut as there has been this decade by a former indie band who should have always stayed indie.

79. Thao Nguyen and Get Down Stay Down - We Brave Bee Stings and All
The first eight or so tracks on this record can carry you a long way. Thao makes you want to hold her hand and go to punk rock shows and protest the war and be her boyfriend. Then you wake up and realize you're in your mid-thirties with a kid. It was a nice dream while it lasted. Luckily, you still have the record.

78. The Strokes - Is This It
I forgot about this one until I started looking through some other best of decade lists. The hype on this band was unreal. I remember hearing a story of Sonic Youth being asked overseas what they thought of The Strokes, being a fellow NYC band and all. They had never heard of them. Strangely enough, The Strokes backed up that out-of-nowhere hype with this solid effort. It's too bad they were the decade's first Vampire Weekend, making it impossible for them to ever have any kind of indie cred or critical love.

77. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It in People
This is the Canook co-op to end all Canook co-op. Sometimes too many cooks in the kitchen makes a bad stew. And sometimes all those cooks get it right.

76. ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Source Codes and Tags
When bands were simplifying their sound and their monikers, this band with the really long name was adding layer upon layer to create some of the most vibrant music of the oughts.

75. Belle and Sebastian - Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant
Some of the most gut-wrenching moments ever can be found within "I Fought in a War" or "Don't Leave the Light on Baby."

74. The Moldy Peaches - The Moldy Peaches
My sister once teased me that a mixed tape must have been made that summer I bought the Moldy Peaches as every other song was by the duo. They made fun of hipsters (themselves) way before people did that through blogs.

73. Bright Eyes - Lifted, or the Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
This sort of felt like Conor Oberst's first attempt at a big, theatrical album. He pulled it off and has toned it down ever since. This was when you knew Oberst had arrived.

72. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight
Some point to this as Spoon's finest moment. I think they were just getting started at this point.

71. Songs: Ohia - Magnolia Electric Co.
Honestly, I never gave this band a chance because of the name. I only purchased this album this year, but I have to admit I was wrong. It's beautifully sad and poetic and full of all the twang I love. That and it's from Ohio.

Random Musings

It's been nearly a week since I last posted. It's not like I have nothing to say, because I do. It's just that work, school, and family have a way of pushing the blogging aside.

• Apart from the blogs I mentioned two weeks ago, another Bathysphere alum has entered my Google Reader radar. Kiernan Maletsky gives a full rundown of his daily listening habits along with some insight as to what may have led him to such choices. Read All Day Long.
• Speaking of my shout-outs to the local blogosphere, Pete Bland returned the favor via Twitter and Facebook.
• I listened to Wilco (The Album) this week and think they are returning to my good graces; Modest Mouse's new EP made me revisit This Is a Long Drive...; the selection of the opening track for the Monsters of Folk debut is confusing to me; and I got a lot of responses to a Tweet/Facebook status update concerning Nebraska.
• I don't really know what all the hub-bub is over the new Facebook interface. Just jump around between the news feed and the status updates. It's not that hard.
• Geocities closed its "doors" this week. I thought they did that years ago.
• Kids at Paxton-Keeley have been snorting Smarties. Really. I blame hipsters.
• Although I don't really report on the beering at this particular blog anymore, I did brew my third batch this past weekend (yet another reason I'm not blogging). It's a barley wine with bourbon-soaked wood chips for a little oak and vanilla flavoring. It should be good and potent.
• College football rolls on. I will not write about my team until they redeem themselves. Of course, at least they aren't 0-3 in their conference after getting shellacked on their homecoming night. Oh, and I'm predicting everywhere that Iowa will win the national championship. Write it down.
• I spent my first two nights alone with Lucia. We both survived.
• Not only am I not blogging, but I have not been able to attend many happy hours at the 'Tag in recent weeks (and won't make this week's either). Still, you should go and have a Lion Stout for me.
• There was other stuff, but I've already forgotten. I promise to do better.
  

The Revynilization Project: Screening Records for Lu

I just received some records recently, realizing that they all represent my preference almost exclusively for mid-90's indie rock. What better opportunity is there to introduce music to Lucia than to play some of the best records and artists from the era? Besides, I've neglected my music fan base and this feature in particular.

