Their name derived from a Virginia Woolf story, Modest Mouse is the indie rock band that isn't. Before their major label signing, they were considered by many critics to be one of the definitive bands of mid-90's indie rock, with a sound described as lo-fi, emo and noise pop. Formed in 1993 in a small town in Washington State, the trio generated a bit of buzz upon releasing their debut on a small indie label. It wasn't until their 1997 release The Lonesome Crowded West that they gained a cult following which ultimately brought them enough exposure to warrant a major label bidding war at the end of the decade. Signing with Epic proved to be quite lucrative, and suddenly their popularity was growing exponentially; it was on Epic's label that they released the acclaimed The Moon and Antarctica and, much to the chagrin of their die-hard indie faithful fans, licensed a song for a Nissan commercial. It was their 2004 release Good News For People Who Love Bad News that went platinum and brought them the mainstream exposure that seemed incongruous for a seemingly quintessential indie band. With even their followers, like Wolf Parade, generating some serious attention, there's no doubt that the boys have "made it." In 2006, they released their highly anticipated We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank.