Sad Sappy Sucker [LP] in Bloomington, MN

Sad Sappy Sucker
is
Modest Mouse
's "lost album." It was recorded by
K Records
'
Calvin Johnson
in 1994 and was supposed to be the band's debut, but delays shelved the record and it disappeared. The 2001 release of
gives fans an opportunity to see the humble beginnings of one of the Pacific Northwest's most original bands. All 12 songs recorded during the
Dub Narcotic Studio
sessions are on the album, including the impossible to find
Worms Vs. Birds
7". As a bonus treat, there are nine songs from
Isaac Brock
's Dial-a-Song project. These were on his answering machine every day and could only be heard by calling in. The thick textures, crazy drawl vocals, and grand flair of later
albums such as
The Lonesome Crowded West
and
The Moon & Antarctica
are not fully realized on
. But
's future suburban sprawl is evident in the chug-chug of
"From Point A to Point B"
and the slow/fast groove of
"Race Car Grin You Ain't No Landmark."
On the latter,
Brock
sings, "Looks like accounting's not accountable for anything or anyone at all." But
is no case of a "reissue, repackage, repackage" revenue scheme, this album is a gift for die-hard fans, put out by a label that probably loves
as much as the fans do. ~ Charles Spano