39. The Moon and Antarctica by Modest Mouse

By: Orlando da Silva

				The Moon and Antarctica by Modest Mouse

The Moon and Antarctica is notable among Modest Mouse albums for its particularly fatalistic bent. Not to say that Modest Mouse is a downer band, but they're not exactly bubble gum pop. Isaac Brock's  philosophical everyman tone has lessened in recent years, but it peaked on this record and is evident right from the first track, "3rd Planet",  where he explains, "The universe is shaped exactly like the earth/ You go straight long enough you'll end up where you were".  So simple yet so profound, it is as though Brock has come back from the  isolation of either of the album's namesakes like Zarathustra from the mountains to hash out deep questions on the nature of humanity and fate.

This is also a transitional record, retaining the Modest Mouse sound of old-but-with-major-label-backing—the band incorporates back-up instrumentations and studio trickery to great effect. Modest Mouse would delve further into adventurous production and lyrical matter in future albums, but they haven't sounded as deep or as trippy since The Moon and Antarctica.


Stream: "3rd Planet" by Modest Mouse