Modest Mouse, (From Warrington Guardian)

Modest Mouse,

Mancheseter Academy 2

PaulKeaveny

ALTERNATIVE rock does not come more alternative than the American band Modest Mouse.

But the quirky name of the band hides the more serious side to their music, which is a weird mix of the Flaming Lips, The Pixies and Captain Beefheart.

On Monday they played Manchester's Academy 2 where they went through the majority of the tracks off this year's album, Good News for People Who Love Bad News.

It was a very entertaining night and the audience loved the band's energetic and lively new songs. Particular highlights were Float On, Dance Hall and The Good Times Are Killing Me.

Modest Mouse continually changed line-up with different members of the band taking up different instruments for different songs.

The band seems to be more of a collective than a group, as people from the side of the stage would just walk on and take to the microphone, as the lead singer donned his banjo. However, the set suffered slightly from bad planning. Some of the songs ended too abruptly leaving people wondering what was going on.

And a poor choice for a closer left us all on a bit of downer after such a promising start.

Luckily the lads came back on and redeemed themselves with a storming encore that made me want to go and discover some of their past music.