Modest Mouse have officially announced their eighth studio album, An Eraser And A Maze, marking their first full-length release in five years. The band has also shared the project's eccentric new lead single, 'Picking Dragon’s Pockets'.
The upcoming record, which follows 2021’s The Golden Casket, is scheduled for release on June 5 via Glacial Pace Recordings. While the band previously teased the era with the track 'Look How Far', the high-octane 'Picking Dragon’s Pockets' serves as the album's official opening statement.
The new track features a sharp, driving guitar riff that quickly transitions into a glitchy, anthemic chorus. Lyrically, the song finds the band navigating themes of a manipulative and self-destructive modern world.
A Collaborative Creative Process
An Eraser And A Maze was produced by frontman Isaac Brock in collaboration with a powerhouse team of producers, including Jackknife Lee (U2, The Killers), Suzy Shinn (Weezer, Panic! At The Disco), and Justin Raisin (Charli xcx, Kim Gordon, Lil Yachty). According to the band, the album is designed to sonically encapsulate every era of their storied career.
Reflecting on the creative process, Brock noted that he approached this record with a desire to remove his usual filters. "For this one, I turned off my filter and just let it all happen," he explained. "Thoughts, emotions, feelings, all that stuff… you're like the soup, and it’s not always easy to pick out the ingredients. I don't dwell on things much. I don't grieve much. I'm not sure I'm a person. I feel like I should have more feelings than I do. But then, you know, I'll sing stuff. And I'm like, Oh, there it is. Oh — it's in there."
An Eraser And A Maze Tracklist
The band has confirmed the following tracklist for the upcoming album:
- 1. 'Picking Dragon’s Pockets'
- 2. 'Remember Yourself'
- 3. 'Life’s A Dream'
- 4. 'Third Side Of The Moon'
- 5. 'Dogbed in Heaven/Give It A Skeleton'
- 6. 'Interlude'
- 7. 'I Can’t Talk Right Now'
- 8. 'Speak ‘N Spell' (Or Not)
- 9. 'Rotten Fruit' (feat. Justin Raisin)
- 10. 'Knocked Down By Waves'
- 11. 'Absolutely Necessary Never'
- 12. 'Song About Nothing'
- 13. 'Stoner Party'
- 14. 'Look How Far'
- 15. 'Impossible Somedays'
Beyond the album release, Modest Mouse are scheduled to perform at Bonnaroo this June.