Modest Mouse's No One's First is solid, doesn't 'Float On'
The collection of unreleased tracks is worth a listen.
Published Aug. 28, 2009
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Modest Mouse’s newest offering is full of solid songs, but nothing jumps out as a hit.
To preface this review, I'll admit I'm a huge Modest Mouse fanboy, owning almost every piece of music they've ever released. Although some might say this makes my opinion biased, I think having all this previous knowledge of the band makes my opinion the best you could get. In my professional opinion, Modest Mouse's newest EP, No One's First, And You're Next is a decent addition to their already impressive catalog.
The EP is a collection of eight unreleased songs from the group's previous recording sessions. It's not the first time Modest Mouse has done something like this. They've released two other B-side albums in the past: 2000's Building Nothing Out Of Something (a favorite of mine) and 2001's Everywhere And His Nasty Parlour Tricks. I can see how the phrase "unreleased tracks" can be off-putting. If they were left off, it was probably for a reason, right? It's a fair question and one I don't have the answer, but I can assure you this isn't a JV effort.
Every track is solid, with the possible exception of "The Whale Song," its unorthodox style becoming occasionally off-putting. Leading track "Satellite Skin" is catchy and "Autumn Beds" stayed in my head for days. It's not as cohesive a unit as any of Modest Mouse's studio albums, but that's to be expected from what is basically a patchwork quilt of music.
Although mostly solid, for whatever reason No One's First just lacks the kick-in-the-balls insanity which immediately grabbed me like 2004's platinum record, Good News For People Who Love Bad News did. That nine-second "Horn Intro" must've made all the difference.
When it comes down to it, No One's First, And You're Next is a good, but not a stellar album. Hardcore Modest Mouse fans (like myself) will be happy to add it to their collections, but casual Mouseketeers with only "Float On" and "Dashboard" on their music players of choice will probably be content with singles "King Rat" and "Perpetual Motion Machine."