Last Splash - The Breeders

















Music
This album still stands out from anything in the 90's or even this decade. Kim Deal put together her best line-up for this classic relic from the grunge era. Maybe they weren't the most talented group (I still don't know how Kelley passed as a guitar player.), but they were tight. This has to be one of the best and most unique albums of the past 20 years. It still holds up today.

Insert
For once, an LP insert doesn't measure up its CD counterpart. The artwork found in the original CD was contained in a booklet. It's as if the design was more geared toward a jewel case than a record sleeve. It's sort of a letdown to say the least as the cool, brightly colored photos of the band found in the original packaging are now relegated to sharing space on the inner sleeve.

Sleeve
Where the insert fails, the sleeve succeeds. The colors on the cover photo just pop. The red, black, and green just scream at you to stare as the record spins. Additionally, the back features the black-and-white photo of the band in a convertible as if waving in a parade. This was certainly the size in which these pieces were intended to be viewed.

Extras
None. Well, unless you consider the months and months I waited for some lawyers to argue how this thing should be re-released. Either way, extras or not, it was worth the wait.

Record
180 gram vinyl is nothing to scoff at. The sound is great. As the cover art was meant for an LP sleeve, Last Splash was destined to be heard this way.

whY?
Rarely is there ever an album recorded in an era of loud, aggressive men that not only challenges the sounds and aesthetics of the time but also the gender politics the way Last Splash did for me. If you have a daughter who wants to rock, buy this record. I do and did.

The Soft Bulletin - The Flaming Lips

















Music
Before the Lips turned silly, they recorded The Soft Bulletin, a difficult-but-brilliant pop record. This album is the only perfect record the boys from OK ever recorded, but who can say that much? It's big in the right parts, touches you where it counts, and fills a set of headphones like few others. This is an essential listen.

Insert
The sleeves for this double LP are proper sleeves for protecting vinyl. You know the kind with paper, clear plastic lining and a hole in the middle to reveal the record's label.

Sleeve
As with the music, one can see the direction of the Flaming Lips' graphic design with silk screened images over bright colors and intricate designs and sharp typography. The inside features a great black and white of the band and lyrics. Record sleeves like this cause people to fall in love with albums.

Extras
Three outtakes are included on CD. Not only does this entice consumers with new music, but it also maintains the integrity of the original release and it's intended sequencing. The songs are throwaways, but a bonus nonetheless.

Record
180-gram vinyl just looks, feels, and sounds better. The only thing that could have made this better would have been some color on the vinyl.

whY?
Because I can only think of a small handful of records I like as much as this one.

No One's First, and You're Next - Modest Mouse

















Music
Honestly, I've heard more of this EP on KCOU than I have had time to listen to it at home. In my experience, EP's either contain songs that are too good to shelve until the next full-length release or throwaways that didn't quite cut it for the last album. In this case, these songs are closer to the latter category. However, "History Sticks to Your Feet" is beginning to stick. What I do like about this EP is that Isaac Brock continues to channel his early recordings in his most recent work. For a couple of albums he seemed to drift away from the warbling psychopath with cheap Japanese guitars I grew to love, but this is the second release that at least connects to his work in the mid-to-late-nineties. Either way, nothing he records sounds like any of the other crap on the radio or not played on MTV these days.

Insert
Nothing special. There's some continuation of the charcoal drawings of flies/insects and lyrics. I like the use of thick, quality paper for the insert with plastic coating on the inside to protect the vinyl.

Sleeve
Charcoal drawings of menacing insects with some handmade pen-and-ink lettering. It reminds me more of something one would have seen in an early Modest Mouse concert poster. It's simple and will stick out among their other releases.

Extras
There's the digital download...or so I thought. The file downloaded but won't decompress. Eventually, I'll get back to it and have my listen in the car, but for now it's vinyl only.

Record
I don't know for sure whether it's 180-gram vinyl, but it certainly is solid. There's no wobble in this record.

whY?
EP's are essential to a band's catalog. They give the listener a peak into the recording process between albums. That, or they're just another way to relieve you of some cheddar. You're pick. I think this is an intriguing part of the Modest Mouse oeuvre and should be given a chance.

