Modest Mouse-Strangers To Ourselves
9.4/10
What can I say about this band? They just simply hit the spot for me. There are fewer bands as big in Indie rock and there is certainly a reason. Isaac Brock's very personal and thought provoking lyrics, Jeremiah Green's eccentric drumming, and former member Eric Judy's ability to groove on the bass drew a lot of people in. This band has been around since 1993, yet still continue to be a prominent voice in music today. Radio hits such as Float On, Dashboard, Missed The Boat, and Ocean Breathes Salty have gained this band a lot of recognition throughout the years, and that is very cool to see. Modest Mouse is a band of very humble beginnings, doing things like playing in small bars, and touring the US in a van. This band's early work is not in anyway commercial friendly, but for me at least, it spawned some of the best songs and albums ever created. The critical successes of their earlier work has often clashed with the commercial successes of their later albums. Many of their old fans will discredit these later albums because of the more hook centric and production heavy style. It's actually quite unfortunate that some people would let a little catchiness and cleaner sound ruin a band for them. While I do think Lonesome Crowded West, This is a Long Drive For Someone With Nothing to Think About, and Building Something Out of Nothing are bonafide classics, I still give Modest Mouse a fair chance in newer projects. I did thoroughly enjoy Good News for People Who Love Bad News, as well as We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. For me these newer records still exemplify top notch songwriting and they still have a fun energy about them, so when I heard about this record I nearly jumped out of my seat.
I have been waiting for this record for years! Their last album We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank was released in 2007, so it's been a very long time. This wait was kind of hard to swallow for me. I mean 2007!!? That was 8 years ago. I began losing hope in one of my favorite bands. It seemed like they just didn't care anymore. However, it turns out I may have been misguided to judge Modest Mouse for waiting this long though. Following the tour of We Were Dead, this band had to deal with a lot of stuff. First off, Johnny Marr departed the band which did not impact them tremendously, but they probably lost some momentum due to this. In addition, this band deserved a break from the extensive tour they just pulled off. But most importantly, their founding bassist Eric Judy quit the band. This really set back Modest Mouse. There aren't many who can play bass like Eric Judy. He is a truly unique talent. He also helped Isaac write some songs as well, so the songwriting process probably was held back. To put it simply, a lot of work was done in the 8 years leading up to Strangers to Ourselves, and I think their effort really shows.
This record is pretty similar to their last two efforts, but for me, it is better than both. I am probably in the minority by saying this, but I think this record tries way more new things, and is more consistent than either of their last two records. The album starts out with the quiet and somber title track Strangers to Ourselves. This track wanders around in a very beautiful way. There is a lot more than meets the surface going on in this track. There is many background synths, strings, percussion, etc.. Overall it's a nice intro, but definitely not a standout track. Lampshades On Fire is a catchy tune that I'm sure you are familiar with. It tells a tale of carelessness in our society. The message for this song kind of sums up the entire album. Overall it's a solid track, but yet again not a favorite of mine. Shit In Your Cut is where this thing starts picking up. It starts of with a drum machine and heavy guitar riff. This track is big, bold, and daring. It doesn't really sound like anything they've done before, and Isaac Brock writes some fantastic lines on this track. Pistol is one of the most strange tracks Modest Mouse have recorded to date. It features a strange vocal performance and very questionable set of lyrics, but still this track rocks! The heavy bass and sheer amount of things happening at all times help this song succeed. It kind of reminds me of Mellow Gold-era Beck song. Ansel is a very happy sounding diddy that will have you singing for sure. This track includes some cool extra instrumentation including steel pans. While this track sounds happy, it's actually very depressing. Brock tells the story of his brother's death, it's kind of touching actually. The Ground Walks With Time In A Box is a badass tune. This track is a favorite of mine. It's got a driving bassline reminiscent of The Moon & Antarctica and it is a lyrical monster. Read the lyrics to this track, seriously insightful and relevant lyrics. This song deconstructs into nothing much like another Modest Mouse favorite The Stars Are Projectors. Coyotes is a pretty simple acoustic tune, not bad, but pretty unremarkable. The message is essential to the album though. Pups To Dust is straight throwback Modest Mouse. This track has a guitar riff very similar to something we'd hear off the early albums. This song doesn't take itself too seriously, but it's still an amazingly touching piece of music. Wicked Campaign ventures into new territory for the band. This song is a synth driven song featuring back up vocals by The Shins' James Mercer. This track, while different, builds beautifully and is truly a gem. Be Brave is really nice as a lyrical piece and it brings a level of aggression to the album we have sorely missed. God Is an Indian And Your An Asshole: No Comment. The Tortoise and The Tourist is an incredible song. So much emotion is put into this song, and it is the overall thematic piece of the album. It best describes our carelessness with our environment. Mind blowing song right there. The Best Room is a song that starts out kind of lazily, but then ends with an absolutely beautiful attitude. This track is another favorite. On Sugar Boats, this band sounds like a band playing in a circus. It kind of highlights the quirky side of Isaac both vocally and lyrically. Lastly, Of Course We Know is an absolutely perfect way to end the record. This song is pretty much a companion piece to the title track, but it packs a way bigger punch. This track also is pretty fresh sounding for Modest Mouse. The track rounds out the album just about perfectly.
Overall, this album is an incredible ride. It is absolutely incredible that a band as old as Modest Mouse is trying this many new things. The album doesn't just excite you for present Modest Mouse, but it excites you for what they still might have in store. This album is not for everyone, but I think true Modest Mouse fans will love it, and I hope for their sakes, it brings in some new fans. This album is a must listen! Best album of 2015 so far for me.
Best Tracks: Tortoise and The Tourist, Pups To Dust, The Ground Walks With Time In A Box, The Best Room, Shit In Your Cut, Sugar Boats
Skip: Nothing (Worst Songs: Ansel, Coyotes)
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