Top 10 Albums, #8 - Good News For People Who Love Bad News

#8 Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News (Epic, 2004)

Good News For People Who Love Bad News is the album that broke Modest Mouse from underground favorites into mainstream popularity. Many of their previous fans hated this album for that, but I might never have given Modest Mouse a second chance if not for this album (in high school I had downloaded some of their songs, but at the time I was very into punk rock and immediately dismissed the band after listening to the songs). Good News is more optimistic in some ways (specifically the lead single, "Float On," an upbeat plea not worry when band news comes because "good news will work it's way to all to all them plans") than previous albums while still holding on to a good deal of their earlier melancholy. The album is a polished pop album, but still has some roughness to it, most noticeably on "This Devil's Workday," where Isaac Brock channels Tom Waits as the Dirty Dozen Brass Band replace most of the rest of the band. Throughout the album, traditional rock guitar, drum and bass mix with banjos, horns (courtesy of the DDBB), and various other instruments.

Favorite Tracks: "The World At Large," "Float On,""Bury Me With It," "The View"