This is Shane Dowaliby, the voice of The Shane Dowaliby Show on WhitefishRadio.com! I'm on every weeknight from 6-11 PM. Part of the fun of having my own internet radio show is suggesting all of my favorite music to my listeners. With that in mind we have decided that it is necessary for me to give some more in-depth recommendations. So here it is, the first of what
I hope will be many artist spotlights! In honor of their recent release, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, my first artist will be Modest Mouse.No doubt the average radio listener heard of Modest Mouse because of their 2004 release Good News For People Who Love Bad News. This album brought such hits as "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty," but more importantly brought the music of this great band to the masses.
Admittedly, I hadn't heard of Modest Mouse before Good News, but I was thirteen years old at the time so I'll use that as my excuse. The album was one of the most successful of that year, and was certified Platinum in August. As of this month it has sold 1.5 million copies. Some of my favorite songs from that album include the overplayed but still enjoyable "Float On," "The World At Large," "Ocean Breathes Salty," "Blame It On The Tetons," "Bukowski," and "Black Cadillacs." Although the album crept away somewhat from their previous efforts, it still retains the same depth and passion. Many people have denounced the album, saying the band sold out, and didn't stay true to their old sound. The best thing about music though is innovation and creativity. If people always stuck to their old sound music would be boring. Period.
Now that I've discussed their most well known album, I'll go back in time. Modest Mouse was formed in 1994 in Issaquah, Washington by lead singer Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, bassist John Wickhart, and guitarist Dann Gallucci. Their debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About, set their standard for deep, thought provoking and somewhat ironic titles. It was a solid first effort, producing the upbeat and intense "Breakthrough," and the epic opening track "Dramamine." They released two more albums before Good News, including The Lonesome Crowded West and the acclaimed The Moon & Antarctica. Heavy subject matter coupled with the furthur development of their sound created one of the best albums in the last 10 years. The album starts out with abstract lyrics in "3rd Planet" and "Gravity Rides Everything," and ends with the inexplicably catchy "I Came as a Rat." It is nearly impossible to over-listen to the old Modest material. Just when I think I'm going to get sick of a song I understand new lyrics or uncover a different sound that I didn't notice before, and it is almost as if it's a brand new song.
Now for the newest release. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank was released on March 20th, 2007. This was noticeably later than the original expected date of December 19th of last year, but it was worth the wait. The album will please all kinds of Modest Mouseketeers- it has
a slightly poppy sound fit for radio, but still holds true to their old sound. Listeners hear plenty of Isaac's vocal changes and screams, which Modest Mouse pulls off well. I am not a big fan of screams and what not in most songs, but while listening to Modest Mouse I enjoy it whole-heartedly. I haven't had a chance to listen to a whole lot of their newest release, but what I've heard I have liked. I am sure I'll be listening to this album and all of their others for years to come.Listen to Modest Mouse and many, many other great artists on The Shane Dowaliby Show, from 6-11 PM every weeknight on WhitefishRadio.com! Make sure you check back every week for a new recommendation!
