I say this every round, but it's almost impossible to choose the next five songs. If the remaining songs were all I was allowed to play for the rest of my life, I'd still be pretty happy. There are 11 releases represented in the Top 45 and even the worst song from each release is superb. Why am I even bothering? I'm just weird I guess.
Let's continue before I change my mind:
45. Be Brave (Strangers to Ourselves)
From day to day, to day, to day to today
From day to day, to day, to day to today
We care, we care, we carry our own weight
From day to day, to day, to day to today
As sharks in sheep's clothing, pumping with our hips
Filling every single corner with our soft little gifts of ourselves
Getting carried, so, so carried away
I am not afraid to be dead but it's scary for me to stay
From day to day to day to day to today
Be brave, be brave, be brave, be brave, and be brave
Be brave, be brave, be brave, be brave, and be brave
At the Parthenon
Ants were climbing 'round
Every head of bronze
At the Parthenon
Another monster hiding inside of a cave
We go from day to day misbehaving in the most appropriate ways
The unicorns missing last call to get on Noah's ship
We don't quit, we won't quit, we can't quit, we just don't quit
Well the Earth doesn't care and we hardly even matter
We're just a bit more piss to push out its full bladder
And as our bodies float down onto all their rocky little bits
Piled up under mountains of dirt and silt
And still, the world, it don't give a shit
But be brave, be brave, be brave, be brave, be brave (be brave)
Be brave, be brave, be brave, be brave, be brave (be brave)
Be brave, be brave, be brave, be brave, be brave
Ants were climbing 'round
All them heads of bronze
At the Parthenon
The ants are climbing on
Well, this track is almost perfect. I like the narrative and Brock's venom-filled delivery. As important as we think our lives are, we're insignificant if you think in terms of the history of the world or the human race. My favorite verse tackles that concept:
"Well the Earth doesn't care and we hardly even matter
We're just a bit more piss to push out its full bladder
And as our bodies float down onto all their rocky little bits
Piled up under mountains of dirt and silt
And still, the world, it don't give a shit"
I'm sure many of you would argue that we do matter. The reality is that we do, but only to a relatively small number of people and for a very short time.
Enough analysis. I am delighted to have another great Modest Mouse song from an album which is still growing on me. The urgency and the overall style are present in many of my favorite songs. It's another one that sounds even better live.
Here's a live version from the US Open:
44. Night on the Sun (Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks)
So, turn off the light
'Cause it's night on the sun
You're hopelessly hopeless
I hope so, for you
Freeze your blood
And then stab it into in two
Stab your blood into me
And blend
I eat my own blood
And get filled up get filled up
I get filled up on me
And end
So, turn off the light
'Cause it's night on the sun
You're hopelessly hopeless
I hope so, for you
Turn off the light
'Cause it's night on the sun
You're hopelessly hopeless
I hope so, for you
Freeze your blood
And then stab it into in two
Stab your blood into me
And end
I eat my own blood
And get filled up, I get filled up
I get filled up on me
And end
Freeze your blood
And then stab it into me
Freeze your blood
And then stab it into me
Freeze your blood
And then stab it in two into me
And blend
Turn off the light
'Cause it's night on the sun
You're hopelessly hopeless
I hope so, for you
Well, there's one thing
To know about this town
It's five hundred miles underground
And that's alright, that's alright
Well, there's one thing
To know about this globe
It's bound and it's willing to explode
And that's alright, that's alright
That's alright, that's alright
Well, there's one thing
To know about this town
Not a person doesn't
Want me underground
That's alright, that's alright
That's alright
There's one thing
To know about this town
It's five hundred miles underground
And that's okay
That's alright, that's alright
There's one thing
To know about this earth
We're put here just to make more dirt
And that's okay
That's alright, that's alright
Well, there's one thing
To know about this globe
It's bound and it's willing to explode
And that's okay
That's alright, that's alright
There's one thing
To know about this town
It's five hundred miles underground
And that's okay
That's alright, that's alright
Not everything that I like is messy and raw. Night on the Sun is about as smooth as Modest Mouse ever sounds. If you told me that this was your favorite song of theirs, I would totally understand. The structure is more conventional than almost everything the band releases. What makes it so good is the way it effortlessly creates a dreamlike feeling. Whenever I hear it, I'm completely lost in the song. I love how it builds with the drums and Brock's voice getting more animated, before the release and the calm ending. Led Zeppelin gave us Kashmir, so I guess this is the indie version of songs to play while making love; or would that be Television's Marquee Moon?
