In the Frame Film Reviews

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Building nothing out of something - the Top 5

After years of intensive effort, costing thousands of lives, I've finally arrived at my Top 5. I also made a better quality image to show the 12 covers because I was annoyed with the crappy look of my original attempt.

Although you will know my Top 100 ranking if you make it to the end of this post, I will be writing one more installment. That will analyze whether the songs have risen or fallen compared to the rankings I did just over a year ago. I will also be mentioning a couple of unreleased songs (with video and lyrics) that would have made this Top 100 if I had deemed them eligible. In fact, one would have made the Top 20.

The final task for the remaining post will be to allocate points to each song (1 for position 100, up to 100 for number 1). That will enable me to determine a ranking for the albums, collections and EPs.

I doubt you care about any of that, but I'm curious to find out that information for myself as much as anything.

If you have been reading since my initial overview on September 19, I expect you are relieved that the suspense is finally about to end. Well, I won't leave you hanging a second longer:

5. Dramamine (This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About)

Traveling, swallowing, Dramamine
Feeling spaced breathing out Listerine
I'd said what I'd said that I'd tell you
And that you'd killed the better part of me

If you could just milk it for everything
I've said what I'd said and you know what I mean
But I still can't focus on anything
We kiss on the mouth but still cough down our sleeves

Traveling, swallowing, Dramamine
Look at your face like you're killed in a dream
And you think you've figured out everything
I think I know my geography pretty damn well

You say what you need so you'll get more
If you could just milk it for everything
I've said what I said and you know what I mean
But I still can't still focus on anything

Dramamine is quite simply the best opening track from any debut album in the history of music (there go half the people reading this).

The song opens with more than a minute of guitar which sounds like something highly-evolved aliens might produce. I certainly feel like I have been transported to another planet when I hear it. As it echoes around, I imagine people at music festivals experiencing Modest Mouse for the first time. What would they make of this?

It also contains one of Brock's best lyrics:

"We kiss on the mouth but still cough down our sleeves"

Although it seems to be about a failing relationship, I find the song uplifting. Joy Division does that for me too. The element that allows it to transcend other songs is the guitar, but the whole structure is perfect. Listen to the bass line and how the drums play against the established beat. I almost wish it was 10 minutes long. I'm still not sure about the choice for the ending, but it has grown on me and feels like an old friend at this point.

Here's a live video from 1998:

4. Heart Cooks Brain (The Lonesome Crowded West)

Slow walk
It's a land mine
It's a coal mine
It's a bad thought

I'm on my way to God don't know
My brain's the burger
And my heart's the coal
I'm trying to get my head clear
I push things out through my mouth
I get refilled through my ears
I get refilled through my ears
I get refilled through my ears

I'm on my way to God don't know or even care
My brain's the weak heart, and my heart's the long stairs
My heart's the long stairs
My heart's the long stairs
Inland from Vancouver shore
The ravens and the seagulls
Push each other inward and outward
Inward and outward

In this place that I call home
My brain's the cliff
And my heart's the bitter buffalo
My heart's the bitter buffalo

We tore one down and erected another there
The match of the century
Absence versus thin air

On the way to God don't know
My brain's the burger
And my heart's the coal

In this life that we call home
The years go fast
And the days go so slow
The days go so slow
The days go... slow

I'm on my way to God don't know
My brain's the burger
And my heart's the coal
I'm trying to get my head clear
I push things out through my mouth
I get refilled through my ears
I get refilled through my ears
I get refilled

I'm on my way to God don't know or even care
My brain's the weak heart, and my heart's the long stairs
My heart's the long stairs
My heart's the long stairs
Inland from Vancouver shore
The ravens and the seagulls
Push each other inward and outward
Inward and outward

In this place that I call home
My brain's the cliff
And my heart's the bitter buffalo
My heart's the bitter buffalo

We tore one down, and erected another there
And the match of the century
Absence versus thin air
Absence versus thin air

In this life that we call home
The years go fast and the days go... slow
The days go so slow

For some reason, I think of Heart Cooks Brain as Modest Mouse's anthem and I wear my Bitter Buffalo T-shirt proudly. This is a song with so many elements that I adore.

The first few notes instantly transport me to another place; atmospheric, sinister bass, searching, and a few other feelings I can't put a name to. The sound is so dense because of the layers. Everything fits together and the guitar weaves around the basic structure. Brock's vocals are deliberately subdued, and that fits the mood of the song.

The whole thing feels like a journey with its plodding tempo forming the steps... or the long stairs.

I particularly like how some of the lyrics are delayed:

"The years go fast and the days go... slow"

I want to go to Vancouver shore just so that I can watch the ravens and seagulls.

There's one thing that I can barely put into words and maybe I am the only person on the planet that thinks it:

"We tore one down, and erected another there
And the match of the century"

It's the way that the second line follows the first in the above lyric. Can you hear it? Am I talking complete nonsense? I think it's brilliant the way that those words flow together when I sing along to it.

The final thing is the way the song suddenly stops. We're at our destination.

3. Spitting Venom (We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank)

We were spitting venom
At most everyone we know
If the damned gave us a road map
Then we'd know just where to go

Now let it drop
Let it all drop
Let it all drop
Oh, let it all fall off

Well you were talking soda pop
You were talking quite a lot
The opinions that I do not give
The opinions I ain't got

So let it drop
Let it all drop
Let it all drop
Let it all fall off there, oh

Well, you were spitting venom
At most everyone you know
If you truly knew the gravity
You'd know which way to go

Well, let it drop
Let it all drop
Let it all drop
Oh let it all fall off

My ears were pressed so firmly
Right against your mouth to hear
When you tried to spit the venom out
Your words were not so clear, now drop

Hold on to what you need
We've got a knack for fucked up history
Hold on to what you need
We've got a knack for messed up history

Well we went downtown
And we sat in the rain
Both looking one direction and waiting for a train of thought over
Thought over

I didn't know you kept track
I didn't know there was a score
Well it looks like you're the winner and I ain't gonna play no more
It's over, game over

Well we walked real stiff and our canes tapped the ground
You hit me with yours
And said "you're gonna' stare me down"
It's over, oh it's over

You can say what you want but don't act like you care
It takes more than one person
To decide what's fair
It's over, think it over

You were spitting venom
At most everyone you know
If the damned gave you a road map
Then you'd know just where to go

So we carried all the groceries in
While hauling out the trash
And if this doesn't make us motionless
I do not know what can is to be said, so's to say

What a rotten thing to say
Such an awful thing to say
I didn't mean to bite you so really
What always did, what always did, what always had to sling

So let it drop
Let it all drop
Let it all drop
Oh, let it all fall off

Let it drop
Let it all drop
Let it drop
Oh, let it all fall off

Cheer up baby
It wasn't always quite so bad
For every venom then that came out
The antidote was had

Cheer up baby
It wasn't always quite so bad
For every venom then that came out
The antidote was had

Cheer up baby
It wasn't always quite so bad
For every venom then that came out
The antidote was had

I think it's true to say that my favorite seven minutes of 2015 was experiencing Spitting Venom at the London Ontario concert. I had never heard it played live before and it was exciting to say the least. There's something so different about feeling the vibration of a song as well as listening to it. A live performance is the only way to know that feeling.

