Good News for People Who Love Bad News
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Good News for People Who Love Bad News is the fourth studio album by American rock band Modest Mouse, released on April 6, 2004 by Epic Records. Jeremiah Green, who played drums on all other Modest Mouse releases, did not perform on this album due to his temporary absence from the band.
The album was released on both CD and 180 gram vinyl, and was rereleased on DualDisc on October 11, 2005. The first two singles from the album were "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty," both of which debuted on American radio stations in the first half of 2004. The vinyl and DualDisc editions of the album also contain the B-side "I've Got It All (Most)". On the vinyl edition, the track is placed at the end of the album. On the DualDisc edition, it is placed between "Bury Me With It" and "Dance Hall". The song "Bukowski" is dedicated to the late poet Charles Bukowski. The song "The Good Times Are Killing Me" was originally going to be released as the normal mix, but instead they added the one mixed by The Flaming Lips. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band appear also on tracks 1 ("Horn Intro") and 9 ("This Devil's Workday") or 10 on the Dualdisc edition. A video for "The World at Large" was also on the dualdisc. It is called "Stiff Animal Fantasy".
It was ranked by Planet Sound as their number one album of 2004. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Alternative Album.[1] The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in August 2004.[2] As of March 19, 2007, it had sold 1,509,675 copies in the United States.[3]
The album's title comes from a line in the song "Bury Me with It".[4]
Reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 83/100[5] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[7] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mojo | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 9/10[10] |
Pitchfork | 7.9/10[11] |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | A[14] |
The Village Voice | A−[15] |
Good News for People Who Love Bad News was released to widespread acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 83, indicating "universal acclaim".[5] Tiny Mix Tapes gave the album all five stars and said that "Ultimately, what makes Good News so successful is that it retains the melancholy mood of past works, while at the same time adding depth and maturity."[16] Spin gave it an A and said it was "Half expansive, burnished radio-rock, half swampy Delta hoodoo-hollerin' that reeks of Brock's Southern sojourn."[5] Filter gave it a score of 92% and said that it would soon be "one of the best albums of 2004".[5] NME gave it a score of nine out of ten and called it "A real-life pop record. Well, not pop in the Girls Aloud sense of the word obviously, more in the drop-dead, fuzz-box brilliant 'Here Comes Your Man' sense."[5] Billboard gave it a favorable review and called it "a daring yet accessible disc".[5] The New York Times also gave it a favorable review and called it "the best Modest Mouse album yet."[17] E! Online gave it a B+ and said that "If there's a touchstone band for this album, it's Little Creatures-era Talking Heads cranking out songs that are joyously eccentric, celebratory and catchy."[5] Playlouder gave it four stars out of five and stated: "It just feels that amidst his bare and heartfelt explorations of life and the old wooden box wherein we all end up, Brock has learned to dance, learned to allow himself a smile."[18] Mojo gave the album four stars out of five and said that "Moments of simple, exultant joy are plentiful."[5] Q also gave it four stars out of five and said that the album consisted of "45 bonkers minutes".[5] Alternative Press likewise gave it four stars out of five and stated, "If Good News... isn't the pillar-like masterpiece Modest Mouse fans have waited years for, it's proof that things haven't completely fallen apart."[5] Dusted gave it a favorable review and called it "a more varied album than The Moon and Antarctica (which did seem to have only one speed), and with the return of original member Dan Gallucci, Brock appears to have revived the heavy lead guitar playing of their early work."[19] The A.V. Club also gave it a favorable review and stated, "The songs still rely on Brock's echoing guitar patterns and Mobius-strip lyrics, delivered in the voice of a harried, hip-hop-inflected square-dance caller, but though the vehicle stays the same, the scenery outside the window changes considerably."[20]