God Help the Girl - God Help the Girl

















Music
Stuart Murdoch left Belle and Sebastian behind for this project. Maybe he should have rethought that plan of action. This record just sounds like one of those romantic comedies put out by Working Title Films. You know, the company who makes all those sappy comedies starring Hugh Grant and [enter name of American actress of the moment here]. Sure, those films are cute and involve lots of characters, but their benign for the most part. Even as playful as Belle and Sebastian became in this decade, there was always a hint of cynicism there to make you feel alive. This record is a Hugh Grant movie costarring Scarlett Johansson as a busy American shopkeeper in Glasgow who doesn't have time for love until a mysterious-yet-bumbling land surveyor (Grant) sweeps her off her feet. Do you really need to see how it ends?

Insert
The lyric sheet is white on black on rather heavy card stock, hugging the vinyl.

Sleeve
A simple black-and-white photo features a young woman looking longingly somewhere...very Belle and Sebastian.

Extras
There is the digital download.

Record
The vinyl is of medium quality. It's certainly not 180-gram.

whY?
If you miss Belle and Sebastian, this is worth a listen. The sleeve alone will look pretty cool in your record collection.

Overall Verdict: While the two new releases aren't particularly offensive, they are certainly not essential listening. The two re-releases are essential and will be played ad nauseam for little Lucia.

Greatest Drummers Ever.

This is the essential living in misery list of greatest drummers...ever.

OK. So, I have to qualify this post. I'm only counting drummers I have seen in person and actually remember. I'm sure I'm skipping someone and I'm sure you'll all point out drummers missing from my list, but I don't care. Leave your comments and post something on your own blog. For now, enjoy my top 5, in no particular order.
James Lo (Chavez, enough said) - Hands down, this is the greatest thing I've ever seen behind a kit. Just listen to Ride the Fader with a pair of headphones. It will become quite clear to you that this man should not be questioned. Since seeing this band in 1996, I have compared every drummer to Mr. Lo. He is one bad-ass mother...

Chuck Palmer (Earwig, Capital class of '97) - I actually found Chuck's MySpace page, but it does little to prove my point. He drummed for Earwig who played all over Columbus back in the day. Chuck always got so much out of this shitty little drum kit. I've rarely seen a drummer beat his skins so hard. Chuck attended Capital University in Columbus (where I went to school) and studied music in their conservatory. He introduced me to this Japanese drumming he was into...oh, and that dude from Chavez.

Steven Drozd (The Flaming Lips, recovering drug addict) - It's too bad that Steven Drozd is so good at so many instruments, because he has always been one of my 2-3 favorite drummers. He would hover over a kit with not shirt and sweat profusely all over the kit and beat those drums like a sledgehammer on concrete. The dude was intense as a drummer but has softened as he has moved away from the kit. The most disappointing thing for me when The Lips backed up Beck several years back was that Drozd barely played any percussion.

Ahmed Gallab/Daniel Snaith (Caribou, last Thursday night) - Have I not raved about this kid enough? Of course, the sonic cacophony created by Gallab and Snaith together was like nothing I've ever seen. Unbelievable.

Jeremiah Green (Modest Mouse, Satisfact) - I don't know if Green has been the same since he broke down several years ago, but he used to be the best underage drummer of the underground in the mid- to late-nineties. He was so magnificent that Isaac Brock's big ideas could actually come to fruition despite the lack of horn sections, keyboardists, and ex-Smiths guitarists. When Modest Mouse was a three-piece, Green was easily the equal to Brock's guitar-bending, lisp-heavy romps.

I know this list is incomplete, but I was hoping that a few of you would contribute your thoughts on the greatest drummer ever. Comment below...

#8 of 2007: Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

Thirty-One Words: Isaac Brock returns with Smiths Johnny Marr to confuse our neuroses even more by singing about sinking ships, broken down cars, and barking dogs that only speak in lisps and alliteration.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Spitting Venom"

Pitchfork Says: 7.8

Modest No More

As previously mentioned, I went to the Modest Mouse show at COMO's Blue Note last night. As I sat waiting for the music to begin, I realized that it had been eleven years since I first saw Modest Mouse and ten to the month when they convinced me that they were the best live act ever. Of course, that opinion changed. It's probably been six or seven years since I enjoyed a Mouse show (not counting my bachelor party where I was too drunk to realize that it was a sub par performance - I heckled anyway, "O-hi-ee-o!").

