The first time any one seemed to care that Edgar Graham (a.k.a. Ugly Casanova) existed was in the summer of 1998, when he impressed himself upon the members of Modest Mouse while backstage at a Denver show.Casanova began to share some rough songs with the trio and, after much prodding, with a few sparse crowds that milled about hours before the opening band was scheduled to appear. While Casanova's talent was unmistakable, by the time he finished each impromptu performance, his face held a look of shame and anger that more often than not, foreshadowed a retreat into himself. However, by the end of Modest Mouse's tour, Casanova, with much reluctance, was persuaded to record some of these songs and hand them over to record labels for issue as singles or parts of compilations. Predictably, immediately after he had done so, he disappeared.Produced by Brian Deck and Isaac Brock at Glacial Pace Studios (Oregon), Ugly Casanova's songs are here performed by Misters Brock and Deck, as well as John Orth, Tim Rutili, Pall Jenkins, and a handful of like-minded collaborators. Some combination of these co-conspirators will as well travel the countryside, performing these songs and seeking out the enigmatic Casanova. Interested parties would do well to heed his advice and, "sharpen your teeth or lay flat."
