Ugly Casanova
Sharpen Your Teeth (2002)

review by: Jamie Laporte
Date: 8/5/02

Spastic... in true Modest Mouse form, is how I would describe Ugly Casanova. With the steadily declining quality of M.M. releases over the past 5 years or so, I was happy to find out that Isaac Brock was mixing it up with a new line up. There is no doubt that Brock has a heavy influence in both bands... they sound the same.

A semi-interesting story: The story goes that "Ugly Casanova" is the pen name used by some crazy Modest Mouse fan. This cat kinda stalked the band for a tour or so. Then poof... he's gone. But he leaves behind... the magical journal of poems by a crazy man. Isaac created the songs on the album from this man's poetry (supposedly in an attempt to get him to resurface). I wonder if he did? Who cares? Anyway... thats the semi-interesting story.

So the album rocks! It easily bests anything ever done by Modest Mouse. It is also one of the best albums put out this year. Every song on this LP is a testiment to Isaac's white-trash-anti-country-indie-emo-spastic-smooth vibin' style. The tracks vary from raw indie rock to classic bizarre MM to a surprising, My Bloody Valentine influenced closer. Uh... yeah. Buy/steal/burn it.