Back at those early shows, Modest Mouse was my little secret. After that first show in a bar located in a basement that served bagels and beer, I wrote "Modest Mouse" on a scrap piece of paper to remind me of the magnificence I had just witnessed and kept it for months on my bulletin board. Then, over winter break, I insisted that my brother and sister both dub Long Drive onto cassette and freely distribute it to anyone they knew (pre-Napster?). My brother took his tape back to Dayton and a strong community of the converted sprouted up.

Every friend or acquaintance I knew had to submit to listening to Modest Mouse. Many were converted, but I still felt as though they were unknown enough to still be mine. They weren't on MTV or the radio. I was the only one listening to "Tundra/Desert" at any moment in time...or so I was convinced.

Then came the breakthrough. "Float On" ended any pretensions that I held that I was the one and only Modest Mouse fan. The band had even released a major label record prior to Good News but to little fanfare or acclaim. It was great to see one of my favorite bands succeed, but it was sad to lose the intimacy I had with the band and its records.

I was reminded of this lost intimacy at a packed Blue Note throughout the band's show. I considered watching the show from just in front of the stage, but I soon realized that the one spot I could squeeze into was behind the speakers that were going to block front man Isaac Brock's position on stage. That would never do, so I returned to the balcony.

Although the band has been playing rather large venues to largely mainstream audiences, I still felt that half of their catalog was unheard by many in the crowd. It turns out I was wrong. The band played several older tracks and a rarity from an EP and people sang along as enthusiastically for those songs as they did for "Float On" or "Dashboard". The secret is out or it has been and I'm just finally coming to terms with it.

The strange thing is that I'm actually OK with this growing notoriety. The band is able to make a living making music. And that music is getting airplay, something I never expected. It's great that a man whose vocal stylings resembles Tom Waits with a lisp is atop the Billboard charts. The fact that such challenging music has invaded the mainstream is always welcome.

The show also reaffirmed my faith in the band and its live show. They were sharp and efficient, not to mention incredibly gifted performers. I was curious about how Johnny Marr would fit in, but I wonder no more. He's really a very talented guitarist who didn't take away any of the spotlight from Brock.

I had felt that over the years the frenetic energy in their early years was missing from Modest Mouse's live sets, but this was proven to not be the case anymore. I hadn't seen Brock holler with such conviction like he did last night in a long time. Jeremiah Green was finally the driving force from behind the drum kit as he was in the mid-nineties. The songs made people dance, stomp their feet, and mosh (really) with fantastic enthusiasm. Spoon put on a great show last month, but they didn't energize the crowd half as much as Modest Mouse did Thursday night.

Although I was put off by the $35 ticket and $25 t-shirt prices, the show confirmed my eleven-year commitment to Modest Mouse. They can put on a great show despite their popularity. The band still has some gas left in the tank, so to speak. This may be the last time I'll ever see them in a club or at all, but I'm glad I forked over the cash for last night's show.

Pre/review: Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse comes to town tomorrow for what must be a rare club show. I remember when the band made to jump from bars to clubs like the Blue Note. Now, they're huge Billboard-topping behemoths that can charge $34 for said club show.

I could write all kinds of things about this band. I could write about Isaac Brock hitchhiking across the country and recording his songs on answering machines. I could write about the controversy over the band "selling-out" when they signed with Epic. Or I could write about the contradiction of a feminist supporting a band whose front man has been accused of rape, but I won't. I love the band for their music and what it's meant to me over the years. So, that is what I'll write about.

In 1996, Modest Mouse released This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Talk About. I have distributed and shared more dubs of this album than any other. Something about it spoke to me from its cold imagery to its bizarre lisped-barking and guitar squeals to disillusionment with our existence. Many of Modest Mouse's running themes of drowning in the ocean, being overwhelmed by suburban sprawl, and deities as flawed beings began to sprout up throughout the record's 74 minutes of indie rock atmospherics. Officially, it wasn't their first release, but it was their introduction to most of the indie community.

