Review

By Emma Eva Foote | 12/06/2026

Modest Mouse return with their first fully independent release since 1997, and the difference is immediately noticeable. There's a sense of freedom running through the record; a feeling akin to driving down a familiar childhood road with the sun on your face, revisiting somewhere that has changed, yet somehow remains the same. The album arrives in the shadow of loss, marking the band's first release since the passing of co-founder and drummer Jeremiah Green. As a result, themes of memory, mortality and self-reflection carry a profound emotional weight throughout. ‘Picking Dragons’ Pockets’ kicks the album into life with the kind of off-kilter energy that has long defined Modest Mouse at their best. Built around sharp riffs and an expansive chorus, it feels both familiar and revitalised, setting an optimistic tone for what follows. A highlight, ‘Life’s a Dream’ encapsulates much of what makes the album work so well. Layered synths and a distinctly 90s Modest Mouse atmosphere provide the backdrop for a meditation on human morality and remembrance. It feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. Isaac Brock neatly summarised the album’s core message in the accompanying press notes: “People pass through, people pass on. Remember yourself.” That sentiment echoes throughout ‘Third Side of the Moon’, which wrestles with grief and the impossible contradictions that accompany loss. It explores the desire to erase pain while recognising that doing so would also erase cherished memories, becoming trapped in endless cycles of “what if?”. Across the record, the pace is more measured than some of the band’s previous work, embracing acoustic textures and electronic experimentation over guitar-driven urgency. ‘Dogbed in Heaven / Give It a Skeleton’ showcases that dynamic perfectly. Beginning with a calm, reflective atmosphere, it slowly builds tension before bursting into the more spirited and energetic second half. It is a reminder that Modest Mouse have always excelled at balancing restraint with chaos. Following a brief melodic interlude, ‘I Can’t Talk Right Now’ layers intricate percussion beneath what feels like a meditation on missed opportunities and unfinished conversations. Whether intentional or not, it evokes the painful reality of calls not returned and words left unsaid. Elsewhere, ‘Speak and Spell’ delivers punchy guitars and an anthemic quality, while ‘Rotten Fruit’ embraces a darker electronic edge, with producer Justin Raisen’s vocals intertwining with Brock’s during its striking bridge. ‘Knocked Down By Waves’ provides a fleeting moment of respite before the album shifts gears once again. ‘Absolutely Necessary’ leans heavily into shimmering 80s synth-pop influences, bringing a knowing sense of irony and cynicism that feels oddly celebratory. It's playful without losing sight of the album’s underlying emotional themes. Meanwhile, ‘Song About Nothing’ demonstrates the band's enduring commitment to experimentation. Built around the repeated refrain, “this is a song about nothing, sing along”, it is chaotic, cathartic and undeniably fun. The brief ‘Stoner Party’, clocking in at just 33 seconds, feels like a tongue-in-cheek playground chant for adulthood and the coping mechanisms we collect along the way. Lead single ‘Look How Far We’ve Come’ serves as one of the album’s strongest moments, paying homage to the sharper edges of the band’s earlier years while feeling firmly rooted in the present. Russell Higbee’s bass work injects a restless energy that breathes new life into familiar territory. That momentum carries into closing track ‘Impossible Sundays’, where Higbee once again shines. The song captures many of the album’s central themes: finding beauty in struggle, light in darkness and warmth in cold places. It is an exploration of life's contradictions and the resilience required to navigate them. Arriving five years after 2021’s The Golden Casket, this record feels less like a reinvention and more like a reunion. For many fans, its release has been welcomed like the return of an old friend. Time may have passed, circumstances may have changed, but the connection remains. With a major US tour on the horizon, many will be hoping that a long-awaited return to UK shores follows soon after.