Long before Modest Mouse became guest stars on "The O.C." (remember that?) and best-selling Grammy nominees, they were just another Northwest indie rock band. But they showed tremendous promise from the start. And their second album, the sprawling double LP The Lonesome Crowded West, was an early highlight with the ambition (The Moon And Antarctica) and sharp songwriting (Good News For People Who Love Bad News) they would show on subsequent albums. It's hard to believe that it's been fifteen years since the album dropped on the tiny indie shingle Up Records.
Well, to help commemorate the occasion, Pitchfork has put together a pretty comprehensive, 45-minute documentary about the album. Frontman Issac Brock participates in the short film, talking about the influences (seeing Issaquah where he grew up get "mall fucked") along with drummer Jeremiah Green and bassist Eric Judy. Others lending their voices to help describe the climate that helped create the album include the honcho of Up Records, engineer Phil Ek, Calvin Johnson, other musicians of the era, and more. And completing the package is some pretty great vintage footage of bands/artists like Elliot Smith, Lync, Built To Spill and more.
Anyway, if you're ready to take a trip down '90s nostalgia lane, kick back and watch below.