After eight long years, Modest Mouse has at last released their highly-anticipated sixth full-length studio album, Strangers To Ourselves. For nearly two decades, the band has risen steadily from the Indie Rock underworld to become an Alt-Rock superpower. The making of this album has been a lengthy process, but the result is exactly what you’d expect to hear. On par with their last two studio releases, Strangers To Ourselves delivers that satisfyingly familiar sound that could only come from Modest Mouse.

Opening with the title track, the album kicks off with an alluringly delicate tone that paints a colorful atmosphere. The orchestration is beautiful and the psychedelic vibe is hauntingly mesmerizing. It’s followed by the radio-friendly single, “Lampshades On Fire,” which packs the signature Alt-Rock sound that Modest Mouse has become well-known for having.

The album isn’t without pleasant surprises, however. The oddball, “Shit In Your Cut” and the hilariously funky “Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996)” are wildly diverse and undeniably fun-filled listens. The seventh track, “Coyotes” is a White Album-esque, predominantly acoustic gem with whimsical and delightfully childlike lyricism. Songs like these keep the album interesting while tracks such as, “Pups to Dust,” “Be Brave” and “The Best Room” deliver what is to be expected from this band whom have become a staple of the modern Alt-Rock scene.

The album’s ninth song, “Sugar Boats” (a personal favorite) is a circus-like, tuba-filled, psychedelic jubilee blended with the shattering distortion of guitar that sends the listener tumbling into musical euphoria. The short but sweet, “God is an Indian and You’re an Asshole;” an amusing and jovial campfire song leads seamlessly into the guitar-bending Alt-Rock highlight, “The Tortoise and the Tourist,” which is yet another standout track.

Strangers To Ourselves is by and large a steadfast yet dynamic record. From the Disco-infused, B52’s-type vibe of “The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box,” to the catchy Caribbean sound of “Ansel,” the album is a solid and colorful listening experience. At times, it comes across as more of a collection of songs rather than a cohesive album, but is nevertheless a praiseworthy effort. Although sometimes a bit prolonged, Strangers To Ourselves is a gripping and all-embracing sixth record.

Stream the album in full, below:

By Joseph Conlon