Modest Mouse | Under the Radar Magazine Under the Radar | Music Blog for the Indie Music Magazine
Thursday, April 17th, 2025  

News

Mar 25, 2025

Two titans of alternative rock from the 1990s and 2000s, The Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse have announced a co-headlining U.S. tour for this summer. Friko and Dehd will be the support acts. More

12 Best Songs of the Week: Mannequin Pussy, IAN SWEET, The American Analog Set, and More

Plus Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee, Caroline Polachek, Ducks Ltd., Emma Anderson, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks

Oct 20, 2023

Welcome to the 34th Songs of the Week of 2023. This week Andy Von Pip, Austin Saalman, Caleb Campbell, Marc Abbott, Matt the Raven, Scott Dransfield, and Stephen Humphries all helped me decide what should make the list. We settled on a Top 12 this week. More

Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee Share “We Got to Move” (Feat. Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock)

Los Angeles Due Out Nov 3 via Play It Again Sam; Fred Armisen is Also in the Song’s Video

Oct 18, 2023

Lol Tolhurst (formerly of The Cure), Budgie (formerly of Siouxsie and the Banshees), and producer/musician Jacknife Lee have all teamed up to release a debut album together, Los Angeles, on Nov 3 via Play It Again Sam. Now they have shared another song from it, “We Got to Move,” which features guest vocals from Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock. It was shared via a music video also featuring Fred Armisen. More

Pixies and Modest Mouse Announce Co-Headlining Tour Dates; Cat Power to Support

Pixies’ Doggerel Out Now via BMG and Modest Mouse’s The Golden Casket Out Now via Epic

Mar 29, 2023

Pixies and Modest Mouse have announced some new co-headlining U.S. tour dates, with Cat Power to be the support act. More

Jan 07, 2022

2021 began and ended in a state of uncertainty, but was still a fruitful year for new music. Here are Under the Radar‘s 100 favorite albums from the year. More

Under the Radar Announces “Covers of Covers” Album, Shares Grandaddy and EMA Tracks

Covers of Covers Due Out March 4, 2022 via American Laundromat; Also Features Cassandra Jenkins, Alex Lahey, Peter Bjorn and John, Hatchie, Nation of Language, Cults, Kevin Drew, Black Belt Eagle Scout, Girl Ray, Piroshka, and More

Dec 21, 2021

Under the Radar is proud to announce Covers of Covers, which is the magazine’s first ever album. In honor of our 20th anniversary we approached some of our favorite musicians and asked them to cover any song by any artist who had been on the front or back cover of our print issue over the years. Covers of Covers is due out March 4, 2022 via American Laundromat, but today we are sharing two of its tracks: Grandaddy’s cover of Metric’s “Blindness” and EMA’s cover of Modest Mouse’s “Trailer Trash.” More

Jun 25, 2021

Modest Mouse have released a new album, The Golden Casket, today via Epic. Now that the album is out you can stream the whole thing here. Also, yesterday we posted our review of the album. More

Jun 23, 2021

Modest Mouse are releasing a new album, The Golden Casket, this Friday via Epic. Last night they were the musical guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon where frontman Isaac Brock and band performed the album’s “We Are Between” remotely from a plant-filled location. More

12 Best Songs of the Week: Tachys, Ora the Molecule, Wet Leg, Indigo De Souza, and More

Plus Mega Bog, Water From Your Eyes, koleżanka, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks

Jun 18, 2021

Welcome to the 23rd Songs of the Week of 2021. It was a strong week for new songs, so we ended up with a Top 12 and some excellent honorable mentions as well. This is a very Scandinavian Songs of the Week, with artists from Denmark (two of them), Sweden, and Norway. More

Modest Mouse Share New Song “The Sun Hasn’t Left”

The Golden Casket Due Out June 25 via Epic

Jun 18, 2021

Modest Mouse are releasing a new album, The Golden Casket, on June 25 via Epic. Now they have shared the album’s third single, “The Sun Hasn’t Left.” Frontman Isaac Brock seems to be encouraging us to put down our phones and get outside. More

