In the Frame Film Reviews: Building nothing out of something

By the end of this post, I will have talked about a third of the Top 100 songs from my favorite band. I'm probably more interested in the final order than you are. Please try not to be offended if your ranking is significantly different from mine. At least we like the same band. I only played about two hours of Modest Mouse songs today, so I need to hear a few more as I write this.

70. Florida (We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank)

Although we often wondered, it was no thing of wonder
The shit that flew from our minds
Well, grass stains and fresh fruit remind our shoes of horse glue
On this ridiculous climb

With great tunnel vision, we built ourselves a mission
To ride out motives inside
Oh, with vague description of what we have been missing
So why would anyone try

It was always worth it
That's the part I seem to hide
And the busy ant empire
Put all your clothes inside

I wasn't always cargo, I was kind of my own
I guess I'll pack up my mind
Well it took so much effort not to make an effort
Oh, what a flawless design

It was always worth it
That's the part I seem to hide
And the busy ant empire
Put all your clothes inside, even as I left Florida

It was always worth it
That's the part I seem to hide
And the busy ant empire
Has always were to hide

It was always worth it
That's the part I seem to hide, even as I left Florida
Far enough, far enough, wasn't far enough

Couldn't quite seem to escape myself
Far enough, far enough, far from Florida
We were all drowsing in cruise control
Far enough, far enough, wasn't far enough

I stood on my heart supports thinkin'
Oh, my God
I'll probably have to carry this whole load
I couldn't remember if I tried

I couldn't remember if I took my brain out
Threw it so directly at the goal
I couldn't remember if I, I could have my mind erased
And still not know exactly what I don't already know, even as I left Florida

Florida is a very good song that attacks from the first few notes and doesn't let up. I can't help but be swept along by it. The funky guitar and dense layers are essential ingredients, but Brock's vocals are the best thing about the song. I love the delivery. The one minor flaw is the backing vocals during the chorus. They come off as too polished, whereas I prefer the rough edges. My favorite line has to be "Well it took so much effort not to make an effort oh what a flawless design."

69. Missed the Boat (We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank)

While we're on the subject
Could we change the subject now?
I was knocking on your ears
Don't worry you were always out

Looking towards the future
We were begging for the past
Well, we know we had the good things
But those never seemed to last
Oh, please just last

Everyone's unhappy
Everyone's ashamed
Well, we all just got caught looking
At somebody else's page

Well, nothing ever went
Quite exactly as we planned
Our ideas held no water
But we used them like a dam

Oh, and we carried it all so well
As if we got a new position
Oh, and I laugh all the way to hell
Saying yes, this is a fine promotion
Oh, and I laugh all the way to hell

Of course everyone goes crazy
Over such and such and such
We made ourselves a pillar
We just used it as a crutch

We were certainly uncertain
At least I'm pretty sure I am
Well, we didn't need the water
But we just built that good god damn

Oh, and I know this of myself
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

We didn't read the invite
We just danced at our own wake
All our favorites were playing
So we could shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

Tiny curtains open
And we heard the tiny clap of little hands
A tiny man would tell a little joke
And get a tiny laugh from all the folks

Sitting, drifting around in bubbles
And thinking it was us that carried them
When we finally got it figured out
That we had truly missed the boat

Oh, and we carried it all so well
As if we got a new position
Oh, and we owned all the tools ourselves
Without the skills to make a shelf with
Oh, what useless tools ourselves

Here's a song with a simple structure and it's easy to like. The vocals carry the song at times and the band backs off to allow them to be even more prominent. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank has grown on me a lot over the past year and I can't pick out a weak track. Missed the Boat is a moment of calm before a few songs that pick up the pace. It's even better when you hear the whole album.

68. The Cold Part (The Moon & Antarctica)

So long to this cold, cold part of the world
So long to this cold, cold part of the world
So long to this bone bleached part of the world
So long to this cold, cold part of the world

So long to this salt soaked part of the world
I stepped down as president of Antarctica
Can't blame me, don't blame me, don't

So long to this sad, sad part of the world

This song is on my Driving playlist because it's so atmospheric and eerie when played in the dark. I always feel like I'm taking a journey when I hear it. The violin adds something vital to the sound. This is another track that works better as part of the album, but it's still just about flawless in its own right. The album was a bit of a change in style, with a lot of the songs sounding like something out of a dream, not to mention out of this world.