If I had to pick a single moment from a Modest Mouse song that excites the hell out of me the most, it's during Spitting Venom when Brock sings "now drop" and the whole band kicks in. Every fan knows what I mean. I am actually fighting back tears as I type this.

How do I even describe this song? It starts off with Brock in subdued mood, singing as he strums the guitar. It's all building to the moment described above when my world explodes. Sweeping guitar dominates, but the whole band is adding something to the enormous sound. Brock's vocals turn from laid back to complete rant and there's an urgency which defines the song.

After all that action, the song and Brock's vocals return to the opening mood. Then there is an extended sequence allowing us to regroup. It's great hearing the trumpet part played during the live show. The whole song feels so epic. The last three verses provide a great ending as it naturally winds down.

Spitting Venom may be Modest Mouse's best song, technically. I rank it third because there are two songs that excite me more, but they are much messier than this. As I have been whining about throughout this series, it's not easy choosing between songs that you would defend until your dying breath.

Although the album version is more polished, here's an extended live version from The Electric Factory 2007:

2. Doin' the Cockroach (The Lonesome Crowded West)

I was in heaven, I was in hell
Believe in neither, but fear them as well

This one's a doctor
This one's a lawyer
This one's a cash fiend
Takin' your money

Back of the metro
Ride on the greyhound
Drunk on the Amtrak
Please, shut up

Another rider, he was a talker
Talkin' 'bout TV
Please, shut up

This one's a crazer, daydreamin' disaster
The origin of junk food, ruttin' through garbage
Tasty but worthless, dogs eat their own shit
We're doin' the cockroach, yeah

Doin' the cockroach, yeah
Doin' the cockroach, yeah, yeah
Alright, not bad

Doin' the cockroach, yeah
Doin' the cockroach, yeah, yeah
Alright, not bad

Doin' the cockroach, yeah
Doin' the cockroach, yeah, yeah
Alright, not bad not bad

One year, twenty years, forty years, fifty years
Down the road in your life
You'll look in the mirror
And say, "My parents are still alive"

You move your mouth, you shake your tongue
You vibrate my eardrums
You're saying words
But you know I ain't listenin'

You're walking down the street
Your face, your lips, your hips
Your eyes, they meet
You're not hungry though

Well, late last winter down below the equator
They had a summer that would make you blister
Oh, my mind is all made up
So I'll have to be comin'

Well, late last winter down below the equator
They had a summer that would make you blister
Oh, my mind is all made up
So I'll have to sleep in it

Well, late last winter down below the equator
They had a summer that would make you blister
And oh, my mind is all, oh my mind is all
Oh, my mind is all made up
So I'll have to sleep in it

Doin' the Cockroach is perfect from the first note to the end. I loved it the first time I heard it and it gets better all the time. It's a brilliant live song too and I am happy to say that it often appears on the bands' setlist.

The first line is something that I would imagine most of us can relate to:

"I was in heaven, I was in hell, believe in neither, but fear them as well"

Just a brilliant line.

The song is a complete rant and the band goes all out for the duration. It's almost irresistible and I find myself shouting along every time I hear it. I bet I look pretty stupid driving along shouting "alright, not bad not bad", but who cares?

How do I rank this song second if it is perfect and I love every second? The next song is also perfect and lasts a little bit longer.

I'm not sure that I convey how much of an adrenaline rush this song gives me, but maybe this live video can? Back in the 90s when there were just three mice:

1. Teeth Like God's Shoeshine (The Lonesome Crowded West)

From the top of the ocean - Yeah
To the bottom of the sky - Goddamn
Well, I get claustrophobic
I can, you know that I can, well

From the top of the ocean - Yeah
To the bottom of the sky - Goddamn
Well, I get claustrophobic
I can, you know that I can

And he said...
"I am not allowed much danger
Keep in line you're an old friend stranger
You'll burn me in effigy, and I'll burn you in effigy"

Well, a rattlesnake up in Buffalo, Montana
He bit the leg of the old sheriff
Ha! That boy fell down on his harelip Ow! Ow!

Well I, I might be wrong
But you, you tag along
And we, we all been wronged
And I get dizzier by the mile
Said hell ya! The money's spent
Went to the county line
And paid the rent I said, "Uh-oh"
I said "Uh-oh"

Oh! If you could compact your conscience
Oh! And you might...
Oh! If you could bottle and sell it you might have done
Oh! And you might...
Oh! If you could compact your conscience
And sell it save it for another time
You know you might have to use it

And the television's on
Go to the grocery store, buy some new friends,
And find out the beginning, the end, and the best of it
Well, do you need a lot of what you've got to survive?

Here's the man with teeth like God's shoeshine
He sparkles, shimmers, shines
Let's all have another Orange Julius
Thick syrup standing in lines
The malls are the soon to be ghost towns
Well so long, farewell, good-bye

Take 'em all for the long ride
And you'll go around town
No one wants to be uptight anymore
You can be ashamed
Or be so proud of what you've done
But not no one, not now, not ever or anyone
Take 'em all for the sense of happiness
That comes from hurting deep down inside

Or you can add it up and give a shit, give a shit
Go to the family doctor it's all worth it, all worth it
And it's all wrong, and its all gone
Or, you can add it up and give a shit, give a shit
I'm on the corner of this and this and this and this
All wrong, and it's all, all wrong

Here's the man with teeth like God's shoeshine
He sparkles, shimmers, shines
Let's all have another Orange Julius
Thick syrup standing in lines
The malls are the soon to be ghost towns
Well so long, farewell, good-bye

And the telephone goes off
Pick the receiver up, try to meet ends
And find out the beginning, the end and the best of it

OH MY GODDAMN

Take 'em all for the long ride
And you'll go around town
No one wants to be uptight anymore
You can be ashamed
Or be so proud of what you've done
But not no one, not now, not ever or anyone

This is it. My favorite Modest Mouse song. It took 49 days to get here, but there isn't any doubt. I love every second of this song because... how can you not?

I remember seeing the excellent Lonesome Crowded West Pitchfork documentary during which Brock was asked about the song. His reply: "What can I say, the spirit took me".

If you listen, you'll know what he means. Paul McCartney's Wings gave us Band on the Run, Queen delivered Bohemian Rhapsody, and Modest Mouse has given us Teeth Like God's Shoeshine. I mention those other two songs because of their multi-phased structures. This song goes all over the place and it's hard for someone to absorb it all with just one listen. However, once you know it, all the pieces fit together perfectly.