Neumu.net gave it a score of seven out of ten and said, "While the album is not as cohesive a vision, many of its songs are more focused."[21] The Austin Chronicle gave it three-and-a-half stars out of five and said, "No bad news here, just more headline-making from an innovative, ever-maturing group of musicians."[22] Yahoo! Music UK gave it a score of seven out of ten and said that "At these transcending moments, 'Good News...' is elevated into excellence. But overall, there is too much Mouse that bores and not enough Mouse that roars."[23] Almost Cool gave it a score of 6.75 out of ten and said that "Probably the biggest complaint could be that the group has tightened up their sound even more on this release, leaving behind even more of the roughshod qualities that made their earlier discs blister with such energy."[24]
Other reviews are very average or mixed: The Guardian gave the album three stars out of five and called it "A useful addition to a genre that prizes brain over brawn."[25] Blender also gave it three stars out of five and said that "[Brock is] adept at wringing out emotion while straddling sentimentality, but too often here, gauche studio affectations make his sap sound plain cheap."[5] Nude as the News gave it a score of six out of ten and stated, "A lot of major label-imposed ideas, like rhythm guitar and a heartbreakingly conventional new bass sound, combine to utterly ruin the record's first half. If you can make it through to News' innards, however, an EP's worth of something like better-recorded, more thought-out Lonesome Crowded West material awaits."[5] Stylus Magazine gave the album a C and said of Modest Mouse, "Gone is pretty much everything they’ve learned in the last eight years or so, ditching all the progress they’ve made in favor of just making another Modest Mouse record. The results, needless to say, are disappointing."[26] Uncut gave it two stars out of five and said that "There are some pleasantly elaborate, wayward songs here... Forays into funk and Tom Waits' scrapyard are cringe-inducing, though."[27]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Isaac Brock, Dann Gallucci, Eric Judy, and Benjamin Weikel[28]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Horn Intro" | 0:09 |
2. | "The World at Large" | 4:32 |
3. | "Float On" | 3:28 |
4. | "Ocean Breathes Salty" | 3:49 |
5. | "Dig Your Grave" | 0:13 |
6. | "Bury Me with It" | 3:49 |
7. | "Dance Hall" | 2:57 |
8. | "Bukowski" | 4:14 |
9. | "This Devil's Workday" | 2:19 |
10. | "The View" | 4:13 |
11. | "Satin in a Coffin" | 2:35 |
12. | "Interlude (Milo)" | 0:58 |
13. | "Blame It on the Tetons" | 5:25 |
14. | "Black Cadillacs" | 2:43 |
15. | "One Chance" | 3:04 |
16. | "The Good Times Are Killing Me" | 4:16 |
Notes
The B-side "I've Got It All (Most)" is included between "Bury Me with It" and "Dance Hall" on the dualdisc edition of the album, and as the last track on the vinyl release.
Dual Disc
- All tracks in Dolby Digital
- Videos for Float On & Ocean Breathes Salty
- Stiff Animal Fantasy Videos
- Photo Galleries
- Interview
- Website Blips
Track information
- "Horn Intro" – 0:09
- The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Horns
- "The World at Large" – 4:32
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Rhodes, Whistle, Piano
- Eric Judy - Acoustic Guitar, Percussion
- Dann Gallucci - Guitar, Mellotron, Timpani, Percussion
- Benjamin Weikel - Drums
- "Float On" – 3:28
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Guitar
- Eric Judy - Bass
- Dann Gallucci - Guitar, Keyboards, Drum Loops
- Benjamin Weikel - Drums
- The Rising Star Fife And Drum Band - Additional Drums
- "Ocean Breathes Salty" - 3:45
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Guitar
- Eric Judy - Bass
- Dann Gallucci - Guitar, Keyboards
- Benjamin Weikel - Drums
- "Dig Your Grave" - 0:12
- "Bury Me With It" - 3:49
- "Dance Hall" – 2:57
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Guitar
- Eric Judy - Bass
- Dann Gallucci - Guitar, Piano, Glockenspiel, Keyboards
- Benjamin Weikel - Drums
- "Bukowski" – 4:14
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Banjo
- Eric Judy - Acoustic Guitar
- Dann Gallucci - Guitar
- Benjamin Weikel - Drums
- Tom Peloso - Standup Bass
- Dennis Herring - Accordion
- "This Devil's Workday" – 2:19
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Banjo
- The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Horns
- "The View" – 4:13
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Guitar, Hendx 3000
- Eric Judy - Bass
- Dann Gallucci - Guitar, Keyboards, Mellotron
- Benjamin Weikel - Drums
- "Satin in a Coffin" – 2:35
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Banjo
- Eric Judy - Pump Organ
- Dann Gallucci - Guitar
- Benjamin Weikel - Drums
- Tom Peloso - Standup Bass
- "Interlude (Milo)" – 0:58
- Eric Judy - Pump Organ
- Dann Gallucci - Guitar
- Milo Chaska Judy - Vocals
- Tom Peloso - Standup Bass
- "Blame It on the Tetons" – 5:24
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Guitar