Here's the video:
43. Interstate 8 (Building Nothing Out of Something)
Spent 18 hours
Waitin' stoned for space
I spent the same 18 hours
In the same damn place
I'm on a road
Shaped like a figure 8
I'm goin' nowhere
But I'm guaranteed to be late
You go out like a riptide
You know a ball has no sides
You're an angel with an amber halo
Black hair and the devil's pitchfork
Wind-up anger with the endless view of
The ground's colorful patchwork
How have you been? How have you been?
How have you? How have you?
I drove around for hours
I drove around for days
I drove around for months
And years and never went no place
We're on a pass, we're on a pass
I stopped for gas, but where could place be
To pay for gas to drive around
Around the Interstate 8
You go out like a riptide
You know a ball has no sides
You're an angel with an amber halo
Black hair and the Devil's pitchfork
Wind-up anger with the endless view of
The ground's colorful patchwork
How have you been? How have you been?
How have you? How have you?
Is this song a metaphor for life? I almost want to drive on Interstate 8 just to experience it. In the UK, they call it the M25 and in Canada, Highway 401. I like everything about this song. The lyrics, the delivery, and the wonderful final minute with the band rocking their asses off.
"I'm goin' nowhere, but I'm guaranteed to be late"
42. The World at Large (Good News for People Who Love Bad News)
Ice-age heat, wave can't complain
If the world's at large, why should I remain?
Walked away to another plane
Gonna find another place, maybe one I can stand
I move on to another day
To a whole new town with a whole new way
Went to the porch to have a thought
Got to the door and again, I couldn't stop
You don't know where and you don't know when
But you still got your words and you got your friends
Walk along to another day
Work a little harder, work another way
Well uh uh baby I ain't got no plan
We'll float on maybe would you understand?
Gonna float on maybe would you understand?
We'll float on maybe would you understand?
The days get shorter and the nights get cold
I like the autumn but this place is getting old
I pack up my belongings and I head for the coast
It might not be a lot but I feel like I'm making the most
The days get longer and the nights smell green
I guess it's not surprising but it's spring and I should leave
I like songs about drifters, books about the same
They both seem to make me feel a little less insane
Walked on off to another spot
I still haven't gotten anywhere that I want
Did I want love? Did I need to know?
Why does it always feel like I'm caught in an undertow?
The moths beat themselves to death against the lights
Adding their breeze to the summer nights
Outside, water like air was great
I didn't know what I had that day
Walk a little farther to another plane
You said that you did, but you didn't understand
I know that starting over is not what life's about
But my thoughts were so loud, I couldn't hear my mouth
My thoughts were so loud, I couldn't hear my mouth
My thoughts were so loud
I'm somewhat shocked that I am ranking The World at Large this low. I would have guessed that it would end up in my Top 20. You can see why I had such trouble eliminating five songs this round if this one is among them.
The opening line brilliantly transports me to a different place. My friend would probably call this sound lush. The strings certainly give it an atmospheric quality that's both reflective and calming. I was thrilled to hear it live. So why am I ranking it this low? The remaining songs all suit my taste better, it's that simple. I think this song would work well on a movie soundtrack.
