ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

March 24, 2008

 

 

 

“Float On” by
Modest Mouse

By Pat Mackenzie

i it possible to refer to Modest Mouse as a pop
band? In the sense that they seem to have emerged
from the wreckage of grunge and carry with them a
definite predisposition towards all things loud and
guitar oriented, the answer for a lot of people might
be no. (The fact is, just raising this question raises a
whole range of other questions relating to the nature
of pop music itself: what is it; is it a specific genre,
or does it cross boundaries, eating up influences like
Elvis ate strange sandwiches?—but that’s a topic for
a book.)

There is a sinister quality to Modest Mouse’s

 

music that might make them not qualify for
pop band status per se. The combination of
Isaac Brock’s off-key bark, and liberal use
of loud guitars all supported by big drums
and bass, seem to place Modest Mouse
closer to the hard rock end of the musical
spectrum. But consider the immediately
catchy “Float On” from 2004’s Good News
for People Who Love Bad News. Despite
Brock’s inharmonious voice, “Float On,”
with layers of plucky guitars accompanied
by a marching rhythm section, ends up
being an upbeat, indeed almost light,
song—the kind you could play for your
grandmother and not get scolded. Okay
maybe not your grandmother, but definitely
your mother.

The lyrics, self explanatory and
offering images from the everyday course
of life, give the listener a sunny, indeed

 

 

optimistic account of the world: “I backed
my car into a cop car the other day/Well he
just drove off sometimes life’s OK.” Not
to be burdened with life’s little troubles,
the chorus consoles us with the promise
that “we’ll all float on okay,” as though
trouble is far away and not expected to
return any time soon. Moreover, when
trouble does appear in the song, it turns out
to be a Buddhist-like opportunity to learn
something: “Well, a fake Jamaican took
every last dime with that scam/It was worth
it just to learn some sleight-of-hand.”

With its optimistic implication that
everything will be okay connected to the
light quality of the music, perhaps “Float
On” does count as a pop song. But more
importantly than categorization is the
fact that this is a great song with a great
attitude. Put it on and smile.

t7