What a mess.

I agree with outlaw's rating

Hits a hot streak in the middle (from around "Cities Made of Ashes" to "The Stars Are Projectors), but I'm not a fan of the stuff towards the beginning or end. It's alright, I guess.

A wonderful ascent from their angst ridden and jagged 'The Lonesome Crowded West' to something much more streamline that holds up better when listening to all the way through. Isaac Brock is still at his songwriting peak. The band leaves the desolate highways of their previous release and set off on a journey of the mind. My favorite release of the decade.

Highlights: Tiny Cities Made of Ashes, 3rd Planet, Gravity Rides Everything, Life Like Weeds, The Stars are Projectors, Dark Center of the Universe

I just added this to my chart. Love it. Don't know why it took me so long to really start digging it. Anyway, I just really wanna get it ahead of that Sufjan Stevens album on the 2000s and Overall list. Then Amnesiac and the flaming Lips album are going down!

Happymeal has obviously not noticed the album is in the top 100 by now. While we wait patiently for his excited comment, I'll take the time to express my own love for the album.

This is the kind of sound that takes you completely by surprise. And no, not in some flashy or strange way, but in the subtlest way possible. Right from the beginning, you feel a connection to the album, a sort of obligation to sit down and listen to what the album has to offer. The part where the album first takes you by surprise is not when the drums start beating harder or when the guitar lick becomes more frantic. It's that first silence. Right at the beginning of 3rd Planet. It gives you just that moment to reflect on the single lyric spoken to begin the album.

3rd Planet in general is a great song - actually, the first three songs are all amazing, but in my opinion, they are not the best the album has to offer. The songs that take that award are much more sparse and floyd-y.

Actually, I'm surprised I hardly see any love for The Cold Part around here. I knew on my first listen that it was a masterpiece, and it's the lowest rated on the album! Perhaps I'm the one at fault, and not the 40-odd other people rating the tracks, but I think the reason I like this album so much is because it's *not* the kind of thing you sing along to. No other album in my collection compels me to sit and listen and think as much as this does. Besides, of course, Demon Days, but that's a story for another time.

Anyway, I was getting to my favourite song from the album. As much as I love The Cold Part, The Stars Are Projectors blows it out of the water. It's the longest, most intricate, most complex, most emotionally charged song on the whole album and one of my favourites of all time. I don't know how it is on the original release, but I have the remastered edition at home and the production is perfect, as with the rest of the album.

And if I'm going to mention production, I have to mention the flow. This is an ALBUM at heart, and is best enjoyed as a whole. The way most songs end with an idea from the next song is amazing, and makes the whole thing an experience difficult to pin down. In fact, the album is too great for one to comprehend in the first few gos. It's yet another reason I think it's so fantastic: I can tell that I do not fully comprehend it yet. I doubt I ever will, with it's poetry and mystery and subtle, minute details, and every time I listen to it I get something different out of it.

I have stopped thinking of words to describe the experience of hearing Modest Mouse's Magnum Opus. It's impossible to write this comment in one session, the album is that awesome. So let me finish with this. It is a thinker's album. If you do not want to pay full attention and give back in effort what it gives you in beauty you will never enjoy this as much as you can. Simply writing this review has elevated my appreciation for it.

Actually, I'm going to go update my chart now. Have fun listening, and understand you will spend a great amount of time interpreting, imagining, understanding, and enjoying this masterwork.

What a pleasent and awesome suprise. Didn't really expect much from these guys cause I figured that nothing would come close to Float On, but I decided to give this album a chance since Happymeal was pretty passionate about it.

An utter masterpiece of an album kind of reminds me of a more sophisticated and darker version of Arcade Fire's Funeral, with a little bit of the Pixies and the Smashing Pumpkins thrown into the mix. 3rd Planet, Gravity Rides Everything, and Lives are my favs. I also absolutely love the beginning of What People Are Made Of when the singer goes "What's up? Make love" and then all the instrument come crashing in like a whirlwind of excellence!!!! Great stuff, thanks for the recomendation Happymeal.

I've made too many comments on this by now. I guess I'm just enthusiastic about how high it is. Anyways, i really can't put into words my personal feelings about this album.

I can't really comment on this album. It's very different music from all the genres I've heard. Good album, I can say that.

I like the album cover with the penguin more.

Yes! It is now 105 on the rankings, come on guys, the more charts the better. Moon and Antarctica can get to the top 100!