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February 5, 2007

We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank Cover

We haven't done an album cover watercooler in a while. So graphic designers, feast your eyes on Marrdest Mouse's latest.

And the new lineup, memorialized in pictorial form.

It's still weird to see Isaac and Johnny together like that. Tracklist after the jump.

01 “March Into the Sea" 02 "Dashboard" 03 "Fire It Up" 04 "Florida" 05 "Parting of the Sensory" 06 "Missed the Boat" 07 "We've Got Everything" 08 "Fly Trapped in a Jar" 09 "Education" 10 "Little Motel" 11 "Steam Engenius 12 "Spitting Venom" 13 "People As Places As People" 14 "Invisible"
We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank is out 3/20 on Epic.

Posted at 3:00 PM
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36 Comments

What with all the pointy triangles, looks like that balloon's in real trouble. Lucky its only carrying an anchor.

Man, album covers can be fun.

Posted by: tinyjudas at 02/05/07 3:26 PM  | Reply
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Release date?

Posted by: El Payo at 02/05/07 3:39 PM  | Reply
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I think there should be a prize for the first graphic nerd to correctly identify the PMS colors used on the cover. Call outs?

Posted by: aaron.spacemuseum at 02/05/07 3:41 PM  | Reply
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That cover would lead one to believe that the title refers to death from lack of oxygen at high altitude rather than death by drowning.

The 'ship' is an airship and 'sinking' would mean slowly falling back to Earth.

Posted by: El Payo at 02/05/07 3:43 PM  | Reply
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its no avocado

Posted by: fred at 02/05/07 3:45 PM  | Reply
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i can't WAIT for this album.

Posted by: Kylie at 02/05/07 3:48 PM  | Reply
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thanks for reminding, el payo. added! otherwise, definitely not as reminiscent of guacamole.

Posted by: amrit at 02/05/07 3:53 PM  | Reply
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Is it true Isaac threatened to beat up the author of the Modest Mouse book? It's supposedly in the new Under the Radar Magazine, according to the author's blog...

http://aprettygoodread.blogspot.com/

Posted by: onewhitefoot at 02/05/07 4:01 PM  | Reply
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I love the distressed edge around the top and the repetition of motif from Good News--that floating anchor is just a wonderful little quirk.

I am interested in the sudden "rootsing" of MM imagery with this cover, as opposed to the very modern Good News (in both design + color).

Posted by: gorjus at 02/05/07 4:03 PM  | Reply
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i usually like The Heads of State's work, but this is kinda boring. maybe it will have a nice big booklet that i'll never see unless i'm at someone's house that actually buys it.

Posted by: landrew at 02/05/07 4:11 PM  | Reply
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How the hell are there now 6 people in modest mouse?

First there were 3 guys, then there was a 4th guy but he left and then came back after they recorded Good News. Then Marr joined, so ok that's five. But who is the sixth guy? Is he the second drummer or something?

Extraneous additional band members are ALWAYS bad for a group. (Except, of course, for Talking Heads, who are exempt from any such rules) I keep imagining the mysterious sixth guy as some kind of record company stooge, like Bud Cort in the Life Aquatic.

Posted by: max at 02/05/07 4:11 PM  | Reply
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I'm gasping for breath, I love that cover so much. Marr looks kick-ass, to use a technical term.

Posted by: Finchmeister at 02/05/07 4:15 PM  | Reply
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I'm not really feeling the new tracks that are out there so far, but I do love these guys so am still looking forward to it.

Max, I'm pretty sure the extra band members have been touring with MM for a while and finally have just become official members. I recognize them from shows.

Posted by: liv at 02/05/07 4:31 PM  | Reply
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why hasn't this album been leaked yet?

Posted by: jill at 02/05/07 4:40 PM  | Reply
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it's more likely that it's printed with four color process than with pantone colors. then again, it could have started as pantone then been swapped over to process.

