MUSIC: Isaac Brock / Modest Mouse / Ugly Casanova

The new Rolling Stone has a Q&A with Isaac Brock, of whom I'm a huge fan. I don't quite know what it is, but everything he says cracks me up. I think he's just a smart, tortured, honest fellow and that makes for an excellent songwriter. Here's an excerpt from the article which includes an awesome use of name calling, but the whole thing is worth a read.

"There's a new, unauthorized biography of Modest Mouse. Have you read any of it?"
"No. I don't know how you'd write a biography about a band without talking to any of the players or their families. I think it's written on speculation, from magazine articles and shit. I think the guy who wrote it is a fuckin' ass and an asshole."

In addition to doing fun interviews, Isaac does awesome side projects. My favorite 45 of late is the sub pop singles club release by Ugly Casanova. I wonder if we'll ever see new material from these guys, but for now we'll have to make do with 2002's Sharpen Your Teeth, which isn't a bad thing since it's brilliant. Here's a track off that album.

::: Ugly Casanova - Hotcha Girls

The new album by Modest Mouse titled We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank comes out on March 20. If you pre-order the album through Insound, you'll receive a limited edition 7" record which includes the single "Fire It Up" and an unreleased track, "King Rat". Now that's a hot deal. The album is available in CD and Deluxe CD formats. Here's one of the many leaked tracks, but it's my favorite.

::: Modest Mouse - Florida

(Side note: Modest Mouse have quite possibly performed the most exciting concert in my life as well as the most disappointing. The first time I saw these guys was at Clunk Records Hall in Fayetteville, Arkansas and they blew my mind. Then, I saw them here in Berkeley a couple years ago and it was incredibly flat. I've since been reaffirmed of their live chops, but that concert hurt my feelings.)

[Official Modest Mouse website.]
[Modest Mouse on myspace.]
[Current Macktronic contest (Free Stuff!)]
[Gold Robot Records on myspace.]
[Buy music from Insound.]
[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]
[Photo credit goes to clumsy bird.]

Tags: mp3, music, modest mouse, vinyl, ugly casanova, indie, rock, promotion, isaac brock