An eight-year wait between albums is any fans worst nightmare—Modest Mouse followers know this battle all too well. The postponement is almost officially over and their new album, Strangers to Ourselves, has been pushed back for release by two weeks to March 17th.
To give listeners a bonus and a quick apology for the further ado, the band released the LP’s 15-song tracklist to the public. Familiar voices such as the Shins’ James Mercer, can be distinguished on the latest album, according to Pitchfork. Track 14 and the second to last song on the album, “The Best Room” has been released to circulate the web.
Frontman Isaac Brock and the rest of Modest Mouse are known for displaying their most paramount and tuneful tracks as the second to last song on any given album. For The Moon & Antarctica it was “Life Like Weeds,” and “The Best Room” keeps that tradition alive and well.
Three singles from Strangers to Ourselves, including “Lampshades on Fire” and “Coytoes,” have been released thus far, but “ The Best Room” best embodies the particular sound that is Modest Mouse.
Recorded at Brock’s Ice Cream Party studio in Portland, Oregon, the album was produced by Brock in the company of Andrew Weiss, Tucker Martine, Clay Jones and Brian Deck. The 15-song tracklist includes live cuts as well as “Pistol” which appears to be motivated by the murderer of Gianni Versace, as reported by Rolling Stone.
Read the tracklist below:
Strangers to Ourselves
1. "Strangers to Ourselves"
2. "Lampshades on Fire"
3. "Shit in Your Cut"
4. "Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996)"
5. "Ansel"
6. "The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box"
7. "Coyotes"
8. "Pups to Dust"
9. "Sugar Boats"
10. "Wicked Campaign"
11. "Be Brave"
12. "God is an Indian and You're an Asshole"
13. "The Tortoise and the Tourist"
14. "The Best Room"
15. "Of Course We Know"