 "Photo:")
In April 2004, almost four years since the release of their major label masterpiece, "The Moon and Antarctica," the inevitable finally happened - Modest Mouse went mainstream. All the signs were there. First, the signing to Epic, then the commercials for Miller Genuine Draft and minivans, and finally, following the greatest build up of indie kid panic since Pavement's "Cut Your Hair" video was shown on "Alternative Nation," the band's newest album, "Good News for People Who Love Bad News," debuted at No. 19 on the Billboard charts, signaling the end of the band's independent run.
With the album's first single, "Float On," playing daily on MTV, as well receiving heavy rotation from radio stations across the country, longtime Modest Mouse fans will have to resign themselves to the fact that they share a favorite band with a former Britney Spears fan. Or perhaps even a current Britney Spears fan. True fans will surely adjust to seeing their heroes chatting up Carson Daly on "Last Call," drinking milkshakes on "The O.C." or possibly even performing at the VMAs. But is their latest album worth it?
In the years following "The Moon and Antarctica," the band have lost drummer Jeremiah Green and regained original guitarist Dann Gallucci, potentially threatening the overall sound of the band. The early release of "Float On" led some to believe that Modest Mouse had finally sold out, trading their creativity and ambition for commercial accessibility. Indeed, the single lacks the energy and passion of previous releases. Moreover, the band's more abrasive and invigorating elements seemed to have been smoothed over with fancy production for an overall watered-down feel.
Other tracks on "Good News" point to business as usual for Modest Mouse. "Satin in a Coffin" recalls earlier songs such as "Dog Paddle," "Cowboy Dan" and "Fruit That Ate Itself," with its Tom Waits-like barroom stomp and drunken rhythmic chanting. "The World at Large" is quintessential Modest Mouse, resembling "Dramamine" and "Teeth Like God's Shoeshine."
In the end, "Good News for People Who Love Bad News" suffers under the difficulty of following a career-defining album such as "The Moon and Antarctica." The band's predicament resembles the release of Radiohead's latest album "Hail to the Thief," in that it's a good album on its own, but ultimately fails to live up to the brilliance of its predecessor. This fact, in combination with the mainstream celebration and success of what is, in so many words, an inferior album, makes for as interesting time as any to get a peek at Modest Mouse basking in all the hype. It still remains to be seen whether Modest Mouse will retain essential character or sell out big time, but it'll be nice to see the motley mix of diehards and TRL fans.
Modest Mouse performs from 5 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturday on the Cingular Stage.
The Roots
Well, we certainly know hip-hop, don't we? Ice, turntables and booty droppin'? Over the last decade hip-hop has inevitably branched out into its many "coastal" facets, including the dirty-dirty (South). But while the consistencies of the seemingly decadent, even debauched mainstream sort, The Roots almost solely offer a meaningful weight and bring balance to the state of their hip-hop culture.
It's been a long and increasingly dynamic journey for The Roots since their little known debut album "Organix" (1993). The Philadelphia sextet has since managed to drop an album almost every year for the last 11 years. Recently their seventh album, "The Tipping Point," is still a buzz from its July release, especially with their awaited stop at the Austin City Limits Festival.
While much of rap corners itself into stereotype, The Roots mark a cornerstone in hip-hop culture. By breaking down walls and challenging the conventions of the music genre they represent, they continuously push the envelope. After "Organix," the emergence of 1995's "Do You Want More" and 1996's "Illadelph Halflife" (a personal favorite), though critically recognized, fell short commercially.
Thus began the group's notorious experimentations, headed by drummer, musical director and giant-Afro-possessing Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson. Finally the Philly crew received their inevitable commercial and critical success with the Grammy Award-winning "Things Fall Apart" (1999) and "The Roots Come Alive" in the same year. The long awaited LP "Phrenology," released in November of 2002, like most unconventional and challenging artistic ventures, was highly criticized. "Phrenology," while still bemusing hip-hop audiences, included mixtures of R&B, soulful rock, with rhymes over free jazz melodies.
Refusing the pigeon hole, the group's instrumentation and versatility has gone uncategorized. However, "The Tipping Point" checks in as a straightforward and somewhat less adventurous hip-hop album. After many jam sessions with artists including Jean Grae and Devon The Duke (plus Dave Chappelle, of course doing his Rick James impressions), neo-soul hooks and a plethora of R&B mixes, the result is a very polished and solid 11-track album.
Unlike its many predecessors, the "never-say-nothing" front man Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter carries the brunt of the album (with impressions of Big Daddy Kane and Kool G Rap) and even gets a little political on "Guns are Drawn" and "Why."
Although "Point" may be their secure and sound album, The Roots maintain an eclectic approach to their Stetsasonic style of instrumentation, drawing music from live instruments. These Philly residents are the most successful and perhaps the only hip-hop group around to perform without the rap-staple turntables. The de facto beatbox extraordinaire and human turntablist Scratch (Jay Z, Pink, Talib Kweli) exerts enough instrumentation from his mouth to proxy any turntable.
Conceivably original and undisputedly different, there's no confusion as to why "The Tipping Point" was chosen as the title of their latest opus. The title is taken from Malcom Gladwell's 2002 book of the same name; it contends that ideas, behaviors and products fluently spread like infectious disease. A small community or even a single person conceives an idea, and then the behavior proliferates to more and more people until a critical mass, or "tipping point," is reached. For example, look at the eruption of name brand handbags or trucker hats across certain demographics.
Whether the title is commentary on the social epidemic of particularly mainstream hip-hop and the decay of their very genre or just a title is anyone's guess. The Roots have time and time again proven to be icons in hip-hop culture, and one of the foremost creative groups in music. They put on one of the best live shows I've ever seen, and they are not to be missed.
The Roots perform from 2:30 p.m-3:30 p.m. Sunday on the SBC stage.
Be the first to comment on this article!