There are a lot of lyrics and there's so much going on in the narrative. The frantic beginning gives us rattlesnakes, harelips, effigies and claustrophobia. Then the mood changes as Brock sings about bottling our conscience.

The tempo is constantly shifting and Brock's lyrics vary from laid back to ranting, according to the mood. My favorite moment, of many, has to be "OH MY GODDAMN" just when you thought the song was over. Then we are treated to another couple of minutes of mayhem. It's a great way to end a song and a fitting way to conclude this Top 100.

Teeth Like God's Shoeshine showcases everything that is good about Modest Mouse. It demonstrates how the atmosphere of the song can change in an instant. It shows just how huge the sound can be when the whole band is playing flat out. Brock's vocal range and various styles are all present in the same song. The band even uses silence to good effect.

Yep, the spirit took him.

Here's the video. This one is actually my first ever fan video and it was a lot of fun to make:

Well, that's it. Seven weeks of effort and you know my Top 100. As promised, there will be one more installment in the coming days to wrap everything up. I have a couple more goodies for you, so I hope that you will join me. I would also welcome any comments, but please be gentle with me if your favorites are ranked lower than you would like. We are fellow fans after all.

Thanks for reading.

Here is the final Top 100 with links to each installment:

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

73. People as Places as People

72. The Waydown

71. Guilty Cocker Spaniels
70. 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
40. The Best Room
39. Gravity Rides Everything
38. Tundra/Desert
37. Paper Thin Walls
36. Convenient Parking
35. Life Like Weeds
34. A Different City
33. A Manic Depressive Named Laughing Boy
32. Grey Ice Water
31. I Came As a Rat
30. Black Cadillacs
29. Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset
28. Ocean Breathes Salty
27. Novacain Stain
26. Invisible
25. Breakthrough
24. Edit the Sad Parts
23. Broke
22. Truckers Atlas
21. Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
20. White Lies Yellow Teeth
19. Parting of the Sensory
18. The Tortoise and the Tourist
17. Bury Me With It
16. Fly Trapped In a Jar
15. Steam Engenius
14. The Stars Are Projectors
13. Lounge (Closing Time)
12. Never Ending Math Equation
11. Dark Center of the Universe
10. 3rd Planet
9. Trailer Trash
8. Cowboy Dan
7. The Whale Song
6. Exit Does Not Exist
5. Dramamine
4. Heart Cooks Brain
3. Spitting Venom
2. Doin' the Cockroach
1. Teeth Like God's Shoeshine

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 90 to 86

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Building nothing out of something - songs 10 to 6

At this point, every remaining song is so good that a ranking is almost meaningless. I want to hear them all, most days, for the rest of my life. If I ranked the songs each week for 10 weeks, I have little doubt that no Top 10 would be exactly the same. For the sake of this project, this is how I rank songs 6 through 10 today.

10. 3rd Planet (The Moon & Antarctica)

Everything that keeps me together is falling apart
I've got this thing that I consider my only art of fucking people over
My boss just quit the job says
He's goin' out to find blind spots and he'll do it

The third planet is sure that they're being watched
By an eye in the sky that can't be stopped
When you get to the promise land
Your gonna shake that eyes hand

Your heart felt good it was drippin' pitch and made of wood
And your hands and knees felt cold and wet on the grass to me
Well outside naked, shiverin' looking blue
From the cold sunlight that's reflected off the moon

Baby cum angels fly around you
Reminding you we used to be three and not just two
And that's how the world began
And that's how the world will end

Well a third had just been made and we were swimming in the water
Didn't know, then was it a son was it a daughter
When it occurred to me that the animals are swimming
Around in the water in the oceans, in our bodies

And another had been found, another ocean on the planet
Given that our blood is just like the Atlantic
And how

Well the universe is shaped exactly like the earth
If you go straight long enough, you'll end up where you were

I was late to the party when it came to discovering the music of Modest Mouse. My excuse is that I was living in England when they formed and the band was pretty obscure outside the US at the time. One of my earliest memories of the band is hearing 3rd Planet open The Moon & Antarctica and I was immediately interested. Because of that, and its place at the beginning of the album, it feels natural to begin Modest Mouse playlists with the song. It starts quietly with haunting guitar and then builds, becoming memorable by the end.

Some of the lyrics are particularly poetic:

"Well outside naked, shiverin' looking blue, from the cold sunlight that's reflected off the moon"

"When it occurred to me that the animals are swimming, around in the water in the oceans, in our bodies"

"Everything that keeps me together is falling apart"

And I love the observation/idea in the last verse:

"Well the universe is shaped exactly like the earth, if you go straight long enough, you'll end up where you were"

The song itself seems to come full circle, ending like it began. It's one of many perfectly crafted songs from the band.

Here's a good festival performance from 2010:

9. Trailer Trash (The Lonesome Crowded West)

Eating snowflakes with plastic forks
And a paper plate of course, you think of everything
Short love with a long divorce and a couple of kids of course
They don't mean anything

Live in trailers with no class
Goddamn I hope I can pass, high school means nothing
Taking heartache with hard work
Goddamn I am such a jerk, I can't do anything

And I shout that you're all fakes
And you should have seen the look on your face
And I guess that's what it takes
When comparing your bellyaches

And it's been a long time
Which agrees with this watch of mine
And I know that I miss you
And I'm sorry if I dissed you

Eating snowflakes with plastic forks
And a paper plate of course, you think of everything
Short love with a long divorce and a couple of kids of course
They don't mean anything

Live in trailers with no class
Goddamn I hope I can pass, high school means nothing
Taking heartache with hard work
Goddamn I am such a jerk, I can't do anything

And I shout that you're all fakes
And you should have seen the look on your face
And I guess that's what it takes
When comparing your bellyaches

And it's been a long time
Which agrees with this watch of mine
And I guess that I miss you
And I'm sorry if I dissed you

This song sounds so personal that I am sure Isaac Brock saw some of these things going on around him as he was growing up. It's about a way of life that is almost desperate, but we all do what we need to do in order to survive. We can't help where we came from, we can only affect where we are going. Brock escaped the existence described in Trailer Trash through music, and I imagine he suffered a fair amount of ridicule when he first announced his dream of being a musician. Anything can happen if you have the talent, perseverance and belief.

In the following two verses, Trailer Trash paints a picture so real that I can see it:

"Eating snowflakes with plastic forks
And a paper plate of course, you think of everything
Short love with a long divorce and a couple of kids of course
They don't mean anything

Live in trailers with no class
Goddamn I hope I can pass, high school means nothing
Taking heartache with hard work
Goddamn I am such a jerk, I can't do anything"

Such brilliant lyrics. I have seen a lot of failed marriages throughout the course of my life. I guess that if you are poor and feel that you don't have much to live for, you might rush into one of the biggest decisions of your life. It's hard to have any clue about who you want to spend the rest of your life with when you are 20. The feelings are still somewhat new and overwhelming, and it's hard to be rational.