67. Whenever You See Fit (Whenever You See Fit)

(You and me, whenever we go wrong)
Wake up early and you'll live to regret (nothing is clear)
And you'll tell it to the telephone (tell the truth)
Look whenever you're talking all alone (whenever you see fit)
And everything you ever said
Wake up early and you'll live to regret it
Spend some time, whenever you go wrong
Wake up early and you'll live to regret it
And you'll wake up early and you'll live to regret (tell the truth)
And you'll wake up early and you'll live to regret (whenever you see fit)
Well, talking on the telephone
Looking at yourself like you're all alone (everything's wrong)
And everything you ever
Wake up early and you'll live to regret it
Everything's wrong
Talking on the telephone
Talking like a talking bell
You'll go to bed early and you'll talk to your pillow
You'll go to bed early and you'll talk to your pillow
You'll go to bed early and you'll talk to your pillow
You'll go to bed early and you'll talk to your pillow
You and me, whenever we see fit
Talking on the telephone (nothing is clear)
Looking at ourselves like we're all alone
And, everything you ever said
Wake up early and you'll live to regret
Wake up early and you'll live to regret
And... Ah...
You and me
Talking on the telephone
Looking like we're all alike, we're all alone (whenever you see fit)
And, everything you ever said
And you'll wake up early and you'll live to regret (everything's clear)
And you'll wake up early and you'll live to regret (tell the truth)
And you'll wake up early and you'll live to regret (every once in a while)
And you'll wake up early and you'll live to regret
And you'll wake up early and you'll live to regret (everything you ever said)
And you'll wake up early again
Talking on the phone like your own best friend
And, everything you ever said
Every thoughts I ever meant I'll ever do
Talking on the telephone
Looking at ourselves like we're all alone
Yeah, we're talkin' on the phone again
Acting like we are our own best friend
And, everything you ever said
Every thought I ever meant I ever did
You'll wake up early and you'll live to regret
Well, you'll wake up early and you'll live to regret
Yeah...
You and me, whenever you see fit
Talkin' on the telephone again
Lookin' at yourself like your own best friend
And, everything you ever... did (tell the truth)
Wake up early and you'll live to regret (whenever you go wrong)
Wake up early and you'll live to regret
And all for a strong again, and all... (for a strong)
Now and then, whenever you see fit
Nothing is clear
Tell the truth
Whenever you go wrong
Everything's fine

I had to decide whether I would allow this song to be eligible, seeing as it is a collaboration with 764-Hero, but it sounds so much like Modest Mouse that it's in. At more than 14 minutes, it relentlessly bores its way into your brain. I know nothing about 764-Hero other than that they are now defunct, but I'm really glad to own this song. The basic structure is simple, allowing guitars to improvise over the top of the main tune. The vocals also intertwine, with the mellow John Atkins forming the basic sound and Brock chiming in over the top. The song feels immense at times and I sometimes get lost in it.

66. Wicked Campaign (Strangers to Ourselves)

Well I just found the fence where I am going to lean
Take my handkerchief out and rub my eyeglasses clean
So I just learned my face, but I forgot my name
I'm gonna wear this smile like it's some stupid toupee
And say, "Oh, oh, oh, oh, that's too bad"

Oh, I just learned your face, but it is bound to change
You can say what you want but try to think it my way
And say, "Oh, oh, oh, this wicked campaign"
I said, "Oh, oh, oh, this was not my plan"

Well, you know I'm a bastard and we only just met
I guess I probably shouldn't wear this big old sign 'round my neck
I've still got some opinions that I'm willing to claim
I'm gonna carry them around like they're some wicked campaign

I started the debate, but now I'm sure I can't win
I should probably just exit the same way I came in
Well counted calculator, you didn't calculate this
But there's a lot more nothing than you knew exists

Oh, oh, oh, this wicked campaign
I said, "Oh, oh, oh, this was not my plan"
Oh, oh, oh, this wicked campaign
Every day is a wicked campaign

Well, I just found the fence where I am going to lean
Take my handkerchief out and rub my eyeglasses clean

And just wait
And just wait and wait, wait, wait

I'm not dead but I misplaced the will
I'm gonna wear this smile like it's a hundred dollar bill
And just wait, wait, wait
Wait, wait, wait, wait

I'm not a doctor, but I'll sell you an itch
I could apologize, but then a bit more nothing exists
So the worlds got plenty of good and bad liars
But our lies should come with chariots and choirs

Singing, "Oh, oh, oh, things are not so bad"
And we sing, "Oh, oh, oh, it's our wicked campaign"
And they sing, "Oh, oh, oh, things are not so bad"
We sing, "Oh, oh, oh, what a wicked campaign"

When I first heard Wicked Campaign, I was scared that it was going to be a dance track, but that quickly changed when Brock started singing. The song seems rather routine at first, but gradually builds. By the end, Brock's vocals have the intensity that I hope to hear on most songs. The two drummers beat out an almost tribal rhythm and everything falls into place. On this song, the backing vocals add something, so I'm not totally against that idea in songs, it just has to fit properly.

There you have it. We've reached number 66 in the countdown. Every Modest Mouse release includes at least one must-own song, and 11 releases are represented in the remaining 65 songs. I'll try to have that ready for Friday. As always, thanks for reading.

The story so far:

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

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