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Years ago a friend exposed me to an album by an act called Ugly Casanova. I quickly picked up a copy of the CD and played it incessantly. My next gig I covered one of the songs on the album, Parasites (“The parasites are excited when you’re dead…”). The album is so clever, the lyrics are brilliant, the chord progressions are simple and beautiful, the timbres are shocking and placating at the same time. There are the craziest sounds on this record – chains, grinders, whatever.
And it turns out it is a solo project from the lead singer of Modest Mouse, a band I was quite unfamiliar with. When I found this out I picked up one of their albums too but wasn’t much taken with it.
In lieu of any Ugly Casanova shows coming nearby (or anywhere for that matter) I bought a ticket for Modest Mouse at The Capital Music Hall. I believe this was my only time in the large, warehouse-like venue smack dab on Rideau Street. I grabbed a drink or two and watched the show from the balcony.
The show was crowded – people like this band. Myself, I was unimpressed, both with the band itself and with how little they sounded like Ugly Casanova. I stuck it out for the entire seventy-five minute set though, and was rewarded when they encored with the only Ugly Casanova song of the night.
As I doubt I’ll never actually see Ugly Casanova, the one song easily made the show worth attending.
Todd Man Out 