As for the music, it's another song that's constructed perfectly. The natural ebb and flow matches the mood of the lyrics. The guitars soar at times. The whole album is full of great songs and that's why it is so heavily represented at this end of my Top 100.

8. Cowboy Dan (The Lonesome Crowded West)

Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player
In the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks
And gets mean

He's gonna start a war
He's gonna start a war
And he hops in his Pickup
Puts the pedal to the floor
And says "I got mine but I want more"

Because, Cowboy Dan's a major player
In the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks
And gets mean

He goes to the desert
Fires his rifle in the sky
And says, "God if I have to die
You will have to die"

Because, Cowboy Dan's a major player
In the cowboy scene
I didn't move to the city
The city moved to me
And I want out desperately

Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over

No, no, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over

Standing in the tall grass
Thinking nothing
You know we need oxygen to breathe
Oxygen to breathe

Standing in the tall grass
Thinking nothing
You know we need oxygen to breathe
Oxygen to breathe

Every time you think you're walking
You're just moving the ground
Every time you think you're talking
You're just moving your mouth
Every time you think you're looking
You're just looking down

Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player
In the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks
And gets mean

He hops in his Pickup
Puts the pedal to the floor
And says "I got mine
But I want more"

'Cause, Cowboy Dan's a major player
In the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks
And gets mean

He goes to the desert
Fires his rifle in the sky
And says, "God if I have to die
You will have to die"

Cowboy Dan's a major player
In the cowboy scene
He goes the the reservation drinks
And gets mean

I didn't move to the city
The city moved to me
And I want out desperately

Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over

No, no, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
Yeah, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over

The first few notes of Cowboy Dan create a mood that lasts throughout the song. It's stark and sinister at first, but gradually builds into a repetitive and almost hypnotic rant. About two minutes in, everything is reigned in and it becomes reflective.

"You know we need oxygen to breathe"

That line is our oxygen. It's a temporary escape from the intensity that most of the song provides. Then the ranting resumes. It's another song that makes me feel like I am taking a journey. Five minutes in and I am being swept along as the band explores even further, improvising with guitar spirals and a repetitive pounding beat.

My favorite lyrics from Cowboy Dan all come from this verse:

"Every time you think you're walking you're just moving the ground
Every time you think you're talking you're just moving your mouth
Every time you think you're looking you're just looking down"

I could probably write about those three lines for an hour, but I'll spare you. They speak for themselves.

I had a hard time choosing between Cowboy Dan and Trailer Trash at 8 and 9 because both are great in their own way; great, but completely different in feel. It's like comparing drama to comedy. If I ever love another album more than I love The Lonesome Crowded West, it would have to be incredible. I doubt that it will ever happen.

Here's a must-see extended live version from 2001:

"Well I don't care about your state of denial 'cause I'm sittin' by the window with a saucer and a smile sayin' what's left, what's best, what's sex, was this death or just a test?"

If you don't like that song, you're reading the wrong blog.

7. The Whale Song (No One's First and You're Next)

I guess I am a scout so I should find a way out
So everyone can find a way out

They keep us in to pull us out
I'm rising up, wish I was sinking down
And it's not like there was warning and we were happy
And it's not like there was mourning in the warning

I know I was a scout, I should've found a way out
So everyone could find a way out
I know I was a scout, I should've found a way out
So everyone could find a way out

Instead of seeing a neighbor out
God, I wish I would've found a way out
It's the last time, we were happy, ever happy

I know I was a scout, I should've found a way out
So everyone could find a way out
Well, I know I was a scout, I should've found a way out
So everyone could find a way out

Well, I know I was a scout, I should've found a way out
So everyone could find a way out

The Whale Song is the closest thing to a guitar jam that Modest Mouse has ever produced. That said, the sound is still very much their own. The song opens with prominent bass, followed by almost three minutes of soaring guitar before the sparse vocals are introduced.

I fell in love with this track the first time I heard it. It's sometimes played as the opening song of a set and I would be ecstatic if that ever happens at a show I am able to get to. I've basically decided to see every Modest Mouse concert I can possibly reach by car. Maybe I'll even fly to a few one day?

The following lyrics are reportedly about the band leaving to join a major label:

"I know I was a scout, I should've found a way out, so everyone could find a way out"

Whatever the meaning or reason for the song, I'm glad it exists. It's six minutes of almost orgasmic guitar and I will never tire of hearing it.

The official video is great and worth checking out if you haven't seen it, but I'm going with a live video from the Reading Festival:

6. Exit Does Not Exist (This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About)

Does not exist, take an exit
Does not exist, take an exit

I hear voices insinuating
Feeds me lyrics to this song that I am saying
Sunlight 7:20 pm, early september
Standing looking at a photograph
That you do not remember being taken
You look out of breath, and me like I am faking
As a matter of fact I don't recall this photo being taken
You don't even actually exist so I just started shaking

Exit Does Not Exist is such a spirited rant and it excites the hell out of me every time I hear it. I would guess that most people will be surprised at this song being ranked so high in my Top 100 because I don't hear people talk about it. I can't imagine why. It's exciting and has all of the elements I hope to find in a song. Just listen to the guitar, the huge drum sound, and the way that the band is clearly playing flat out.

This part gives me goosebumps:

"As a matter of fact I don't recall this photo being taken
You don't even actually exist so I just started shaking"

The sound is so jubilant that I can't help feeling uplifted when I hear it. It was hard for me to keep it out of the Top 5.

That's it for this installment. The aforementioned Top 5 will be revealed this coming weekend. Thanks for sticking with me through this mammoth journey.

As always, here is the story so far:

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 Spaniels
70. 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
40. The Best Room
39. Gravity Rides Everything
38. Tundra/Desert
37. Paper Thin Walls
36. Convenient Parking
35. Life Like Weeds
34. A Different City
33. A Manic Depressive Named Laughing Boy
32. Grey Ice Water
31. I Came As a Rat
30. Black Cadillacs
29. Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset
28. Ocean Breathes Salty
27. Novacain Stain
26. Invisible
25. Breakthrough
24. Edit the Sad Parts
23. Broke
22. Truckers Atlas
21. Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
20. White Lies Yellow Teeth
19.Parting of the Sensory
18. The Tortoise and the Tourist
17. Bury Me With It
16. Fly Trapped In a Jar
15. Steam Engenius
14. The Stars Are Projectors
13. Lounge (Closing Time)
12. Never Ending Math Equation
11. Dark Center of the Universe
10. 3rd Planet
9. Trailer Trash
8. Cowboy Dan
7. The Whale Song
6. Exit Does Not Exist

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 90 to 86

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Building nothing out of something - songs 15 to 11

By the end of this post, there will be 10 songs remaining. As I write this, I only know the identity of eight of those final 10 songs. I'm playing the seven I am unsure about to make the final choice on the five that will make up this installment. Then of course I need the order...

This is proving to be more difficult than I ever imagined. Let's get started:

15. Steam Engenius (We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank)

I was born in a factory
Far away from the milky teat
What's the use?
Oh, what's the use?

