Pitchfork

Modest Mouse have got to be the first band in history whose members have the personalities of the criminally insane and lyrics that appear completely stream- of- consciousness, but songs that don't lack sense or feeling. The first song on the disc is called "Dramamine," in which a quiet electric guitar opens with a simple two-string repetition while the drums kick softly way in the background. In a few seconds, another guitar with a distant reverb enters and follows into an intricate second part. It sounds like a roadtrip through the deserts of Nevada around dusk. It's a very spacious, wide-open feeling. The song is mostly instrumental, but for the brief moment there are lyrics, they add the elements of incredible speed and the occasional bump of the unevenly-paved road.

The band shows strong influences from the Pixies and Jane's Addiction, but they've also got their own personal style which is unlike anything I've heard before. The only problem with this record is that it's impossible to get all the way through it because it's over 70 minutes long. And the vinyl version actually has more songs. There are few bands who can pull that off and honestly, Modest Mouse is not one of 'em. But I guess if they've got the studio time, a little extra music never hurt anybody.