Indie rock veterans return from dormancy, but don‰’t exactly exceed expectations

It is hard to understate the influence that Modest Mouse has had on indie rock over the course of their long and extremely prolific career, and after several years of musical inactivity their newest project was understandably hyped by their scores of fans.

Overall, the album is the logical next step for the band following their past two full lengths – slightly more hints of pop influences compared to earlier albums (perhaps a function of their mainstream fame following “Float On‰Û) but definitely more mature and refined than their musical beginnings. And as always, the band has managed to nurture the distinct songwriting style that has made every one of their releases uniquely theirs and essentially defined what “indie rock‰” sounds like.

The best thing about this album are the standout tracks that are impressive additions to the band‰’s catalogue: The beautifully composed ballad “Coyotes‰” and its whimsical melody make your heart swell every time you listen to it. “Wicked Campaign,‰” which is reminiscent of early 2000s pop rock such as The Killers, is a killer earworm (a little more “radio friendly‰” than the band usually gets, but a solid track nonetheless). The first single from the album, “Lampshades On Fire,‰” is an extremely catchy indie rock tune with classic Modest Mouse group vocals and songwriting. And then there is the powerful “Shit In Your Cut,‰” a darker and heavier track that is densely layered instrumentally and vocally.

As many have come to expect from Modest Mouse, there are a handful of deep cuts that showcase the great musical musical eclecticism that is part of what makes the band so great. “God Is An Indian And You‰’re An Asshole,‰” is a folky and silly track that serves as more of an interlude. “Ansel‰” is a musically catchy but lyrically somber account of lead singer Isaac Brock‰’s brother getting lost in the mountains. And perhaps the most interesting track on the album is “Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996),‰” a borderline EDM track with strangely distorted vocals that is sure to cause some arguments among fans about whether it‰’s good or asinine.

Unfortunately, despite all these great individual tracks, the album itself falls flat in comparison to the masterpieces that have preceded it. And the problem makes itself clear when the album is put into the context of Modest Mouse‰’s aforementioned discography. There is no doubt that Isaac Brock is an astounding songwriter and musician: fans have grown to love his clever wordplay, the soul-crushing amount of emotion that he can jam pack into tracks, and the unique twangy sounds that he can coax out of his guitar. It‰’s what‰’s made albums like The Lonesome Crowded West and This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About solid classics. But Strangers To Ourselves just doesn‰’t seem to push as far as we all know the band is capable of; musically, lyrically, conceptually, and emotionally. Not to say that the album seems rushed or half-assed, but the entire experience just feels comparatively shallow.

I‰’ve had my heart torn out by Modest Mouse before – and while some parts of Strangers were definitely sad, they didn‰’t tug at my heart strings and well up overwhelming emotions. The instrumentation is definitely Modest Mouse – twangy at times, melodic at others, and always unique – but I was never wowed by the sheer range of sound that I know Isaac Brock is capable of producing with a guitar. Strangers To Ourselves is far from a disappointment; it‰’s a solid album with lots of great tracks when in a contextual vacuum. But in the grand scheme of things, it‰’s just not a great Modest Mouse album.

RIYL: Ugly Casanova, Built To Spill, Neutral Milk Hotel

Recommended: 3, 5, 7, 10