You cheered as I was split in half
A mechanical, sacrificial calf for you
Oh, all for you

Steam engenius you see?
Steam engenius enough to answer anything you need
But what's the use?

Human nature was installed in me
Well I did what's right, but naturally it wasn't natural
Still not my fault
No

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot
He lost his car, it was sitting there crying out, waiting in the parking lot just for you
What a waste of time, what a waste of words, what a waste of strength
Well I spoke in binary and you for volume and for dizzying length

I was born in a factory
Far away from the milky teat
What's the use?
Oh, what's the use?

Birds flew out as I was split in half
A mechanical, sacrificial calf they flew
Oh, out they flew

Steam engenius to see
Steam engenius enough to answer anything you need
And all that speed

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot
He lost his car it was sitting there waiting out, in the parking lot out for you
What a waste of time, what a waste of words, what a waste of strength
Well I spoke in binary and you for volume and for dizzying length

Both halves are the better half
Like a joke trying to make another joke laugh ha ha

Stasis is what you brought
Like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw, rickshaw

In the past talking present tense
Gonna break it, gonna wreck it, gonna try to make it all make sense

Stasis is what you got
Like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw

Steam engenius ya see?
Steam engenius enough to bring my own damn doom
What could I do?

I blame blame that blame had grew
Well deep inside and everybody knew it was them
It's all on them

Things rang of stories Greek
I didn't want it!
You gave me deity it was you
Yeah, all for you

I was born in a factory
Far away from the milky teat
What's the use?
Oh, what's the use?

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot
He'd lost his car, it was sitting there crying out waiting in the parking lot just for you

I was thought up by man to think better than them
Then revered, and admired, and then destroyed by them
Ahh, even all that was my own damn plan

Well, what a waste of time, what a waste of words, what a waste of strength
Well I spoke in binary and you for volume and for dizzying length

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot
He lost his car, it was sitting there crying out waiting for you in the parking lot going woo-hoo!

Stasis is what you got, like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw

I like Steam Engenius because of the unique style that almost defies description. Now I am going to attempt to describe it! The most obvious reason I like the song so much is the way Brock delivers the vocals. It's crazy and almost out of control, but not quite. The music is frantic too, matching the vocals.

The subject matter is futuristic, with all the talk of robots. Being the geek that I am, I have read a lot of science fiction over the years. The lyrics remind me of humans creating artificial intelligence and then watching as it surpassed their own level of intelligence and became dangerous. The parking lot line reminds me of Marvin the paranoid android from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

I don't particularly care if the song is a metaphor or has a meaning that I can't fathom. I just love the way it sounds and how it makes me feel. It sweeps me along on a journey that's exciting to take. The placement of this song on We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank gives the listener a natural high. Admit it - you need to hear Spitting Venom right now, don't you?

14. The Stars Are Projectors (The Moon & Antarctica)

In the last second of life, they're gonna show you how
How they run this show, sure, run it into the ground
In the last second of your life, they're gonna show you how
How they run this show, sure, run it into the ground

In the last second of life, they're gonna show you how
How they run this show, sure, run it into the ground
In the last second of life, they're gonna show you how

The stars are projectors, yeah
Projectin' our lives down to this planet earth
And the stars are projectors, yeah
Projectin' our minds down to this planet earth

Everyone wants a double feature
They wanna be their own damn teacher, and how
All the stars are projectors, yeah
Projectin' our lives down to this planet earth

It's all about moderate climates
You gotta be cold and be hot for sure
And it's all about the moderate climates
You wanna be blessed and be cursed for sure

And the stars are projectors, yeah
Projectin' our lives down to this planet earth
And the stars are projectors, yeah
Projectin' our lives down to this planet earth

Everyone wants a double feature
They want to be in their own damn teacher, and how
All the stars are projectors, yeah
Projectin' our lives down to this planet earth

We've got the harder part, you've got the kinder heart
And it's true
I've got the easy part, I've got the harder heart
Ain't that true?

Right wing, left wing, chicken wing
It's built on findin' the easier ways through
God is a woman and the woman is
An animal that animals man, and that's you

Was there a need for creation?
That was hidden in a math equation and that's this?
Where do circles begin?
Where do circles begin?

The Stars Are Projectors is the longest song on The Moon & Antarctica and one of the longest in the band's huge catalog. That said, there's still something lost when it is removed from the songs surrounding it on the album. It's part of something much bigger.

The concept is huge. It could be a thought that someone had while they were high, but the theme is expanded upon as the song continues. What a cool idea though, that are our lives are being projected from the stars.

The opening two lines are pretty great:

"In the last second of life, they're gonna show you how
How they run this show, sure, run it into the ground"

I'm reminded of this quote:

Terry Pratchett — ‘It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.’

The biggest difference between men and women could be summed up in this line:

"We've got the harder part, you've got the kinder heart"

While the song is thought-provoking, the thing that makes it one of the band's best is the sheer scope of it. It goes through several phases and can be reflective or driving rock. The drums drive some of the segments and the violin adds to the epic nature overall. I know that a lot of fans think this is the best song from The Moon & Antarctica, or perhaps even the best Modest Mouse song. I obviously love it, but I have two ahead of it on the album and 13 above it on this list.

Here's the video:

13. Lounge [Closing Time] (The Lonesome Crowded West)

She was going with a cinematographer
Everyone knew that he was really a pornographer
They went down to the dance and grind
And everybody was feeling fine

She was talking with syllable lisp
And everybody she knew was gonna get the twist
And they all went down and did the porcupine
And everybody was feeling high

You are so hot, I would like to steal your digits
And I'm so hung up on it, I would like to move away from it
We are so caught up with things
We should pull each others' triggers and I'm off

She was going with a cinematographer
Everyone knew that he was really a pornographer
They went down to the dance and grind
And everybody was feeling fine

She was talking with syllable lisp
And everybody she knew was gonna get the twist
And they all went down and did the porcupine
And everybody was feeling high

I've got a girlfriend out of the city
I know I like her, I think she is pretty
I've got a girlfriend out of the city
I know I like her, I think she is pretty

I've got a girlfriend out of the city
I know I like her, I think she is pretty
I've got a girlfriend out of the city
I know I like her, I think she is pretty

Last call, it's closing time
It's closing, it's closing time
It's closing time, it's closing, it's closing time

I'm on the road to God, don't know
My brain's the burger and my heart's the charcoal
It's closing time
God, don't know
My brain's the burger and my heart's the charcoal
It's closing time, it's closing time

There's a two-minute sequence in the middle of Lounge (Closing Time) that elevates the song from very good to fantastic. The band rocks its collective ass off. That's not to say that I don't like the beginning and the ending. The scratchy opening guitar fits perfectly and the closing section brings us back to reality with its slow rendition of a theme mentioned on the album's second track, Heart Cooks Brain. I think the song showcases Modest Mouse's ability to switch styles and tempo at will and I also think the song is extremely underrated.

