Continuing my look at the albums of 2004…
Alternative rock band Modest Mouse released their most successful album in ’04, the splendidly named Good News For People Who Like Bad News. It sold 1.5 million copies in the United States, while first single ‘Float On’ reached the top spot on the Modern Rock chart.
‘Float On’ is indeed a great song, boasting an indelible guitar riff and a woozily optimistic chorus.
It’s also the only thing on this album worth hearing. That accessible single serves as a Trojan horse for an album full of weird, Tom Waits-esque experimental pop rock.
I’m sure the band has fans who eat this stuff up like candy, and the album did receive its share of strong reviews, but I don’t have the patience for discordant weirdness.
I do like a couple of other tracks on the record, but not enough to seek them out again. This is an album, and a band, for people who aren’t me.
I backed my car into a cop car the other day
Well, he just drove off, sometimes life’s okay
I ran my mouth off a bit too much, oh, what did I say?
Well, you just laughed it off, it was all okay
[Chorus]
And we’ll all float on, okay
And we’ll all float on, okay
And we’ll all float on, okay
And we’ll all float on anyway, well
[Verse 2]
A fake Jamaican took every last dime with that scam
It was worth it just to learn some sleight of hand
Bad news comes, don’t you worry even when it lands
Good news will work its way to all them plans
We both got fired on exactly the same day
Well, we’ll float on, good news is on the way
Bring it on, here we are, win or lose, win or lose
Win or lose, win or lose, win or lose, win or lose
Win or lose, win or lose, I can’t say
[Chorus]
And we’ll all float on, okay
And we’ll all float on, okay
And we’ll all float on, okay
And we’ll all float on, alright
[Bridge]
Already, we’ll all float on
No, don’t you worry, we’ll all float on, alright
Already, we’ll all float on, alright
Don’t worry, we’ll all float on
[Bridge]
(Alright, already) And we’ll all float on
Alright, already, we’ll all float on, alright
Don’t worry, even if things end up a bit too heavy
We’ll all float on
Alright, already, we’ll all float on [I’m told “don’t function” and listen everyday]
Alright, already, we’ll all float on [The worlds’ still going strong]
Okay, don’t worry, we’ll all float on [I lose hair]
Even if things get heavy, we’ll all float on [while living here]
Alright, already, we’ll all float on (Alright!) [float on]
Now don’t you worry, we’ll all float on (Alright!)
We’ll all float on
Meet Me In Montauk 
We saw R.E.M. in June of 2008 in Mansfield, MA – we found our seats right before the opening act began. Aural chaos ensued, a cacaphony that assaulted our ears in a way I had not imagined could happen. Oh yeah, that was Modest Mouse. Not fans, for life.
I’m now wondering if this band opened for REM when I saw the in concert as well. Definitely not my cup of tea either.