Later, the same year, the band released an EP called Interstate 8. This fast and furious EP proved that Modest Mouse could make you dance. It perfectly complimented the gloom and doom of Long Drive with the humor and teen-age seduction of "All Night Diner" or fifties nostalgia of "Sleepwalking..." plus there were hints of the band's frenetic live shows found in the demo extras hidden at the end.

These two releases, along with 1997's The Fruit that Ate Itself were my soundtrack for what was a depressingly awful year. Fruit was an interesting release that displayed the band's sound in an almost hi-fi arena absent from the previous releases. In addition to the slick production, Brock experimented with the sound boards and mixing machines to show some appreciation for hip-hop sounds and culture. I remember this disc being the perfect soundtrack for a stroll on the beach in the San Juan Islands.

By the fall of '97, Modest Mouse released their second proper, The Lonesome Crowded West. The album's title was one of many that eluded to the all-consuming feeling of isolation in an overcrowded world prevalent in Mouse records. It begins with one the most rocking songs ever in "Teeth Like God's Shoeshine" before twisting and turning down roads from Alaska to Florida. It, like most of the early Mouse releases, was a perfect road trip record.

In between these albums and EP's were some ingenious singles that have never received their due. I'm amazed that I even own any of these on 7" they're so rarely talked about. I happened to stumble upon the "Broke" single one day at Used Kids and glad I did. This track (along with b-side "Whenever You Breath Out...") is one of my most prized vinyl-pressed possessions. Then, there's the "Life of Arctic Sounds"/"Medication" single put out on Suicide Squeeze. It's not the most polished Modest Mouse recording, but it hinted at the naivete that is so present in Brock's very early work. I actually love "Birds vs. Worms" with its blue vinyl and translucent, rice-paper sleeve even though drummer Jeremiah Green thought it to be a piece of crap in a pretty package. I may have been swayed by the sleeve, but I'm ok with that.

1998 was a long year without any major releases outside of a few singles "Other People's Lives"/"Gray Ice Water" and "Never Ending Math Equation"/"Workin' on Leavin' the Livin'" were great leftovers from the band's most productive period. They, like many of the singles and rarities, found their way onto 2000's compilation disc, Building Something Out of Nothing.

The highlight of the '98 releases was the collaborative effort with 764-HERO (and some DJ's) in the epic "Whenever You See Fit". I remember seeing both bands perform the song and my brother's roommate, Adam, turning to me to say, "That song has to be on the f---ing album!" It wasn't, but it didn't need to be. Both bands seemed to play completely different songs as they crowded the tiny stage but would always return to the same crescendo that left us speechless...except Adam and I just told you what he said.

The vinyl-only release (in the US) for "Night on the Sun" arrived through the mail sometime in '99 or '00. It was a clue as to the highly-produced and uber-conceptual nature of the band's future releases, but it left me wanting more, especially after the previously mentioned Building... compilation.

The same year that Modest Mouse released their collection of indie singles, they made the jump to the majors with The Moon and Antarctica. This was a confounding rock record that felt conventional and radio-ready, but that never happened. One almost got the sense that Brock tried really hard to get people to embrace this album. They even re-released it with some Peel sessions and new artwork. The band has insisted on playing many of the tracks from this under-appreciated album.

The next year saw Everything and His Nasty Parlor Tricks extend the Moon's gaze but was
mostly highlighted by the songs from "Night on the Sun", making me feel as if I had wasted my money on the vinyl.

After what seemed like an eternity in mouse years, 2004's summer top-40 hit Good News for People Who Love Bad News changed Modest Mouse forever. This year's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank has continued the band's mega-success.

Although I knew of the band when...I still support and listen to Modest Mouse's current work. I know that Modest Mouse is a fixture on mainstream radio, but at least they don't sound like anything else on AM, FM, or even XM.

So, with this all in-mind, I will head out to the Note to see Modest Mouse one more time. I'm not expecting it to be as memorable as the time I saw them in a basement venue that served bagels and beer or a bar in Cincinnati that also offered laundry services or the famed Crocodile Cafe. In fact, it will probably suck as kids who were in elementary school when Long Drive was released and have never heard of Up Records are singing along to "Float On" (or that none of them know who guitarist Johnny Marr used to play for), but I really don't care. I'll go, rock out, and remember why I love Modest Mouse.

