Sad Sappy Sucker
| Sad Sappy Sucker | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 24, 2001 | |||
| Recorded | November 12, 1994 (1-11, 13); 1994 – 1995 (12, 14-24) | |||
| Studios | Dub Narcotic Studio, Olympa, WA (1-11, 13); Dial-A-Song (12, 14-24) | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Length | 34:34 | |||
| Labels | K Records, Glacial Pace (2010 reissue) | |||
| Producer | Calvin Johnson | |||
| Modest Mouse chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | (55/100)[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Pitchfork | 7.0/10 (2001)[3] 7.2/10 (2010)[4] |
| PopMatters | [5] (Reissue)[6] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [7] |
Sad Sappy Sucker (or by the full title on its cover art Sad Sappy Sucker Chokin on a Mouthful of Lost Thoughts[8][9]) is a previously unreleased studio album by the alternative rock band Modest Mouse. Originally slated to be Modest Mouse's debut album in 1994, Sad Sappy Sucker was shelved for several years until its eventual release in 2001, following the popularity of the band's third album The Moon & Antarctica (2000).
Several songs were recorded at Olympia, Washington's Dub Narcotic Studios by Beat Happening frontman Calvin Johnson. The record was officially released by Johnson's label K Records on April 24, 2001, available in both Compact Disc and vinyl LP, and containing nine additional tracks added to the original track listing of 15 songs.
Sad Sappy Sucker album is the only Modest Mouse release to feature the short-lived, early four-piece line-up of the band, featuring frontman Isaac Brock, guitarist Dann Gallucci, bass guitarist John Wickhart and drummer Jeremiah Green.
Critical reception
Sad Sappy Sucker was met with "mixed or average" reviews from critics. Metacritic, gave this release a score of 55 out of 100, based on 8 reviews.[1]
In a review for Pitchfork, Spencer Owen gave the album a 7 out of 10 on release,[3] but after a reissue gave it a 7.2.[10] PopMatters said that "taken on its own merits, Sad Sappy Sucker is pretty good, but the out-and-out strangeness of it all and the fact that it doesn’t hold together as a real album may throw off the uninitiated (and who can blame them?)."[5] Stereogum declared it the worst Modest Mouse album, stating "the album is as grating and undercooked as indie rock debuts come, full of indulgent studio experiments, half-assed sketches, and tunes that sound like a generic sadcore band's demo cassette in high-speed dub mode....Sad Sappy Sucker asks the question: 'How many Built To Spills do we need?'"[11]
Track listing
The first 15 tracks make up the original album Sad Sappy Sucker. Tracks 16–24 come from Isaac Brock's answering machine — he originally had a "Call to Dial a Song" service, similar to They Might Be Giants' Dial-A-Song.
All tracks are written by Isaac Brock, except where noted.[12]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Worms vs. Birds" | Brock, Jeremiah Green, Dann Gallucci | 2:13 |
| 2. | "Four Fingered Fisherman" | Brock, Green, Gallucci | 2:27 |
| 3. | "Wagon Ride Return" | 0:48 | |
| 4. | "Classy Plastic Lumber" | Brock, Green, Gallucci | 2:03 |
| 5. | "From Point A to Point B (∞)" | 2:56 | |
| 6. | "Path of Least Resistance" | 0:28 | |
| 7. | "It Always Rains on a Picnic" | Brock, Green, Gallucci | 3:01 |
| 8. | "Dukes Up" | Brock, Green, Gallucci | 2:24 |
| 9. | "Think Long" | 1:09 | |
| 10. | "Every Penny Fed Car" | Brock, Green, Gallucci | 3:07 |
| 11. | "Mice Eat Cheese" | 2:26 | |
| 12. | "Race Car Grin You Ain't No Landmark" | 1:13 | |
| 13. | "Red Hand Case" | Brock, Green, Gallucci | 2:37 |
| 14. | "Secret Agent X-9" | 1:12 | |
| 15. | "Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect?" | 1:09 | |
| Total length: | 29:13 | ||
Bonus Tracks
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16. | "Call to Dial-a-Song" | Spencer Moody | 0:31 |
| 17. | "5-4-3-2-1 Lisp Off" | 0:30 | |
| 18. | "Woodgrain" | 0:30 | |
| 19. | "BMX Crash" | 0:28 | |
| 20. | "Sucker Bet" | 1:19 | |
| 21. | "Black Blood & Old Newagers" | 0:29 | |
| 22. | "SWY" | 0:29 | |
| 23. | "Australopithecus" | 0:29 | |
| 24. | "Sin Gun Chaser" | 0:27 | |
| Total length: | 34:34 | ||
Personnel
Credits for Sad Sappy Sucker are adapted from the album's liner notes[13] and Bandcamp.[14]
Modest Mouse
- Isaac Brock – vocals (all); guitar, other instruments (1-11, 13); recording (12, 14, 15, 17-24); cover artwork
- Dann Gallucci – guitar (1-11, 13)
- John Wickhart - bass guitar (1-11, 13)
- Jeremiah Green - drums (1-11, 13)
Additional personnel
- Calvin Johnson – recording (1-11, 13)
- Spencer Moody - reportedly the only caller to ever leave a voicemail message on the Dial-A-Song service in 1994, heard on "Call to Dial-a-Song"[14][5]
- Thomas Campbell – doodles
- Little Lord Fauntleroy – pantaloons
Charts
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[15] | 21 |
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[16] | 26 |
References
- 1 2 "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ↑ Spano, Charles. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
- 1 2 Owen, Spencer (January 4, 2001). "Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ↑ Greene, Jayson (November 12, 2010). "Modest Mouse: Sad Sappy Sucker / The Fruit That Ate Itself EP Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- 1 2 3 "PopMatters Review". PopMatters. April 24, 2001. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ↑ Beasley, Corey (November 18, 2020). "PopMatters ReIssue Review". PopMatters. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ↑ "Rolling Stone Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ↑ "Release group "Sad Sappy Sucker Chokin On A Mouthful Of Lost Thoughts" by Modest Mouse". MusicBrainz. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ↑ "Release group "Sad Sappy Sucker" by Modest Mouse". MusicBrainz. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ↑ Greene, Jayson (November 12, 2010). "Pitchfork Reissue Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ↑ "Modest Mouse Albums From Worst To Best". Stereogum. March 6, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ↑ "BROCK ISAAC K". ascap.com. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ Modest Mouse (April 24, 2001). Sad Sappy Sucker. K Records.
- 1 2 "Sad Sappy Sucker". Bandcamp. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ↑ "Modest Mouse Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ↑ "Modest Mouse Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2021.