At times, rock bands are sort of like sports teams -- each one has its strengths and weaknesses, and the bands that are able to highlight their strengths while concealing their weaknesses are often the ones that perform the best.

One of the most intriguing qualities of Modest Mouse's music over the band's curious 13-year career has been guitar work. Along with Isaac Brock's unique vocal delivery, it was one of the standout aspects of the band's breakout album, The Moon & Antarctica.

So before releasing the new album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, the band added a new guitarist, as Brock's delivery has become less distinct.

One might say that Modest Mouse did not adequately address its team's needs in the off-season.

On the other hand, it's not every day you get a chance to add a legendary guitarist to your band. That's what Modest Mouse did last year when Johnny Marr, formerly of The Smiths, agreed to record and tour with the band.

He made the band an offer it couldn't refuse.

It was the musical equivalent of the Boston Celtics adding Bill Walton to the team in the 1980s.

They already had a great team, but then they added another Hall of Famer to the rotation.

It almost seemed unfair.

Unfortunately for Modest Mouse, this was not much like adding Bill Walton to a team with Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale.

In this case, it was more like putting a new paint job on an '82 Corvette. It once had its glory days, but now the detail is the least of its problems.

The problem is that the band just doesn't make imaginative music anymore. Whether front man Isaac Brock has just run out of ideas, or he band is just trying to head in a new direction, that's anyone's guess.

But even when the band incorporates a throwback style into its songs, there's a missing piece. Where there used to be subtle vocal harmonies, there are now just browbeating shouts from Brock.

Those shouts have always been evident in Modest Mouse's music, but they were never a crutch like they are on We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.

When Brock does actually sing, too often do his melodies merely parrot the guitar line of the song.

Rather than use Marr's axe-wielding as a valuable weapon, the band is content to extend a feeble guitar riff into a whole song with little support.

The highlights of the album are when the band brings in The Shins' James Mercer to beef up the vocals. On "Missed the Boat," Mercer's voice brings some feeling to the mix, a key component of Modest Mouse's music that's missing from most tracks on the new album.

Mercer's contribution also allows Brock to hide his declining vocals in the background and harmonize with Mercer's lead part.

The lack of novel musical ideas on We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank wouldn't be as much to fret about if Brock's lyrics stood up to his usual standards. There are now clichéd images where there used to be evocative imagery and great storytelling.

To make matters worse, there isn't even a hit on the album. Lead single "Dashboard" has been something of a disappointment coming off the success of "Float On," and rightfully so.

It sounds like a rejected track from the band's last studio effort, Good News For People Who Love Bad News.

Whether it's just a fender bender or a complete wreck for the '82 Corvette remains to be seen, but on We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, that V8 engine isn't firing on all cylinders.

Grade: D+