Note: this is following Cartesian coordinates, so it goes counter-clockwise starting with top right being Q1. I put porcupine tree in bottom right because they don’t go that hard, but damn they’re depressing.
Edit: Also, I haven’t listened to Modest Mouse. I haven’t listened to anything depressing in a while. Music plays a big role in my mood, and there’s enough depressing stuff going on right now.
I am familiar with Cartesian coordinates. I was also left speechless by “Stop Swimming.”
And if you’re avoiding pessimistic music, yeah, you can give Modest Mouse a miss. Raucous! Cynical. Occasionally real fuckin’ dark. I keep starting to recommend parts of an album and then remembering the album is titled Good News For People Who Like Bad News.
In the vicinity, but much more nuanced and upbeat, there’s Death Cab For Cutie… irony be damned. The lead singer was half of The Postal Service for their one album, of which “Such Great Heights” is unreservedly delightful and positive. Death Cab’s discography proper is downright jaunty. The subject matter’s just melancholy, at best.
