Crib Notes

Modest Mouse’s No One’s First and You’re Next EP is a collection of B-Sides that fills in the blanks between We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank and Good News for People Who Love Bad News. The biggest (and only real) issue with this release is that you’ve heard some of these songs before. For example, the video for “King Rat” was directed by Heath Ledger back in 2007. And Isaac Brock is at his commercial best on the EP’s opener, and strongest track, “Satellite Skin,” which recalls earlier gems like “Missed the Boat” and “Float On.”

As the EP comes to an end many of the highlights are juxtaposed, including the awkwardly arranged “History Sticks To Your Feet,” and the epic album closer “I’ve Got It All (Most)” which features some of Brock’s best vocal performances to date. No One’s First and You’re Next is by no means a stand-in for a Modest Mouse main course, but it is a tempting appetizer. (Epic Records)

4 stars out of 5

“King Rat” mp3

Follow the jump to see the video for “King Rat” directed by Heath Ledger.

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The Mars Volta is back with the eight-track Octahedron. They’re calling it their “acoustic” album, which is only appropriate for them. It’s a solid effort that’s spilt down the middle with hits and misses. Though “Teflon” features some of the strongest vocals heard throughout he album, the musical arrangements sound like something lifted straight out of a space war video game. One of the weaker tracks, “With Twilight as My Guide” drags on for an unnecessary eight minutes and is followed by the only slightly better “Cotopaxi.” The song is cluttered with shrill vocals and bad guitar riffs, and because everything else is so bad, lyrics such as “We’ll be lucky if we eat tonight” are the song’s highlight, but they suck too. “Desperate Graves” gets the album back in good standing with effortless guitars and flowing lyrics. But the true star of the album is the closing song, “Luciforms.” It’s pretty jazzy, but also pleasantly distorted, and closes the album with a fantastic guitar solo. (Warner Bros. Records)
(3 out of 5 stars)

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