Modest Mouse Share Video for “We Are Between”

The Golden Casket Due Out June 25 via Epic

Jun 04, 2021

Modest Mouse are releasing a new album, The Golden Casket, on June 25 via Epic. Now they have shared a video for the album’s first single, “We Are Between.” More

10 Best Songs of the Week: Sparks, Girl Ray, Wesley Gonzalez and Rose Elinor Dougall, and More

Plus Chelsea Wolfe, Modest Mouse, Gone to Color, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks

May 28, 2021

Welcome to the 20th Songs of the Week of 2021. This week, Republicans successfully blocked a commission that would have probed the January 6 storming of the Capitol. More

May 24, 2021

Modest Mouse are releasing a new album, The Golden Casket, on June 25 via Epic. Now they have shared the album’s second single, “Leave a Light On,” and have announced some U.S. tour dates for the summer and fall. More

10 Best Songs of the Week: LUMP, Modest Mouse, Bobby Gillespie and Jehnny Beth, Iceage, and More

Plus HARD FEELINGS, Alex Lahey, Caveman, Liars, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks

May 07, 2021

Welcome to the 17th Songs of the Week of 2021. This week wasn’t overly eventful, in terms of U.S. news. More

May 05, 2021

Modest Mouse have announced a new album, The Golden Casket, which is their first full-length in six years, and shared a new song from it, “We Are Between.” More

Jun 12, 2020

Twenty years after its initial release, The Moon & Antarctica remains the pivotal release that opened the floodgates to success and helped propel Modest Mouse from Pacific Northwest cult heroes to international indie rock luminaries. More

10 Best Songs of the Week: Wye Oak, Modest Mouse, Wolf Parade, Neon Indian, and More

Plus Moses Sumney, Andy Shauf, Grimes, Hoops, and a Wrap-up of the Week's Other Notable New Tracks

Nov 15, 2019

Welcome to another Songs of the Week. Lots of big songs this week from some notable artists, so the pickings weren’t slim. More

Modest Mouse Share New Song “Ice Cream Party”

Band Currently on Tour with The Black Keys

Nov 15, 2019

Modest Mouse have shared a new song, “Ice Cream Party.” More

Modest Mouse Share New Song “I’m Still Here”

B-Side to Record Store Day Single

Apr 19, 2019

Modest Mouse have shared another short burst of a new song, “I’m Still Here,” which clocks in at just 1:34. It is the B-side to their Record Store Day single, “Poison the Well,” which was shared prior to Record Store Day and was only a minute longer. More

Modest Mouse Share Lyric Video for New Song “Poison the Well”

Due Out on Triangle 7-Inch on Record Store Day (April 13)

Mar 29, 2019

Modest Mouse have shared a short burst of a new song, “Poison the Well,” via a lyric video for the two-and-a-half-minute track. It’s their first new music in quite a while, their last album was 2015’s Strangers to Ourselves. More

The Black Keys Announce Fall Tour Dates with Support from Modest Mouse

They Recently Shared the New Song “Lo/Hi”

Mar 14, 2019

It’s been five years since The Black Keys last released an album, 2014’s Turn Blue, but last week they shared a brand new song, “Lo/Hi.” Now they have announced some fall tour dates, with Modest Mouse to support all dates. More

May 01, 2018

Mass Gothic have shared a lyric video for a brand new song, “Dark Window.” The digital single is out now via Sub Pop and was co-produced by the band and Josh Ascalon, mixed by Chris Coady, and mastered by Heba Kadry. More

Sasquatch! 2018 Line-up: Bon Iver, The National, Modest Mouse, David Byrne, Spoon, and More

Grizzly Bear, Slowdive, Neko Case, Julien Baker, and others on Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 – 28) in Quincy, Washington

