View source for Building Nothing Out of Something

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Building Nothing Out of Something
| type       = compilation
| artist     = [[Modest Mouse]]
| cover      = MMBuildingNothingOutOfSomething.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = January 18, 2000
| recorded   = 1995–1998
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Indie rock]]
| length     = 55:24
| label      = [[Up Records|Up]]
| producer   = [[Calvin Johnson (musician)|Calvin Johnson]]
| prev_title = [[Night on the Sun]]
| prev_year  = 1999
| next_title = [[The Moon & Antarctica]]
| next_year  = 2000
}}
{{album reviews
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]] 
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/building-nothing-out-of-something-mw0000248302 |title=Building Nothing Out of Something – Modest Mouse |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |accessdate=July 27, 2015 |last=Phares |first=Heather}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]''
| rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-01-21/75581/ |title=Modest Mouse: Building Nothing out of Something (Up) |work=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |date=January 21, 2000 |accessdate=July 27, 2015 |last=Hess |first=Christopher}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rev3Score = 8.9/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/5361-building-nothing-out-of-something/ |title=Modest Mouse: Building Nothing Out of Something |work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date=January 18, 2000 |accessdate=July 27, 2015 |last=DiCrescenzo |first=Brent}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev4Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Modest Mouse |last=Harris |first=Keith |title=[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide|The New Rolling Stone Album Guide]] |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |edition=4th |year=2004 |page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/551 551] |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 }}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[The Village Voice]]'' 
| rev5Score = A−<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv100-00.php |title=Happy You Near |work=[[The Village Voice]] |date=February 1, 2000 |accessdate=July 27, 2015 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref>
}}

'''''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 (EP) | 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 Magazine | 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. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/5361-building-nothing-out-of-something/ |title=Building Nothing Out of Something |publisher=Pitchfork Magazine |accessdate=December 3, 2024}}</ref>

==Track listing==
{{track listing
|all_writing = [[Modest Mouse]], except where noted
| total_length = 55:23
| title1 = Never Ending Math Equation
| length1 = 3:23
| title2 = Interstate 8
| length2 = 4:39
| title3 = Broke
| length3 = 3:19
| title4 = Medication
| length4 = 5:01
| title5 = Workin' on Leavin' the Livin'
| length5 = 6:40
| title6 = All Night Diner
| length6 = 4:44
| title7 = Baby Blue Sedan
| length7 = 4:04
| title8 = A Life of Arctic Sounds
| length8 = 2:29
| title9 =  Sleepwalking (Couples Only Dance Prom Night)
| writer9 = Santo and Johnny
| length9 = 3:23
| title10 = Grey Ice Water
| length10 = 5:05
| title11 = Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe In (Positive Negative)
| length11 = 5:18
| title12 = Other People's Lives
| length12 = 7:10
}}

==Personnel==
===Modest Mouse===
* [[Isaac Brock (musician)|Isaac Brock]] – Guitar, Vocals
* [[Eric Judy]] – Bass
* [[Jeremiah Green]] – Drums

===Additional personnel===
* [[Nicole Johnson (songwriter) | Nicole Johnson]] – Vocals on Tracks 2, 9, & 10
* [[Seasick Steve|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 (musician) | Calvin Johnson]] – Producer, Engineer

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Modest Mouse}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Modest Mouse albums]]
[[Category:B-side compilation albums]]
[[Category:2000 compilation albums]]