Coffee and Dreams for the District

The "District", the partially nameless moniker arbitrarily given to COMO's downtown area, is constantly witnessing changes in storefronts and eateries - for better and worse. It often occurs to me that this part of COMO is both the reason this place is livable and the source of much of my misery. This contradictory feeling is mainly due the potential of the downtown that never feels fulfilled.

I know that it's already been reviewed by "real" journalists, but I have to express my pleasure in discovering the District's newest coffee shop, Kaldi's. From what I've heard, Kaldi's is based out of St. Louis and actually supplies much of the coffee for some Columbia coffee joints. So, it's not completely new to Misery, but it is a welcome new member of the District.

Kaldi's took over the nice corner space on 9th and Cherry, once occupied by one of those crappy noodle chains. I have to say that the space is way more appropriate for a coffee shop than it was for soup and noodles. The interior is sleek, trademarked with Kaldi's logo, and provides a variety of seating.

The coffee has been fine. Actually, I've liked most of the coffee in COMO. None of it is spectacular, but it's all well-roasted and brewed. The latte' at Kaldi's is a little heavy on the milkiness and light on the coffee taste. The coffee doesn't stick out which is fine - it's neither spectacular nor bitter.

What I like is that Kaldi's provides another coffee space that isn't hippie-dippy (Lakota), hipster-Christian (Artisan), or loaded with local yokels (Coffee Zone). It's an alternative that diversifies the coffee scene in downtown COMO without being Starbuck's.

The menu is varied and interesting, similar to Artisan. R and I enjoyed our savory crepes (salmon in one, turkey sausage and bacon in the other). The crepes were interesting, but a little on the Misery-bland side.

Over breakfast, we got to talking about the changes that are happening in the district.

First of all, there is an actual tapas restaurant. We're not talking about a place that serves Horsd'œuvres on little plates. No. We're talking about real Spanish-influenced tapas. Throw in some Rioja and I might forget I'm in Misery.

Secondly, there is word that Cucina Sorella and/or Trattoria Strada Nova will be returning upon the arrival of its founder. This would be a welcome return of one of COMO's best breakfast spots. Without Cucina, the quality of breakfast in this town dropped dramatically.

Third, it appears that the Ragtag/Uprise move to Hitt Street is making serious progress. I, for one, will be eager to attend films at the Ragtag knowing that there will be two to choose from. Rumor has it that one theater will have seats similar to the thrift store throw-aways like the current location and the other will have more traditional theater seating. Whichever is fine with me. I'm just exited to have choices of indie films in this town.

As far as the dreams I have for the District, I wish some stores would fill the empty space. I'd even be fine with some chain stores like Urban Outfitters or Banana Republic. These kinds of stores would be better than no stores and might bring additional traffic downtown to help support the existing businesses. Also, the rumor of Trader Joe's coming to COMO has to come to fruition. A downtown location would be ideal and this town could easily support the discount natural/organic/international food store.

Then, there are the businesses in COMO that should be downtown and not in a strip mall. JinaYoo's Asian Bistro has been the happiest addition to COMO's dismal dining scene in the last three years and should be downtown. Speaking of great Asian food, why hasn't Osaka made the move to the District? Besides the sheer entertainment of the hibachi, their sushi is far superior to Sake, downtown's current sushi joint.

These improvements and the return of hotels to downtown might even be enough to give the District a real name. (The Doc[umentary] District? The Mizzou District? The District of Columbia?) The hotels could be a big piece. There is talk of the Tiger returning to its golden era as a grand hotel. Then there's the project by the university to create a downtown hotel that can host conferences. (However, can this really happen when the university is in such dire economic straights?) Hotels would provide the District with the population and life it needs to be a viable downtown.

I'm coming to terms with the possibility that I may be here for quite awhile, so I want the place to improve as much as possible. A lot of that improvement can happen downtown to make this an exciting place to live. It could give me a reason to forget that we're two-hours from any major city with real restaurants and entertainment.

In the meantime, I'll attend the Modest Mouse show on Thursday (after a burger at Booche's), catch a flick at the Ragtag, and stay at home Saturday to watch The Game (OSU/Michigan-for all of you who aren't familiar with college football). That should do for now.

