Sad Sappy Sucker

{{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=The Moon & Antarctica2000Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks2001studioSad Sappy SuckerSadSappySucker.jpgModest MouseApril 24, 2001November 12, 1994 – 1995Indie rockTemplate:DurationK, Glacial Pace (2010 reissue)Calvin Johnsonx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Template:Album ratings

Sad Sappy Sucker (or by the full title on its cover art Sad Sappy Sucker Chokin on a Mouthful of Lost Thoughts<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>) is a 2001 compilation album released by 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. 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.

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.<ref name="MC"/>

In a review for Pitchfork, Spencer Owen gave the album a 7 out of 10 on release,<ref name=pitchfork/> but after a reissue gave it a 7.2.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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?)."<ref name=popmatters/> 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?'"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.

1. "Worms vs. Birds" – 2:13
2. "Four Fingered Fisherman" – 2:27
3. "Wagon Ride Return" – 0:48
4. "Classy Plastic Lumber" (unlisted on back cover) – 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" – 3:01
8. "Dukes Up" – 2:24
9. "Think Long" – 1:09
10. "Every Penny Fed Car" – 3:07
11. "Mice Eat Cheese" – 2:26
12. "Race Car Grin You Ain't No Landmark" – 1:13
13. "Red Hand Case" – 2:37
14. "Secret Agent X-9" – 1:12
15. "Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect?" – 1:09

Bonus Tracks

1. "Call to Dial-a-Song" – 0:31
2. "5-4-3-2-1 Lisp Off" – 0:30
3. "Woodgrain" – 0:30
4. "BMX Crash" – 0:28
5. "Sucker Bet" – 1:19
6. "Black Blood & Old Newagers" – 0:29
7. "SWY" – 0:29
8. "Australopithecus" – 0:29
9. "Sin Gun Chaser" – 0:27

Personnel

Modest Mouse<ref name=pitchfork/>

• Isaac Brock - vocals, guitar, other instruments, all Dial-A-Song tracks<ref name=bandcamp>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Dann Gallucci - guitar
• John Wickhart - bass guitar
• Jeremiah Green - drums

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"<ref name=bandcamp/><ref name=popmatters/>

Charts

Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chart

Chart (2001)	Peak position

External links

• Template:Metacritic album