Feb 05, 2018

The Sasquatch! Music Festival has revealed the lineup for their 2018 festival, their 17th year. Once again it will be going down Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28) at the Gorge Amphitheater in Quincy, Washington. The lineup includes Bon Iver, The National, Modest Mouse, David Byrne, Spoon, Grizzly Bear, Slowdive, Neko Case, Julien Baker, TV On The Radio, Tune-Yards, Wolf Parade, Japandroids, Big Thief, Perfume Genius, Japanese Breakfast, Benjamin Clementine, Phoebe Bridgers, Algiers, Pond, and others. More

Modest Mouse Announce New U.S. Tour Dates for April and May

Strangers to Ourselves Out Now via Epic

Jan 23, 2018

Modest Mouse‘s last album, Strangers to Ourselves, came out way back in 2015. Now they have announced some new U.S. tour dates to go down this April and May. Perhaps that means a new album is on the way? More

Modest Mouse Announce New U.S. Tour Dates for May and June

Strangers to Ourselves Out Now via Epic

Feb 28, 2017

Modest Mouse‘s last album, Strangers to Ourselves, came out back in 2015. Now they have announced some new U.S. tour dates to go down this May and June. More

Aug 04, 2015

Saturday Night Live‘s Vanessa Bayer also stars in the Above Average web series Sound Advice, in which she plays Janessa Slater, a terrible publicist/media coach who gives bad advice to various musicians who play themselves. She’s already had the likes of St. Vincent, HAIM, Jenny Lewis, and Sleater-Kinney on the show. This time it’s Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock who’s in on the joke. More

Jul 22, 2015

Modest Mouse stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers last night. Isaac Brock and company performed “Pups to Dust.” More

Jul 06, 2015

Last weekend, Gdynia, Poland hosted Open’er Festival—the country’s largest four-day music event. More

Jul 01, 2015

In Modest Mouse’s crazy new video for “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box” Isaac Brock is the king. The king of what exactly is unclear, as his throne seems to be on top of a trash heap. More

Mar 25, 2015

Beginning his first week as the new host of The Late Late Show, James Corden welcomed Modest Mouse last night as his first ever musical guest. More

Mar 20, 2015

Modest Mouse have premiered a brand new music video featuring their Strangers to Ourselves lead single, “Lampshades on Fire.” More

Mar 19, 2015

This week Modest Mouse returned with Strangers to Ourselves, the band’s first album in eight years. More

Watch: Modest Mouse on “The Tonight Show”

Perform "Lampshades on Fire"

Mar 18, 2015

Yesterday, celebrating the release of their brand new album Strangers to Ourselves, Modest Mouse were welcomed as the musical on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. More

Mar 10, 2015

Next week, after an almost eight year absence, Modest Mouse will release their brand new album Strangers to Ourselves. More

Mar 03, 2015

Following their previously shared tracks “Lampshades on Fire,” “Coyotes,” “The Best Room,” and “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box” Modest Mouse have premiered, “Of Course We Know,” yet another selection from their upcoming album, Strangers to Ourselves. More

Feb 17, 2015

Just a few weeks left before the release of their long-awaited new album Strangers to Ourselves, last night Modest Mouse premiered a brand new track from the effort titled, “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box.” More

Listen: Modest Mouse - “The Best Room”

Also Share Tracklist, New Release Date

Feb 03, 2015

Following “Lampshades on Fire” and “Coyotes,” Modest Mouse have debuted, “The Best Room,” the latest track off their highly-anticipated new album Strangers to Ourselves. More

Watch: Modest Mouse - “Coyotes” Video

New Album Strangers to Ourselves Out March 3

Jan 19, 2015

Modest Mouse have premiered a brand new music video for “Coyotes,” the latest track from their forthcoming LP Strangers to Ourselves. More

Modest Mouse Reveals Album Artwork

Strangers to Ourselves is Out March 3 on Epic

Dec 16, 2014

Lots of news from the Modest Mouse camp. More

Modest Mouse Announce New Album, “Strangers to Ourselves”

Listen to New Single, "Lampshades on Fire"

Dec 15, 2014

Eight years since their last album, Modest Mouse have officially revealed that they will release a new LP next year. More

