NOTHING MODEST
ABOUT THE MOUSE

And the Mouse gets the cheese.

Epic indie faves Modest Mouse's self-deprecatingly titled We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank is off and sailing this week, as the band's active fan base turned out in impressive numbers, with a big first day putting it on target to a one-week total of between 120-130k and a shot at #1 on next week's HITS album chart.

The estimate is based on one-day sales reports from those retailers around the country still standing after this morning's Wall Street Journal story on the demise of the record industry.

The album is the follow-up to the Seattle alternadarlings' surprise 2004 platinum album Good News for People Who Love Bad News.

Introducing Joss Stone, the third album on Virgin for the 19-year-old U.K. soul diva, will give it some pretty stiff competition, with first-day sales putting it at around 100-110k , enough to make it a battle for #1 on next Tuesday's album tally.

The big story of the week, though, belongs to another American Idol alum, Elliott Yamin, whose new album for pubbery Sony/ATV's Hickory label could go as high as 90k, a total about half of what Sanjaya might do if he released an album tomorrow. Congrats to manager, ex-HITS flunkie and Wall Street Journal source Jeff Rabhan, who is expected to make a ton on T-shirt sales.

Universal Motown's Marquez Houston is the latest in Sylvia Rhone's stable of stars, with a first-week total that could climb to between 60-65k.

Other possible chart newcomers include Priority/Capitol's C-Murder and Universal Republic's Baby Boy Da Prince.

The market was down 2% vs last week, down 19% vs same week last year and now down 17% year-to-date.