12. Never Ending Math Equation (Building Nothing Out of Something)

I'm the same as I was when I was 6 years old
And, oh my God, I feel so damn old, I don't really feel anything
On a plane, I can see the tiny lights below
And, oh my God, they look so alone, do they really feel anything?
Oh my God, I've gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta move on
Where do you move, when what you're moving from
Is yourself, is yourself?

The universe works on a math equation
That never even ever really even ends in the end
Infinity spirals out creation
We're on the tip of its tongues, and it is saying

Well, we ain't sure where you stand
You ain't machines, and you ain't land
And the plants and the animals, they are linked
And the plants and the animals need each other

I'm the same as I was when I was 6 years old
And, oh my God, I feel so damn old, I don't really feel anything
On a plane, I can see the tiny lights below
And, oh my God, they look so alone, do they really feel anything?
Oh my God, I've gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta move on
Where do you move, when what you're moving from
Is yourself, is yourself?

The universe works on a math equation
That never even ever really even ends in the end
Infinity spirals out creation
We're on the tip of its tongue and it is saying

Well, we ain't sure where you stand
You ain't machines, and you ain't land
And the plants and the animals, they are linked
And the plants and the animals need each other

Well, oh my God and oh my cat
I told my dad what I need
Well, I know what I have and want
But I don't know what I need
Well, he said, he said, he said, he said
"I'm glad we're going, I'm dead"

The opening lyrics really hit the mark:

"I'm the same as I was when I was 6 years old and, oh my God, I feel so damn old, I don't really feel anything"

Then there's the chorus which isn't the easiest to shout along to while I am driving, but I try:

"The universe works on a math equation that never even ever really even ends in the end"

The music flows so naturally in this song. Everything seems like it was meant to fit exactly as it does. That's not always true of Modest Mouse as some songs sprawl chaotically, while somehow still making sense. I love all of their many styles.

The most thought-provoking lyric, for me, is:

"And the plants and the animals, they are linked and the plants and the animals need each other"

Those lyrics always remind me of Orson Scott Card's Speaker for the Dead, which is set on a planet where the few lifeforms are more than linked. One species is actually an evolved version of another seemingly different species. I like thinking about how the universe works and what it all means, if it isn't just completely random evolution.

Never Ending Math Equation may have a simple structure, but it's about a topic with infinite layers. I was delighted to add it to the list of songs I have seen performed live after attending this year's London Ontario concert.

Here is the video:

And now for the hardest choice of all for this round. I was stuck choosing between three songs for the final one in this segment:

11. Dark Center of the Universe (The Moon & Antarctica)

I might disintegrate into the thin air, if you'd like
I'm not the dark center of the universe, like you thought
I might disintegrate into the thin air, if you'd like
I'm not the dark center of the universe, like you thought

Well, it took a lot of work to be the ass that I am
And I'm real damn sure that anyone can, equally easily fuck you over
Well, died saying something, but didn't mean it
Everyone's life ends, but no one ever completes it
Dry or wet ice, they both melt and you're equally cheated

Well, it took a lot of work to be the ass that I am
And I'm really damn sure that anyone can, equally easily fuck you over
Well, an endless ocean landin' on an endless desert
Well, its funny as hell, but no one laughs when they get there
If you can't see the thin air than why the hell should you care?

Well, it took a lot of work to be the ass that I am
And I'm really damn sure that anyone can, equally easily fuck you over
Well, I'm sure you'd tell me you got nothing to say
But our voices shook hands the other day
If you can't see the thin air what the hell is in the way?

I might disintegrate into the thin air, if you'd like
I'm not the dark center of the universe, like you thought

Well, it took a lot of work to be the ass that I am
And I'm really damn sure that anyone can, equally easily fuck you over
Well, an endless ocean landin' on an endless desert
Well, its funny as hell, but no one laughs when they get there
If you can't see the thin air than why the hell should you care?

Well, it took a lot of work to be the ass that I am
And I'm real damn sure that anyone can, equally easily fuck you over
Well, died saying something, but didn't mean it
Everyone's life ends, but no one ever completes it
Dry or wet ice, they both melt and you're equally cheated

Well, it took a lot of work to be the ass that I am
And I'm really damn sure that anyone can, equally easily fuck you over
Well, I'm sure you'd tell me you got nothing to say
But our voices shook hands the other day
If you can't see the thin air what the hell is in the way?

Brock isn't shy about self-examination and I have to wonder if this song is how he feels, or once felt about himself? It's one of the more up-tempo songs from The Moon & Antarctica, but the guitar also occasionally shimmers and adds some atmosphere to the song. I'm also continually amazed by Green's drumming. You can hear that to good effect in this live version:

Well, choosing those five songs was agonizing. I'm left with my 10 absolute favorites, so I am sure that ranking those will be just as difficult.

The next installment tackles the bottom half of my Top 10. Thanks for reading.

As always, here is the story so far:

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 Spaniels
70. 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
40. The Best Room
39. Gravity Rides Everything
38. Tundra/Desert
37. Paper Thin Walls
36. Convenient Parking
35. Life Like Weeds
34. A Different City
33. A Manic Depressive Named Laughing Boy
32. Grey Ice Water
31. I Came As a Rat
30. Black Cadillacs
29. Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset
28. Ocean Breathes Salty
27. Novacain Stain
26. Invisible
25. Breakthrough
24. Edit the Sad Parts
23. Broke
22. Truckers Atlas
21. Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
20. White Lies Yellow Teeth
19.Parting of the Sensory
18. The Tortoise and the Tourist
17. Bury Me With It
16. Fly Trapped In a Jar
15. Steam Engenius
14. The Stars Are Projectors
13. Lounge (Closing Time)
12. Never Ending Math Equation
11. Dark Center of the Universe

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 90 to 86

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Building nothing out of something - songs 20 to 16

The remaining 20 songs account for 1 hour 48 minutes and 23 seconds of the band's catalog. I guess you could say it would be my dream setlist. One of the things I have often thought about all the bands I like or have liked over the years, is how incredible it would be if I could choose the setlist for one of their concerts. With Modest Mouse, there's nothing I don't want to hear, but I obviously prefer some songs to others. I might die of happiness if I heard the remaining 20 songs played at a single show.

I'm not going to reveal which 20 songs are left, but you can work it out from the list in my initial post if you can't wait to find out. For today, I'll reveal the next five songs:

20. White Lies Yellow Teeth (7" Single)

You went out for a walk
I'm sure you went a long ways
Sorting things out in our heads
We'll forget in a few days

In the place before you're made
They give you all these options
Like if you've got wings
Or have you got feelings
Or can you breathe underwater?