Dec 08, 2014

Not counting 2009’s No One’s First and You’re Next‘s collection of b-sides and unreleased material, it’s been seven years since Modest Mouse released a proper album with We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. More

Listen: Under the Radar’s Weekly Playlist Featuring Foxygen, Modest Mouse, Interpol, TOPS, and More

Plus New Tracks from Jessie Ware, Zola Jesus, Sondre Lerche, Kindness, Esben and the Witch, Purling Hiss, Willis Earl Beal, Moonbabies, Mysteries, Happyness, King Tuff, and Others

Sep 05, 2014

Welcome to Under the Radar’s weekly playlist, where we compile the best and most exciting tracks to debut online in the last week (give or take). In this mix we’ve got new songs by Foxygen, Modest Mouse, Interpol, TOPS, Jessie Ware, Zola Jesus, Sondre Lerche, Kindness, Esben and the Witch, Purling Hiss, Willis Earl Beal, Moonbabies, Mysteries, Happyness, King Tuff, and more. Look no further, your Friday and weekend playlist is here. More

Sep 03, 2014

Modest Mouse’s 1996 debut record This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About and 1997 album The Lonesome Crowded West will be reissued on vinyl this autumn through Fat Possum and Isaac Brock’s own Glacial Pace label. Both reissues will contain songs from the original recording sessions that were never officially released. More

Modest Mouse Expand Tour Dates

Bring Along Kevin Drew, Mimicking Birds

Jun 04, 2014

What was that you said? You want more Modest Mouse tour dates? Your wish is their command. More

Modest Mouse Announce Summer Tour Dates

North American Shows July and August

Jun 03, 2014

While the band still hasn’t given any indication when fans will see the follow-up to their 2007 LP We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, Modest Mouse have announced another leg of shows set for the summer. More

Mar 11, 2014

While there’s still no word on when their follow-up to 2007’s We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, Modest Mouse have announced plans for a new tour. More

Modest Mouse Cancels European Tour Dates

Band to Work on New Material

Jun 06, 2013

Sad news, European Modest Mouse fans: the band has axed their forthcoming summer tour to work on new material. More

Watch: Modest Mouse Play More New Songs Live

Titled "Shit In Your Cut," and "Sugar Boat"

Apr 22, 2013

Following their performance during Coachella’s first weekend, where they performed a new song called “Be Brave,” Modest Mouse recently took to the Fox Theater in Pomona where they played even more new material for those in attendance. More

Apr 15, 2013

Let’s just face it: a lot of news in the coming week will have a Coachella slant. When you get that many musicians in one place, it’s difficult not to have something notable happen. More

May 21, 2012

With patient fans waiting for any kind of word on their forthcoming Big Boi-produced new album, Modest Mouse made an appearance at the Frost Revival in Palo Alto, CA over the weekend and premiered a brand new song called “Heart of Mine.” More

Modest Mouse Announce Select U.S. Tour Dates

Visits Include Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh

Apr 24, 2012

Modest Mouse have announced that they will be embarking on a brief tour at the end of June. More

Feb 06, 2012

In the latest episode of Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein’s hit sketch show Portlandia, St. Vincent‘s Annie Clark and Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock made a special appearance to help add some laughs. More

Modest Mouse Announces New Tour Dates

Band Will Tour Texas and Brazil

Oct 20, 2011

The Portland-based band, Modest Mouse, will be heading down south…and then even more down south. The band just released tour dates for Texas and Brazil. More

Premiere: Live From Nowhere Near You: Volume Two Full Album Stream

Rare and Unreleased Songs from Elliott Smith, Ryan Adams, Bright Eyes, James Mercer, Modest Mouse, Wilco, and much more

Jul 19, 2011

Last week Under the Radar premiered an unreleased Ryan Adams song, “Shine Through the Dark,” and now we’re pleased to premiere a full stream of the album it’s taken from —the 64-track charity compilation Live From Nowhere Near You: Volume Two, which is out today via Greyday Records. The album features rare and unreleased tracks from the likes of Elliott Smith, Bright Eyes (featuring Spoon’s Britt Daniel), The Shins’ James Mercer, Modest Mouse, Wilco, Daniel Johnston, The Helio Sequence, Blue Giant (featuring members of Sleater-Kinney, The Decemberists, and Viva Voce), and much more. More