Here's a great live version:
41. Head South (This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About)
A surf rock band from the land of plenty
Surf rock bands with no surf just pine trees
Struck by being ashamed of your old space, just wanting that mean heat
You bleached your hair and you pawned your skis
And then you sold out for the shade of the palm tree scene
And said, "Oh what a drag, oh what a backwards scheme
'Cuz here things go from grey to grey and back to grey again
And they get green and go to grey and back to grey again"
So he said,"Head South, head South, head South, head South
Head South, head South, head South, head South
Head South, head South, head South, head South
Head South, head South, head South, head South"
Struck by being ashamed of your old space, just wanting that mean heat
You bleached your hair and you pawned your skis
And then you sold out for the shape of the palm tree scene
Surrounded, cut off jeans and cut off jeans are what you mean
When you say, "Head South, head South, head South, head South
Head South, head South, head South, head South
Head South, head South, head South, head South"
I think it's fair to say that there is a Pixies feel to this song, especially the vocal style. It's weird, it's raw, it's wild, and the last two minutes kick all kinds of rear end. Brock screams his way through some of the lyrics and sounds like he means it. When the vocals are finally done, we are treated to one of the best jams Modest Mouse has ever produced. I could listen to that guitar all day. Actually, I often do just that. If the whole song was like that end segment, this would be in my Top 10. It's still brilliant though.
That's all for this installment. I have no idea how I am going to rank the 40 remaining songs, but it will be fun trying. My apologies if I eliminated some of your favorites this round.
Here's the story so far with links to the rest of the series:
100. Birds Vs Worms
99. Fire It Up
98. We've Got Everything
97. Dukes Up
96. Out of Gas
95. Strangers to Ourselves
94. Of Course We Know
93. Space Travel Is Boring
92. Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice, Alright
91. Dance Hall
90. She Ionizes & Atomizes
89. Other People's Lives
88. Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe In (Positive Negative)
87. One Chance
86. Polar Opposites
99. Fire It Up
98. We've Got Everything
97. Dukes Up
96. Out of Gas
95. Strangers to Ourselves
94. Of Course We Know
93. Space Travel Is Boring
92. Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice, Alright
91. Dance Hall
90. She Ionizes & Atomizes
89. Other People's Lives
88. Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe In (Positive Negative)
87. One Chance
86. Polar Opposites
85. Might
84. Pups to Dust
83. Sunspots in the House of the Late Scapegoat
82. All Night Diner
81. March Into the Sea
80. Coyotes
79. Blame It On the Tetons
78. The Good Times Are Killing Me
77. Perfect Disguise
76. A Life of Arctic Sounds
75. Satellite Skin
74. Ohio
73. People as Places as People
72. The Waydown
71. Guilty Cocker Spaniels70. Florida
69. Missed the Boat
68. The Cold Part
67. Whenever You See Fit
66. Wicked Campaign
65. Lives
64. Beach Side Property
63. Bankrupt On Selling
62. Shit Luck
61. Little Motel
60. Satin in Your Coffin
59. Shit in Your Cut
58. The View
57. Ansel
56. Custom Concern
55. Sugar Boats
54. Dashboard
53. Education
52. Bukowski
51. What People Are Made Of
50. The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box
49. Alone Down There
48. Float On
47. King Rat
46. Lampshades On Fire
45. Be Brave
44. Night on the Sun
43. Interstate 8
42. The World at Large
41. Head South
Building nothing out of something (overview)
Building nothing out of something - songs 100 to 96
Building nothing out of something - songs 95 to 91
Building nothing out of something - songs 85 to 81Building nothing out of something - songs 95 to 91
Building nothing out of something - songs 80 to 76
Building nothing out of something - songs 75 to 71
Building nothing out of something - songs 70 to 66
Building nothing out of something - songs 65 to 61
Building nothing out of something - songs 60 to 56
Building nothing out of something - songs 55 to 51
Building nothing out of something - songs 50 to 46
Building nothing out of something - songs 45 to 41
Building nothing out of something - songs 40 to 36
Building nothing out of something - songs 35 to 31
Building nothing out of something - songs 30 to 26
Building nothing out of something - songs 25 to 21
Building nothing out of something - songs 20 to 16
Building nothing out of something - songs 15 to 11
Building nothing out of something - songs 10 to 6
Building nothing out of something - the Top 5
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