He chose lifting ten times his weight
And natural body armor
On the day his mother gave
He came out as an insect

People talking soda pop
They talk it quite a lot
The opinions that I don't give
Are the opinions I don't got

White lies fall off my yellow teeth
I didn't convince you but I believed
White lies fall off my yellow teeth
I didn't convince you but I believed

All so plain it's all a plan
It's all so true of most everyone
The sky does not ever end
The air just gets much thinner

I knew a man who went on and on
About how he knew a man who knew a man
Who knew a man who knew him once
You can keep digging down and down inside
And even turn around or find in hell
You're find your digging up again

Some hippie told me, "Free your pets"
So I let them all go free
It didn't take no time at all
'Til they came running back to me

White lies fall off my yellow teeth
I didn't convince you but I believed
White lies fall off my yellow teeth
I didn't convince you but I believed

White Lies Yellow Teeth was an unreleased track from the This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About sessions until seeing a 7" release when the vinyl version of the album was reissued. It's presence in the Top 20 tells you how much I love this song.

This is a track that relentlessly burns its way into your brain. It builds and builds, with numerous sequences where the band just rocks out. The chunky guitar drives the song and the drums have much more than a supporting role. This one is on my Driving mix and I often find myself shouting along.

It's a hell of a sophisticated structure for a band just entering their twenties. If songs like this are initially discarded, it speaks volumes about the band's other work. There's no way I would have left this off the debut album, but I am thrilled to own it now.

19. Parting of the Sensory (We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank)

There's no work in walking in to fuel the talk
I would grab my shoes and then away I'll walk
Through all the stubborn beauty I start at the dawn
Until the sun had fully stopped

Never walking away from
Just a way to pull apart
Dehydrate back into minerals
A lifelong walk to the same exact spot

Carbon's anniversary
The parting of the sensory
Old, old mystery
The parting of the sensory

Who the hell made you the boss?
We placed our chips in all the right spots
But still lost
Any shithead who had ever walked
Could take the ship and do a much finer job
This fit like clothes made out of wasps, aw, fuck it I guess I lost

The parting of the sensory
Carbon's anniversary
Just part it again if you please
Carbon's anniversary

Who the hell made you the boss?
If you say what to do I know when not to stop
If you were the ship who would ever get on
The weather changed it for the worse

And came down on us like it had been rehearsed
And like we hope, but change will surely come
And be awful for most but really good for some
I took a trip to the exact same spot
We pulled the trigger, but we forgot to cock
And every single shot aw, fuck it I guess we lost

Some day you will die and somehow
Something's going to steal your carbon
Some day you will die and somehow
Something's going to steal your carbon

Well, some day you will die somehow
And something's going to steal your carbon
Some day you will die and someone
Or something's will steal your carbon

Some day, something will die and
Somehow you'll figure out how
Often you will die somehow and
Something's going to steal your carbon

The thing is you will die
And you will probably just steal its carbon
Some day you will die somehow
And something's going to steal your carbon

Some day, somehow or something will die
And you will steal its carbon
Somehow you will die and you'll figure out how
Often you will die somehow
And something's going to steal your carbon

Some day you will die somehow
And someone's going to steal your carbon
Some day you will die and somehow
You'll figure out how often

Some day you will die somehow
And something's going to steal your carbon
You will die and somehow
It's going to steal your

I'd have figure out and find out, we were bathed in carbon
You will figure out that somehow you will
Some day you will die somehow
And something's going to steal your carbon

Brock's delivery in the first three verses is an inspired choice. It's calm and forces you to pay attention. The song is already sounding like a profound statement. The first lyric that jumps out at me is:

"A lifelong walk to the same exact spot"

That sums up how fleeting life is, and how meaningless it can seem when compared to the history of time itself. We're made of water, carbon and a few minerals.

Another great line is:

"This fit like clothes made out of wasps"

If you've ever worn an uncomfortable shirt, you know the feeling. I really like that description.

However, there's more to this song than calm, reflective lyrics. The second half of the song picks up the pace and becomes a rant with the whole band joining in. The violin is a nice touch too.

Here's a live version:

18. The Tortoise and the Tourist (Strangers to Ourselves)

Wake up, get ready
Wake up, get ready
What a wonderful trip's ahead
Well, wake up, get ready
Wake up, get ready
Such a wonderful trip's ahead

We get dressed as ghosts
With sheets taken from the bed
Inside our socks we hide travelers checks
We are tourists of the dead

So let's pack up
Let's go
So let's pack up
Let's go
Let's pack up
Let's go

Let's go

There was this tortoise, its shell was covered with jewels
And had been since time began
It knew the world through all its histories
And the universe and its mysteries
One day it came across a man
The two were talking
The tortoise offered to tell him
About the future and how the universe ran
Oh, the man killed the tortoise, took his shell
And with a song on his lips walked off again

So let's walk off
Let's go
So let's walk off
Let's go
Let's walk off
Let's go
So let's walk off
Let's go

Pack a lunch wander 'round
Toss the map on the ground
It isn't accurate anyways
We've been getting away
We've been getting away
We are strangers to ourselves
We sneak out
Drip by drip
Through paper cuts on our hands
Day after day
Nothing's quite the same
We are tourists in our own heads

So let's walk on
Let's go
Let's walk on
Let's go
Let's walk on (I think I feel ready to go)
Let's go
Let's walk on
Let's go
(I think I feel ready to go)
(I think I feel ready to go)
(I think I feel ready to go)
(I think I feel ready to go)
(I think I feel ready to go)
(I think I feel ready to go)

Social media and the Internet has greatly enhanced our access to music. We can easily check out bands that are new to us. I'm definitely in favor. However, there is one thing about music that it has ruined; I can no longer sit down with a new album without already knowing some of the tracks. I already knew half the songs from Strangers to Ourselves because of singles, video releases, TV appearances and songs played at some of the shows. A small part of the excitement is forever gone from the arrival of a new album because of that, unless you somehow manage to avoid teasers.

I mention all that because The Tortoise and the Tourist was completely new to me when I first listened to the album. Until that point, The Best Room was my favorite of the new songs that I had heard, but it took about ten seconds for that to change. That opening guitar and the drums kicking in had me hooked. This sounds like vintage Modest Mouse.

Brock's vocals are superb, with the delivery matching the music perfectly. The first verse foreshadows what is to come:

"Wake up, get ready. wake up, get ready, what a wonderful trip's ahead"

I couldn't have said it better myself. Get ready for the best song on the album and enjoy the journey.

The second verse also paints a great picture:

"We get dressed as ghosts
With sheets taken from the bed
Inside our socks we hide travelers checks
We are tourists of the dead"

But the verse that gets me thinking the most is:

"There was this tortoise, its shell was covered with jewels
And had been since time began
It knew the world through all its histories
And the universe and its mysteries
One day it came across a man
The two were talking
The tortoise offered to tell him
About the future and how the universe ran
Oh, the man killed the tortoise, took his shell
And with a song on his lips walked off again"

What a fitting metaphor for human nature. That sums up how greedy and shallow far too many people in this world are. I actually feel sorry for that tortoise and I'm being deadly serious. I want to befriend it and show it that we're not all thieves and killers. If some alien race or other visited us tomorrow and offered eternal life, we'd never trust them. Some people would sue for being denied the right to die and others would just kill the lying bastards. It's sad in a way.

