Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

Modest Mouse We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank vinyl is what you’re looking at here, pressed on 180 gram vinyl and housed in a gatefold sleeve, released on CBS with catalog number CBS 686139.

Modest Mouse and the Record That Brought Them to a Wider Audience

By the time this album arrived, Modest Mouse had already built a devoted following through years of restless, searching indie rock. Isaac Brock’s band had earned their reputation the hard way, record by record, and this release marked a moment where that reputation translated into something bigger. The songwriting is dense and ambitious, full of the kind of anxious energy and lyrical specificity that had always set the band apart. This is a group that never coasted, and this album reflects that clearly.

Why This Modest Mouse We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank Vinyl Pressing Matters

The CBS pressing on catalog number CBS 686139 is the copy worth tracking down for a few straightforward reasons. First, the weight: 180 gram vinyl means a more substantial pressing, better suited to resist warping over time and generally preferred by collectors who actually play their records. Second, the packaging: the gatefold sleeve gives you room to breathe with the artwork and liner presentation, which is exactly the format an album of this scope deserves. A single-sleeve pressing would feel like a compromise here. It doesn’t.

Who Should Be Looking at This Copy

If you’ve been running a standard original pressing and want something more durable for regular plays, this is a practical upgrade. If you’re building a Modest Mouse collection and want a properly weighted pressing in a format that respects the album’s presentation, this fits that need directly. The gatefold construction holds up well and the 180 gram spec means you’re not babying the record every time it comes off the shelf. Collectors who care about condition and longevity tend to gravitate toward pressings like this one for good reason. It’s a solid physical object made to be used, not just stored.