initial reaction to the "the moon & antarctica": I've only been able to listen to it at work on headphones (which I hate doing ) while staring at a computer monitor (I only really LOVE listening to music while driving) but ignoring that hitch: I love it. Scratch that; I FUCKING love it. It's just totally crazy and all over the place in a way "Long Drive" (my favorite MM album) was and "Crowded West" (which I love, but was a little dissapointed with) wasn't. I WILL admit that some of the production is a little over the top, but that's totally forgivable in my book. Modest Mouse has always been over-ambitious - it's part of their charm. Doesn't hurt the album any more than the length of "Long Drive" hurt that album. Initial favorites are Third Planet, The Cold Part, Stars Are Projectors, Wild Packs Of Family Dogs (don't know why this songs getting slammed by some... sounds like a funny little Pavement b-side), Paper Thin Walls (of course), I Came As A Rat, Life Like Weeds, and especially Lives, the beauty of which gives me chills. Unfortunately, songs like "Lives", that really hit me right off the bat (example: Pavement's Major Leagues), end up being my least favorite. Anyways, the best part of Modest Mouse albums for me is that the songs I skip over at first end up being my favorites, so I know there are some gems in there that I don't yet "get". So thats it. The best thing I can say is that the my most anticipated album of the year is fully living up to my expectations. Any other newly de-flowered M&A virgins want to comment?
