Building Nothing Out Of Something

Modest Mouse

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 18, 2000)
• Original Release Date: January 18, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Up.
• ASIN: B00003A9E2
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,808 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #38 in	Music > Alternative Rock > Alternative Styles > Rock > Noise
  #44 in	Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Lo-Fi
  #74 in	Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock

Track Listings

1. Never Ending Math Equation

2. Interstate 8

3. Broke

4. Medication

5. Workin' on Leavin' the Livin'

6. All Night Diner

7. Baby Blue Sedan

8. Life of Arctic Sounds

9. Sleepwalkin'

10. Grey Ice Water

11. Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe in (Positive Negative)

12. Other People's Lives

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Loneliness, boredom, and random observations have been at the heart of Modest Mouse's skewered musical universe through all their releases. The Issaquah, Washington-born trio has also been able to spin very-long-playing albums that catered to the group's core obsessions, with both its full-length Up Records releases--This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About and The Lonesome Crowded West clocking in at more than 70 minutes in length. So it's refreshing to hear this supremely odd rock band at its most economical. Building Nothing Out of Something catches singles, compilation tunes, and more--none of which were ever intended to be sequenced as an album. As a narrative whole, the singles take on a visionary quality, discerning worldly, bent revelations in the everyday world. The swervy vocals that Isaac Brock has made his trademark sound as languidly distressed as ever, stricken by marvel and ghastly awakenings in equal measures. The music serves Brock well, sounding wobbly and sturdy at once, as if it barely teeters on chaos's brink at a variety of mostly midtempo paces. "Never Ending Math Equation," "A Life of Arctic Sounds," and "Other People's Lives" play the most stoutly, with the tonally clean guitars breaking across all the angular phrasings and rhythms Modest Mouse thrive on while Brock's voice goes from warpy drollery to exasperated wail in the face of his task as a singer and writer. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Singles, Ep, and mish-mash compilation to tide you over., January 26, 2000

By	Jeremy (Phila, PA) - See all my reviews

This CD is a combination of 3 songs from the wonderful (and out of print unfortunately) "Interstate 8" EP, other tracks also from the "Never Ending Math Eq." single, the "Life of Arctic Sounds" single, the "Broke" 7-inch (not a new song as the previous reviewer mistakenly thought) and the "Other People's Lives" 7-inch. Hardcore fans will recognize Grey Ice Water and Broke from MM's live set and numerous bootlegs of demos and live shows. Grey Ice Water is probably IMHO the strongest track, but the whole thing is great, and it's good to finally have it all on one disc, with good sound. It's good enough to tide you over until the new CD comes out, which is supposed to be this spring(I already have most of the songs, believe me, it's worth the wait).

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, September 21, 2002

By	Paul H. "rmj84" (USA) - See all my reviews

If you still don't think that Modest Mouse is one of the best "indie" bands in existence, then Building Nothing Out Of Something should convert you. A surprisingly cohesive collection of 7"'s, compilation tracks, and the like, this album showcases Isacc and co. at their most vunerable and beautiful. "Interstate 8" contains beautiful interplay between Isacc Brock's and Nicole Johnson's vocals, "Baby Blue Sedan" is an incredibly moving track that should have been included on The Lonesome Crowded West, and "A Life Of Artic Sounds" is all frustration. The highlight for me, however, is the surreal and beautiful "Workin' On Leavin' The Livin'," a sort-of cover of Eraserhead's "Lady In The Radiator Song." Every Modest Mouse fans needs to hear this song; it's truly incredible. Anyway, even though this a compilation of MM work, it would serve as a great introduction to the band. Highly recommended.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My only 5 star album by modest mouse., June 29, 2004

By	Kazwailah "soup connoseur" (Ogden, UT United States) - See all my reviews

My introduction to modest mouse was the deliciously strange EP, "Everywhere and his Nasty Parlour tricks" which I took a while to warm up to. I can't help but thinking that if "Building Nothing out of Something" had been my introduction to Modest Mouse I would have caught on to the true depth of their musicianship much quicker. Every Modest Mouse release, especially the new one, gets High marks in my book, but this is the one that I never get sick of and never skip a track on. If you like unique music, buy this album. If you just heard "Float On" and you're curious about what Modest Mouse has to offer, buy this album. It's definately a worth while purchase.