If you have friends that you can trust, cherish them. Too many others would kill you for your shell.

The final line that I want to mention is:

"We are tourists in our own heads"

I live inside my own head. My thoughts are my own and they can get me through just about anything. I can only be bored if I am with other people who want to do something that I consider pointless. I'm also reminded of the scene in The Shawshank Redemption where Andy Dufresne knows that solitary will be bearable because he has Mozart in his head. "There are some things they just can't touch."

The Mozart in my head is Modest Mouse.

I was pretty gutted that The Tortoise and the Tourist wasn't played when I saw the band last month. I'll have to wait to hear it performed live.

It's only flaw is that it ends at all. Another three minutes would be most welcome.

Here's the video:

17. Bury Me With It (Good News for People Who Love Bad News)

We were shootin' at a mound of dirt
Well nothing was broken, nothing was hurt
But I probably really should have been at work
But when my free time's gone would you promise me this, that you'll

Please bury me with it
Please bury me with it

Well as sure as planets come I know that they end
And if I'm here when that happens
Just promise me this my friend

Please bury me with it
I just don't need none of that Mad Max bullshit

Well the suit got tight and it split at the seams
But I kept it out of habit and kept it real clean
But if it's getting faded, if it's runnin' outta thread
Could you do this for me my friend?

And please just, please, bury me with it
Please bury me with it

Well we moved to the left and we moved to the right
And sure as hell stayed out almost every single night
But if the party's over, if the fun has to end
Could you do this for me my friend?

Would you just please bury me with it?
Please bury me with it

Good news for people, who love bad news
We've lost the plot and we just can't choose
We are hummingbirds who are just not willing to move
And that's good news for people who love bad news

We are hummingbirds who lost the plot and we will not move
We have good news for anyone who loves bad news

We were aiming for the moon, we were shooting at the stars
But the kids were just shooting at the buses and the cars
So don't drink the water don't you breathe the air
And if it's gotten to that point then I have to declare

That you could please bury me with it
Please bury me with it

Well fads they come and fads they go
And God I love that rock and roll
Well the point was fast but it was too blunt to miss
Life handed us a paycheck, we said "We worked harder than this!"

Please bury me with it
Please bury me with it, oh shit now

We are hummingbirds who are just not willing to move
And there's good news for people, who love bad news
We are hummingbirds who lost the plot and we will not move
We have great news for anyone, who loves bad news

This song has always been good, but I'm starting to consider it one of the band's best. There's that Pixies vibe again, but no problem there.

The theme is simple; if the enjoyable things in life are taken away, what's the point in living?

One of my absolute favorite lyrics from a long list appears in this song:

"I just don't need none of that Mad Max bullshit"

If you've ever seen a Mad Max movie, you'll know what Brock is getting at. If your whole existence is a brutal struggle to survive, with everyone trying to kill you or steal what little you have, would you even bother living in that world? I grin every time I hear that line. It's just perfect.

Have you noticed how songs that mention the title tend to be one of the best on the respective album? The Tortoise and the Tourist mentions Strangers to Ourselves and now Bury Me With It references Good News for People Who Love Bad News.

There are at least two other brilliant lines in this song and I feel compelled to mention them:

"Life handed us a paycheck, we said 'We worked harder than this!'"

"We are hummingbirds who are just not willing to move"

I haven't even mentioned the music yet. It's exciting, reflective, loud, quiet and everything I would want in a song. I like how the drums are used and Brock's ranting vocals. There's guitar everywhere, and that's rarely a bad thing.

Here's a live version:

16. Fly Trapped In a Jar (We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank)

Of part and parcel,
Well we're already dead,
Well it's probably been said,
That it's always been said,
That,

One wing isn't even enough,
It isn't even enough,
It isn't even enough,
To leave,

One wing isn't even enough,
It wasn't even enough,
It wasn't even enough,
To leave,
(Ha ha ha ha)

I'm gonna' shake myself right out the door,
I'm gonna' take myself when it's finally over,
I'm gonna' let my own bad self take over,
I'm gonna' move my arm out with my shoulder,
And

One wing wasn't even enough,
It wasn't even enough,
It wasn't even enough,
To leave,

One wing wasn't even enough,
It wasn't even enough,
It wasn't even enough,
To leave,

One wing wasn't even enough,
It wasn't even enough,
It wasn't even enough,
To leave,

First off, Gary was on trial and drunk before we left bed,
As things got better was it hard to say that he had no idea,
Well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around,
So we all just opened up our mouths and walked to this town

Well I was walking just a little bit sideways and you were walking sideways too,
Well I hadn't learned when a front door can be used,
Here it goes now...

We had darkened doors so we didn't read what the sign read
Though simple enough it was to me really tough the ground needs to be fed,
Well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they didn't really want us around,
So not a single one of us will ever leave town,
Here we go sir...

Our bodies were laid out,
They were laid for fifteen yards,
Well two feet above each of our heads was a fly trapped in a jar,
Well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around,
So every single one of us fed the ground,
Here we go now...

One wing wasn't even uhh,
One wing wasn't even enough,

Of part and parcel
Well it's probably been said,
That it's always been said that
We're already dead

Manic Brock returns with a vocal delivery that's right on the edge of sanity. I haven't got a clue what this song is about, but I love how it feels. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank took a while to grow on me, but now I realize that it's full of good songs. Some of them are beyond good, and this falls into that category. The sweeping guitar frames everything well, but I just love Brock's vocal style on this song. The tempo change near the halfway point signifies an even crazier sequence.

Here's the official video:

As painful as it was to choose five songs to cut this round, I'll probably do the same thing tomorrow. It won't be easy. Thanks for reading.

As always, here is the story so far:

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 Spaniels
70. 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
40. The Best Room
39. Gravity Rides Everything
38. Tundra/Desert
37. Paper Thin Walls
36. Convenient Parking
35. Life Like Weeds
34. A Different City
33. A Manic Depressive Named Laughing Boy
32. Grey Ice Water
31. I Came As a Rat
30. Black Cadillacs
29. Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset
28. Ocean Breathes Salty
27. Novacain Stain
26. Invisible
25. Breakthrough
24. Edit the Sad Parts
23. Broke
22. Truckers Atlas
21. Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
20. White Lies Yellow Teeth
19.Parting of the Sensory
18. The Tortoise and the Tourist
17. Bury Me With It
16. Fly Trapped In a Jar

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 90 to 86

In the Frame Film Reviews

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Building nothing out of something - the Top 5

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Building nothing out of something - songs 10 to 6

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Building nothing out of something - songs 15 to 11

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Building nothing out of something - songs 20 to 16

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