Strangers to Ourselves is the sixth studio album by American alternative rock band Modest Mouse, which was released on March 17, 2015, two weeks after its initially announced release date of March 3. The album was leaked to the internet on March 7, 2015. On March 16, 2015, the day before the album's official release date, Strangers to Ourselves was made available for download on Amazon.com (free for Prime) and the iTunes Store.
It is the band's first studio album since We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, released in 2007, marking the longest gap between studio albums in their career. It also is the first album following the departure of founding bass player Eric Judy. Modest Mouse recorded two albums' worth of material in their sessions, though the second album still has several songs incomplete.
Joe Zook, who mixed We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, also mixed Strangers To Ourselves.
Singles The first single from the album, "Lampshades on Fire", was made available on December 15, 2014 for streaming and digital download. Another song from the album, "Coyotes", was made available for download on January 20, 2015. The third song to be made available, "The Best Room", was released on February 3, 2015, alongside the album's track listing. A fourth track from the album, "The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box", was released on February 16, 2015. On March 3, a fifth song from the album was released, the album's final track, "Of Course We Know".
Reception
Strangers to Ourselves received both middling and positive reviews. The album holds a score of 70 out of 100 from Metacritic based on "generally favorable reviews". While some lament the title's lack of experimentation and growth, other reviewers see the album as evidence of the band's evolution. Kyle McGovern of Spin calls the album "a rudderless 15-song set that slightly improves the standing of 2007's middle-of-the-moat We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank." Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic emphasises the strengths of the album's songs individually, but adds that "it's an album where the trees matter more than the forest."
Track listing All lyrics are written by Isaac Brock, except "God Is an Indian and You're an Asshole" lyrics by Jeremiah Green.
Vinyl edition
Personnel
Modest Mouse Isaac Brock – vocals, guitar, twelve-string, piano, Rhodes, Mellotron, bass, EBow, baritone guitar, Korg MS-20 Jeremiah Green – drums, conga, sequencers, electronic drums, djembe, death whistle, vibes, Korg, kalimba, cigar box guitar, backing vocals Tom Peloso – bass, synth, Rhodes, piano, upright piano, cornet, kalimba, acoustic guitar, backing vocals Jim Fairchild – guitar, Rhodes, ukulele, backing vocals Russell Higbee – bass, Rhodes, upright bass, guitar, pump organ, vibes, electric piano, baritone guitar, euphonium, kalimba, cornet, organ, backing vocals Lisa Molinaro – viola, cello, bass, vocals Ben Massarella – percussion Darrin Wiener – Modular synthesizer, field recordings, machine sequencing
Additional instrumentation James Mercer – vocals Dann Gallucci – drum machine, guitar, acoustic guitar, sequencing, synthesizers Jose Medeles – drums, percussion, vibes William Slater – banjo on "The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box", piano, Rhodes, Modular synth, backing vocals Maureen Pandos – upright bass Tristan Forney – tuba Corrina Repp – backing vocals Jeremy Sherrer – timbales, MPC programming, backing vocals Tucker Martine – percussion Seth Lorinczi – bass Ryan Baldoz – backwards bass Davey Brozowski – percussion
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (2015) Peakposition
Year-end charts Chart (2015) Position US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) 24
References
External links Lampshades on Fire (Streaming Audio) Modest Mouse on Myspace