NPR=Depressing

Has anyone out there listened to NPR lately? It's been freakin' depressing. Oil prices are on the rise. The housing market is in the tank. The government is watching (or listening) our every move while they accomplish nothing that will actually help us in any way. They're playing that sad piano tune on Marketplace. It goes on and on from there and it's like this every morning.

What I could do is stop listening to NPR or end our subscription to the New York Times. All news is bad news lately and that gets tiresome. I'm not saying that I want the crap Today or Good Morning America is shoveling but geesh.

Can't we have one day of good news? Scientists discover the cure for AIDS and cancer. The five richest men in the world decide to provide clean water systems for all of Africa. A team from Cleveland wins a championship. Something.

The worst part about all this bad news is that people (Americans, I'm looking your way) seem to be oblivious to what's falling apart all around them. The rich keep getting richer while the poor get nothing. SUV's continue to roll off the dealership lots. (Didn't you see Al Gore's PowerPoint presentation?) Americans run up crazy amounts of debt despite the ever-shrinking dollar and the fact that we are in a war. Maybe it's just Misery-ians, but hardly anyone is paying attention.

I know, I know. All this doomsday and Misery stuff gets old, but you have to admit that this is not exactly the greatest time period in the history of the world. NPR is depressing. I can't help that.

Not to worry. It's Tuesday, and that means some new music will come out. It's getting closer and closer to November when I'll get to see The Thermals and Modest Mouse within a week of each other. I'll see that new Wes Anderson movie and feel OK. I, like most people, will find something to divert my attention from the negative.

Of course, we're all too good at finding these diversions. Some of us throw ourselves into our work. Others buy stuff. While others (this is me) turn to entertainment to help them forget there is a real world out there rife with problems. We all have some form of escape.

Do these problems hang around because we don't deal with them? Is there even anything we can do about the crummy economy, poverty, etc.? Or are we just trying to wait them out? You know, this too shall pass. I don't know. Whatever it is, I'll probably blog about until something else comes along. For now, I've got 54 minutes of NPR left this morning before they play some lame-ass classical music. Or, in other words: Back to Misery.

This Is the End, My Friend

We recently purchased a new car, since my new job requires me to drive all over our great state of Misery. It's not that we only had one car already. It's just that my old friend, the '97 VW Golf, is on its last leg.

There's something about one's first car. Sure, I had junkers that I shared with my siblings, but this was the first new car I ever owned. I remember being persuaded by that VW ad with the Nick Drake song playing in the background that this was the car company that would somehow make my life better.

It was the ideal car for me. The hatchback and fold-down seats made it possible for me to leave Ohio forever, but I didn't leave for eight years. The six-disc CD changer allowed me to drive all over with the soundtrack to my life playing in the background. Chavez's Ride the Fader was the perfect album for long drives across rural Ohio. This car was for me.

As the years passed, I took this car everywhere. There was the not-so-well-thought-out backpacking trip through the U.P. in April. I drove it to Columbus (before moving there permanently), Detroit, Cleveland, Newport, KY, and Cincy for rock shows. I drove through the fog to and from Wisconsin for a Thanksgiving with Modest Mouse's new CD (The Lonesome Crowded West) on repeat. We took a 48-hour road trip to Coney Island for the first Siren Festival. Then, I drove my old friend here.

I'm not usually attached to things. Music, sporting events, good beer and food, sure. Friends and lovers will always have a place in my heart, but they have to make room for my car.

It was apparent the end was nearing when we closed on our first house and stayed to paint a couple of weeks before moving. The car broke down nine hours from home. I wasn't sure I'd even be able to bring it back at all. It turned out that the compressor could only work with the AC running while driving on the highway. The car would sputter to a stop whenever my speed dipped below 50. We made it home, and I returned with my car two weeks later.

Anyway, we bought the new car, a red Versa, to tool around COMO, while I drive all over Misery in R's Vibe. My car has already been sold off to a student thanks to our very odd insurance guy. All I need is to locate a new title, and she's gone. She's gone. Oh I. Oh, I'd better learn to face it. She's gone.

(Author's Note: I apologize for the Hall and Oates reference. I couldn't resist despite sounding way too melodramatic.)

