Modest Mouse - White Lies, Yellow Teeth (Album Review)

 

Modest Mouse - White Lies, Yellow Teeth

(1996/2014)


My copy: 2014 press of 45RPM 7” on “coke bottle” green vinyl by Glacial Pace. 


Modest Mouse had recorded an abundance of material for their first (official) full length record back in 1996 but not every idea made it to the final version of the album. Interstate 8 and Building Nothing Out Of Something are both compilation records from the early eras of Modest Mouse but an additional single was produced to release two songs from the 1996 recording sessions that did not end up on either compilation, thus we have White Lies, Yellow Teeth. 

The title track is a slow building tunnel of galloping muted guitar with bass that inches ever closer to the eventual explosion of cymbals. Isaac Brock’s vocals sit at a unique cross between early emo and agitated truck driver with lyrics that combine the charm of poetic americana with the frustrations of post-harcore. 

The real treat is a studio recording of “Buttons To Push The Buttons” which originally was only available as a live take off of the b-side to Interstate 8.  “Buttons To Push The Buttons” takes Built To Spill’s highly calculated indie-rock and crams it into a blender alongside the angular lo-fi guitar whines of a band like Lync. Topped with Brock’s uniquely manic delivery, you have a delightful hidden gem worthy of any Modest Mouse fan’s collection. 

You can get the standard variant of this single for very cheap, while the colored version currently sits around 35 dollars.


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