Modest Mouse

While it’s true that Modest Mouse currently suffers from having too many cooks in the kitchen—it’s difficult to keep track of who all is accompanying singer-guitarist Isaac Brock, bassist Eric Judy, and drummer Jeremiah Green these days—there’s no denying that this former little indie band that could is now a major player in the alt-rock scene. Johnny Marr had been assisting the band on guitar since 2007’s We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, but he’s been replaced (at least for now) by former Grandaddy member Jim Fairchild, who’s played with the band in the past. The band’s latest release is 2009’s No One’s First And You’re Next, an EP of B-sides and previously unreleased tracks. Those scraps, however tasty, will have to do for now, as Brock has admitted he feels no rush to complete its seventh studio album, which was vaguely announced early last year.

Updated 10/26/2011