Posted by: graphic design nerd at 02/05/07 4:40 PM  | Reply
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from wikipedia for those curious about "extra members"

Isaac Brock - Vocals/Guitar/Banjo/Keyboards - See also: Ugly Casanova
Eric Judy - Bass/Guitar/Keyboards/Vocals/Percussion
Jeremiah Green - Drums/Percussion - See also: Vells, Red Stars Theory, Psychic Emperor
Johnny Marr - Guitar/Vocals - See also: The Smiths, The Healers
Tom Peloso - Vocals/Violin/Standup Bass/Other Instruments - See Also: The Hackensaw Boys
Joe Plummer - Percussion - See also: The Black Heart Procession

Posted by: wiki at 02/05/07 4:51 PM  | Reply
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So, we're just waiting for it to be leaked then? I can't wait! This looks like a good future vinyl purchase!

Posted by: stephen at 02/05/07 4:59 PM  | Reply
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"i usually like The Heads of State's work, but this is kinda boring. maybe it will have a nice big booklet that i'll never see unless i'm at someone's house that actually buys it."

we didnt do that thing

-the heads of state

Posted by: the heads of state at 02/05/07 5:01 PM  | Reply
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What happened to Dan(n) Gallucci?

Posted by: Trey at 02/05/07 5:15 PM  | Reply
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Ive heard rumors that this album leaked. If its true, anyone know where I can get a copy?

Posted by: B-rad at 02/05/07 5:17 PM  | Reply
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"see also: The Smiths, The Healers"

that's funny. i think they could have left it just at The Smiths. Maybe Electronic.

Healers blew.

Posted by: richard at 02/05/07 5:21 PM  | Reply
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I've been hoping that would be the artwork, but I looked on iTunes today and it might be slightly different ... go search for it in the store if you are curious. Maybe this is a slip cover?

Posted by: Rusty at 02/05/07 5:34 PM  | Reply
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Then what is that red and beige cover with the ship on it iTunes currently displays for? This one is infintely better, I'm just curious.

Posted by: alex at 02/05/07 5:57 PM  | Reply
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which came first?:

A] album cover

B] Isaac's tattoo of the album cover on forearm...

{chicken}

Posted by: Bra at 02/05/07 6:07 PM  | Reply
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Not that i don't eagerly await the album but...
for a comeback album cover post, this is the best you've got?

Posted by: Elliot at 02/05/07 6:40 PM  | Reply
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I'm kinda pumped up about this album.
I alway kinda thought that Modest Mouse was missing something. Johnny Marr can only improve this band. I think this album is gonna be special. I'm loving the first single, Dashboard.

Posted by: Christopher at 02/05/07 8:48 PM  | Reply
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tattoo first, it was part of the last album's art as well.

Posted by: Mike at 02/05/07 8:52 PM  | Reply
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Trey: Dann Gallucci quit the band. Isaac wanted him to stay but he refused.

Posted by: jljames at 02/05/07 8:58 PM  | Reply
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Yeah, I was going to say, "wasnt this symbol part of the last album's artwork?" Thats a little dissappointing.

Posted by: Margollogram at 02/06/07 6:48 AM  | Reply
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Rusty, the red and tan artwork with the ship is the cover of the Dashboard single.

Posted by: ryan at 02/06/07 8:26 AM  | Reply
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You couldn't really properly gauge the pantone colors (pms is so 1980's) from the computer monitor. I may have my monitor calibrated entirely different than yours.

As far as the design goes, it looks good...but would look better without the triangles.

Posted by: Josh at 02/06/07 9:14 AM  | Reply
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{chicken}

Posted by: nol at 02/06/07 11:01 AM  | Reply
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I like it, but like Josh, the triangles bother me a bit. Perhaps their aggresiveness is supposed to be unsettling though? Still, I'd maybe like to see them the same color at the ballon.

Posted by: scott at 02/06/07 2:19 PM  | Reply
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sorry, the cover is CMYK. but the deluxe version will have some sweet adornments.

Posted by: TC at 02/07/07 12:00 AM  | Reply
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you can get the album here
http://www.mediafire.com/?0mzufmzbtyl

Posted by: Anon at 02/16/07 7:29 AM  | Reply
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its out...

Posted by: tragicoptimist at 02/21/07 6:02 PM  | Reply
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