Modest Mouse

Something that happens when one purchases an iPod (80gb!) is he/she (me) gets a chance to listen to some old favorites that had been shelved in favor of newer fare. I was downloading a portion of my abnormally large music collection (overcompensation for something else?) onto the iPod when I stumbled upon Modest Mouse.

Although I've been listening to Isaac Brock and co.'s latest (We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank) all summer, I have not listened to their earlier material or some time. These were records that meant (mean) a great deal to me. And so the story goes...

I remember the first time I saw/heard Modest Mouse. It was the fall of 1996. My senior year of college had just begun when a friend invited me out to see this band I'd never heard of, but a band I had heard of (Tiara) was opening. This particular friend had never lead me astray, so I headed to Bernie's Bagels and Distillery to check out this "mouse band".

After an intense set by Seattle's 764-HERO and Columbus' own Tiara, I began to pick up that this night at Bernie's was going to be worth it. My girlfriend wanted to go, but something told me to stick around. My friend was ecstatic and was joined by about 8-10 indie geeks who were just as stoked. I also noticed the logo for Up Records at the merch stand. Up was the label for one of my all-time favorite bands, Built to Spill. I've often used favorite labels to help inform my musical tastes and have rarely been let down.

Modest Mouse hit the stage as the crowd suddenly grew and moved forward. I had a spot near the front, but I had to contest with a support beam. As I moved from side to side of the post, I could see a rough-looking threesome squeezed onto Bernie's tiny stage. The venue could hold up to 100 people, but there were maybe 40 or so that night. Of course, 38 of those 40 were jammed in front of the band.

What soon came out of the amps was the most abrasive yet danceable music I'd ever heard with this smarmy-looking kid lisping all kinds of diatribes. They reminded me of a cross between the blue-collar indie punk of the Archers of Loaf and distorted guitar heroism of Built to Spill. The music was filled with discontent and alienation while causing us all to rock out like there was no tomorrow. It was the first time I felt like I had been altered by a band I had never seen or heard before, and only the 40 or so people in the room knew the same thing.

I later heard from one of the members of Tiara that Isaac Brock was on the prowl that night for some drugs. He was also a little weary about playing a bagel shop but was pleasantly surprised. I spoke with Brock a year later after a show at Cincinnati's Sudsy Malone's, and he fondly remembered Tiara's set. The night was one of the most memorable of my many spent in dingy venues to hear bands no one has ever heard.

I saw Modest Mouse many times after that night at Bernie's. I missed them due to a broken-down van in Bowling Green in the following spring. My second Mouse sighting was at Seattle's famous Crocodile Cafe. There was the Sudsy's show the following fall (where Brock offered us beers only to give us one and keep one for himself) and a couple of wild concerts at the historic Southgate House in Newport, KY. They played Columbus with 764-HERO again and a band called The Shins. There were other shows after that. There was even Brock's side-project, Ugly Casanova in Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom (with an unknown Iron & Wine). The last time I saw them was for my bachelor party where my sister and I drunkenly heckled the band in order to hear anything from their pre-millennial releases. To put it plainly: I've seen this band a lot.

I keep going back for more every time Brock puts something on tape and releases a record. I made many copies of This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Talk About for almost everyone I knew with positive results. I've collected every 7" prior to the band's major label debut. Modest Mouse sold alienation, despondency, and angst. I bought everyone no matter how clichéd.

The band sounded and sounds like no one else ever has. There is something about out-of-tune, Japanese, Fender knock-offs that appeals to my ears. Then, there's the vocals. Brock somehow is able to combine barking, whimpering, and a red-neck drawl in order to get his point across and all of this with a lisp.

Despite the dominance of Brock's guitar and voice work, the band has been held together by all its parts. Jeremiah Green drives a beat that is ferocious - before and after his mental breakdown. And Eric Judy keeps a steady groove that is consistent through all the MM material. (During a hiatus, I knew a girl who was managing a coffee shop in Seattle where Judy once applied for a position in order to feed his kid and partner. She talked him out of it by pointing out that he was Eric Judy of Modest Mouse. He left without applying for the job.)

So, as I listen to the hidden tracks on the Interstate 8 EP, "Dramamine", and The Fruit that Ate Itself, I'm reminded of how great this band is and how much they mean to me. Hopefully they will keep making music for a long, long time.