Modest Mouse - "Bukowski" [radio rip]. From the much-circulated radio rip of MM's upcoming Good News For People Who Like Bad News. One of my favourite tracks on the record, though a far cry from the brilliant sparkle-flecked cyclops-eye pop of "Float On." (In other words, this is more 'typical' Modest Mouse.) Still - the cello and accordeon pump along like an organic printing-press, muscle and blood and heart pressing sheafs of heretical pamphlets: "...if God gives life then he's an Indian-giver..." Plus: banjo.
Dan gave me a mix CD of Modest Mouse songs, to try to fully convert me. Although I think the new album's truly swell, and ditto for The Moon and Antarctica, this music's not yet convinced me of the group's long-view greatness. All of the songs are interesting, and many are terrific ("Here It Comes," "Trailer Trash," "Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset"), but a lot of them are frustratingly flawed. Maybe that's the point - broken melodies and blemished songs of crooked lives (and that's the reason I'll definitely keep listening to this), - but I can't get away from the feeling that much of Modest Mouse's older stuff sounds like a smart, bold-visioned band that is still growing up. (Cf, Radiohead's Pablo Honey.) The instrumental smash at the end of "Talking Shit..." is beautiful-ugly, but why does it need to open with such a shabby Bright Eyes impression?
Are there any Modest Mouse fans out there who want to give some tips for how to listen?
G-Unit - "My Buddy". G-Unit's Beg 4 Mercy is terrific. Steely and casual, with variety (but not too much), and cool grey confidence. I like it better than Get Rich Or Die Tryin' - but the reasons are murky. All I can put my finger on is that I, uh, like the songs better. Whereas the melody of "P.I.M.P." or "Many Men" kind of grated, Beg 4 Mercy clicks for me on almost every track. On "My Buddy," we hear about 50's best friend, his gun. But beyond the slurred trundle of the rap, the silly-sinister synthsichord, what's most exhilerating is the way that the ammunition pops blister the sighing choral lull, the story that tears and rips and fires right through G-Unit's chrome swagger.
Preview the Unicorns' track "2014," which is to be released on a Suicide Squeeze 7" [via lhb]. Left-handed sci-fi disco. Not sure if this is the same version that will appear on the record - it may have been rerecorded. It's complicated because the version of "I Was Born (A Unicorn)" that's available at Zebox is from before Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone, but I don't remember "2014" being there when I last visited the site, over a year ago... Oh, hey, there's a ton of old Unicorns tracks still available on the mcgill site: here.