Modest Mouse

In the two years since Modest Mouse's last proper tour, the indie rock stalwarts have morphed from being the band of choice for all the young hipsters to being the band whose name was dropped by all the scenesters. Led by the insane, lisping poet in baggy corduroys, Isaac Brock, the artsy yet aggressive rockers recently weathered the acrimonious departure of spookily talented drummer Jeremiah Green, a leave-taking that begs the question, Is this the beginning of the end? After all, Brock's been busy on other fronts: He recently toured his solo project, Ugly Casanova, and has been working as an A&R scout for Sub Pop and pitching in on other folks' records, like the brilliant debut by Holopaw earlier this year. Rumor is, though, that despite the turbulence, Modest Mouse is back in the studio and plans to release its first full-length in three years this September.