The fine young men from 1998 indie rock sensation turned 2004 MTV sensation Modest Mouse have announced a new album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, due out March 20.

Bassist Tom Peloso was a founding member of local bluegrass act The Hackensaw Boys up until they landed an opening slot on the Mouse’s expansive summer 2004 tour, which took them to the far corners of the globe in support of their mainstream breakthrough album Good News For People Who Love Bad News. Peloso and the rock band hit it off so well that he decided to leave the Hacks, who took it in stride thanks to their legendary tolerance of rotating lineups

Peloso’s exit from the Hackensaws is not yet forgotten, but his status as the freshest blood in Modest Mouse dissipated rather quickly in August, when it was announced that guitarist Johnny Marr, formerly of generally dysfunctional 1980’s angst rockers the Smiths, had also joined the band.

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