Building Nothing Out of Something

Building Nothing Out of Something
Compilation album by Modest Mouse
Released	January 18, 2000
Recorded	1995–1998
Genre	Indie rock
Length	55:24
Label	Up
Producer	Calvin Johnson
Modest Mouse chronology
Night on the Sun (1999) Building Nothing Out of Something (2000) The Moon & Antarctica (2000)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Austin Chronicle	[2]
Pitchfork	8.9/10[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]
The Village Voice	A−[5]

Building Nothing Out of Something is a compilation album released in January 2000 by American indie rock band Modest Mouse, comprising non-album tracks from various points in the band's career. All songs were originally released from 1996 to 1998. In 2015, Brock's Glacial Pace re-released the album for CD and Vinyl (with some unmarked random copies containing red vinyl rather than black).

Production

The songs on this album were recorded between 1995 and 1998, composing of A and B sides from singles, three tracks from Interstate 8, and one song from the vinyl version of The Lonesome Crowded West.

The track "Sleepwalking (Couples Only Dance Prom Night) contains a melody from Sleep Walk, a 1959 instrumental song by American Rock & Roll duo Santo and Johnny. The song contains lyrics, written by Isaac Brock.

Reception

In a review for Pitchfork, Brent Dicrescenzo gives the album an 8.9 out of 10. In the review, he says "Though Building Nothing Out of Something merely compiles old singles and rarities, it might be the best Modest Mouse release for newcomers' initiation, as well as instant gratification for long time fans. This batch of songs is easily their most varied. "Never Ending Math Equation" tick-tocks to a screeching turntable crescendo. "Medication" floats a slow, crystalline guitar line over muted field recordings of traffic, foghorns, and railroad bells before trotting into an acoustic coda with blithe organs. The most beautiful near-seven minutes of Modest Mouse's career rumbles throughout "Workin' on Leavin' the Livin'"-- a psychedelic testimonial to the afterlife. "Sleepwalkin'" mines the 1950s ballad of the same name, but sets the affair in an underwater chamber of whale-call guitars and aching melodies. And a suitable meltdown climaxes in the closer, "Other People's Lives," when Brock treats his guitar like solder. [6]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Modest Mouse, except where noted

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Never Ending Math Equation"		3:23
2.	"Interstate 8"		4:39
3.	"Broke"		3:19
4.	"Medication"		5:01
5.	"Workin' on Leavin' the Livin'"		6:40
6.	"All Night Diner"		4:44
7.	"Baby Blue Sedan"		4:04
8.	"A Life of Arctic Sounds"		2:29
9.	"Sleepwalking (Couples Only Dance Prom Night)"	Santo and Johnny	3:23
10.	"Grey Ice Water"		5:05
11.	"Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe In (Positive Negative)"		5:18
12.	"Other People's Lives"		7:10
Total length:			55:23

Personnel

Modest Mouse

• Isaac Brock – Guitar, Vocals
• Eric Judy – Bass
• Jeremiah Green – Drums

Additional personnel

• Nicole Johnson – Vocals on Tracks 2, 9, & 10
• Steve Wold – Organ, Engineer, Slide Guitar on Track 4
• Dann Gallucci – Guitar on Track 8
• Joey Bullock – Drawing
• Barry Corliss – Mastering
• Brian Deck – Drawing
• Phil Ek – Engineer
• Calvin Johnson – Producer, Engineer

References

1. Phares, Heather. "Building Nothing Out of Something – Modest Mouse". AllMusic. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
2. Hess, Christopher (January 21, 2000). "Modest Mouse: Building Nothing out of Something (Up)". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
3. DiCrescenzo, Brent (January 18, 2000). "Modest Mouse: Building Nothing Out of Something". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
4. Harris, Keith (2004). "Modest Mouse". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 551. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
5. Christgau, Robert (February 1, 2000). "Happy You Near". The Village Voice. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
6. "Building Nothing Out of Something". Pitchfork Magazine. Retrieved December 3, 2024.