- Eric Judy - Bass
- Dann Gallucci - Piano
- Benjamin Weikel - Drums
- Tom Peloso - Fiddle
- "Black Cadillacs" – 2:43
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Guitar, Freak Beak
- Eric Judy - Bass
- Dann Gallucci - Guitar, Piano
- Benjamin Weikel - Drums
- "One Chance" – 3:04
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Guitar
- Eric Judy - Bass
- Dann Gallucci - Guitar
- Benjamin Weikel - Drums
- "The Good Times Are Killing Me" – 4:16
- Isaac Brock - Vocals, Baritone Guitar
- Eric Judy - Acoustic Guitar, Backup Vocals, Tin Whistle
- Dann Gallucci - Pump Organ, Backup Vocals
- The Rising Star Fife And Drum Band - Drums
- The Flaming Lips - Additional Instrumentation
Personnel
Modest Mouse
- Isaac Brock – vocals, guitar, banjo, baritone guitar, ukulele, piano, Rhodes, Hendx 3000, whistle, freak beak
- Eric Judy – bass guitar, acoustic guitar, backup vocals, pump organ, tin whistle, percussion
- Dann Gallucci – guitar, keyboards, piano, backup vocals, mellotron, drum loops, pump organ, timpani, percussion, glockenspiel
- Benjamin Weikel – drums
- Tom Peloso – standup bass, fiddle
Additional Personnel
- Dennis Herring – accordion on "Bukowski"
- The Rising Star Fife and Drum Band – drums on "The Good Times Are Killing Me", additional drums on "Bury Me With It"
- The Dirty Dozen Brass Band – horns on "Horn Intro" and "This Devil's Workday"
- Milo Chaska Judy – vocals on "Interlude (Milo)"
- The Flaming Lips – additional instrumentation on "The Good Times Are Killing Me"
Art and Design
- Art and design - Houston
Chart positions
Album
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
2004 | The Billboard 200 | 18 |
2004 | UK Top 40 | 40 |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | "Float On" | Modern Rock Tracks | 1 |
2004 | "Float On" | Billboard Hot 100 | 68 |
2004 | "Float On" | UK Singles Chart | 46 |
2004 | "Ocean Breathes Salty" | Modern Rock Tracks | 6 |
2004 | "Ocean Breathes Salty" | UK Singles Chart | 96 |
References
- ^ "Grammy Award nominees in top categories". USA Today. Gannett Company. February 7, 2005. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
- ^ Searchable Database Retrieved 22 November 2011. Note: User must define 'Artist' search parameter as "Modest Mouse".
- ^ "Good News For People Who Love Bad News". last.fm. November 10, 2011. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
- ^ "Bury Me With It" lyrics Retrieved November 22, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Reviews for Good News For People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse". Metacritic. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
- ^ Phares, Heather. "Good News for People Who Love Bad News – Modest Mouse". AllMusic. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
- ^ Aswad, Jem (April 9, 2004). "Good News for People Who Love Bad News". Entertainment Weekly (759): 84. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
- ^ Sullivan, Caroline (July 23, 2004). "Modest Mouse, Good News for People Who Love Bad News". The Guardian. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
- ^ "Modest Mouse: Good News for People Who Love Bad News". Mojo (127): 102. June 2004.
- ^ "Modest Mouse: Good News for People Who Love Bad News". NME: 48. July 10, 2004.
- ^ LeMay, Matt (April 5, 2004). "Modest Mouse: Good News for People Who Love Bad News". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
- ^ "Modest Mouse: Good News for People Who Love Bad News". Q (215): 103. June 2004.
- ^ Walters, Barry (April 7, 2004). "Good News For People Who Love Bad News". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
- ^ Sinagra, Laura (May 2004). "Modest Mouse: Good News for People Who Love Bad News". Spin. 20 (5): 103. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (August 24, 2004). "Consumer Guide: Looking Past Differences". The Village Voice. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
- ^ Tiny Mix Tapes Review
- ^ The New York Times Review
- ^ "Playlouder Review". Archived from the original on June 3, 2004. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
{{cite web}}
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- ^ The A.V. Club Review
- ^ Neumu.net Review
- ^ The Austin Chronicle Review
- ^ "Yahoo! Music UK Review". Archived from the original on November 2, 2004. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
{{cite web}}
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- ^ The Guardian Review
- ^ Stylus Magazine Review Archived 2013-06-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News". Uncut: 110. September 2004. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
- ^ Sony Music Entertainment Inc.(2004). In Good News for People Who Love Bad News [CD Liner notes]. New York: Sony Music Entertainment Inc.