Sometimes the problem with Modest Mouse can be Isaac Brock’s distinctive voice, which definitely cuts through most of its songs. Isidore‘s new single, “Old Black Spirit,” features instrumentals similar to those rockers, though singer Steve Kilbey (the Church) is more soothing than Brock. “Spirit” almost sounds like a lullaby, gradually plodding along without any real climax or volta, though not unpleasantly. Moreover, “Old Black Spirit” compares thematically to earlier Modest Mouse as well, drawing on seemingly personal, existential topics, examining the human condition throughout its run. Life Somewhere Else (Communicating Vessels) drops February 14, but you can download “Old Black Spirit” below.
“Old Black Spirit” (download):
2 replies on “MP3 At 3PM: Isidore”
Why would you talk about Modest Mouse so much when describing Isidore?
I really don’t see the need.
akt
Seriously. Modest Mouse? What’s the supposed connection here?
Kilbey has been putting out great indie rock for 30 years now. It’s usually safe to buy full albums from his main band The Church – they’re that consistently good (except for the mid to late 90s, when I suspect heroin was hampering the creative juices), but with his solo and side projects, I tend to go for a handful of MP3s. Having said that, this album and last years “White Magic” have far more killer than filler – about half a dozen on each. There’s a bit too much of Kilbey’s quai-rap, which tend to sound like Bono in the Achtung Baby years, for my taste, in the middle of this album. My favorites on this album are Old Black Spirit, Song of the City and Belle in Mid Air.