Jun 27, 2011

Isaac Brock has always been about change. Having already covered Buddy Holly, gotten his portrait displayed in city hall, and made waves with his day job, he’s now taking on the world of cinema. More

NPR Streams Buddy Holly Compilation

Rave On Buddy Holly Drops June 28

Jun 20, 2011

The star-studded tribute, which arrives June 28, features 19 tracks of Buddy Holly’s greatest hits. More

Watch: Broken Social Scene Cover Modest Mouse

“The World at Large” Gets “Larger”

May 19, 2011

Broken Social Scene recently tried their hand at Modest Mouse’s “The World at Large”—transforming the rocker into something a bit more sprawling. We have the video. More

Big Boi Talks About Modest Mouse Collaboration

“A Hodgepodge of Funkiness”

May 04, 2011

Last week, we told you about Big Boi’s odd-couple paring with Modest Mouse. Today, Sir Lucious Left Foot himself shared more details about the project with MTV. More

Modest Mouse Teams Up With Big Boi

Music Makes For Strange Bedfellows

Apr 28, 2011

Modest Mouse, purveyors of odd and wonderful indie pop have teamed up with Big Boi—who makes odd and wonderful hip-hop. More

Buddy Holly Tribute Out in June

To Feature Covers by My Morning Jacket, Paul McCartney, The Black Keys, Modest Mouse, and others

Apr 28, 2011

Paying tribute to Buddy Holly‘s influence, an all-star list of talent has been pulled together for an upcoming compilation entitled, Rave On Buddy Holly. More

Mar 23, 2011

Modest Mouse is hitting the road for a brief tour. We have the dates. More

Sub Pop Signs Mister Heavenly, Featuring Members of Modest Mouse, Islands, and Man Man

Supergroup Announces Album, Tour Dates with Passion Pit

Nov 29, 2010

Nick Diamonds of indie rock outfits Islands and Unicorns, Man Man’s Honus Honus, and Joe Plummer of Modest Mouse fame have teamed up to form Mister Heavenly. The trio have just signed to Sub Pop, with an album due in 2011 and tour dates with Passion Pit in the works. More

Oct 20, 2010

Long for the days of a less radio-friendly Modest Mouse? Now the band is giving you a chance to revisit their more experimental days with reissues of The Fruit That Ate Itself and Sad Happy Sucker. More

Jun 04, 2010

File this one under…well…huh? In a move that would make the gang at Parks and Recreation proud (Oh come on, you know Leslie Knope is a secret indie rocker), Portland, Oregon mayor Sam Adams has hung a portrait of Modest Mouse leadman Isaac Brock in his office. An oil portrait. Life-sized. Of Brock in lederhosen. With a boar. Say it with me…what?! We have the video of the unveiling. More

Wavves Release More Details of Fat Possum Debut

First Album Recorded In a Proper Studio Due 8/3

Jun 03, 2010

The divisive and maddening lo-fi adventures of Wavves continue with the release of King of the Beach, due on Fat Possum August 3. It’s said to be a marked departure for this notoriously homespun act, as they entered a professional studio to record the album, venturing to Sweet Tea Recording in Oxford, Mississippi for a three-month session helmed by Dennis Harring (Modest Mouse). We have the details. More

May 14, 2010

Sad but true, sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Well, sad for us that is. Swamped with back issues—which I’m all sure we can agree is a good thing—Under the Radar is passing them on to you with a sale on selected issues. The question is, can you have too much of a good thing? We’re offering two dollars off most available back issues! More

Modest Mouse Take to the Road

Dates Kick Off July 1st

Apr 14, 2010

Kings of the hot-weather anthem Modest Mouse (you’re still humming “Float On,” aren’t you?) are taking to the road this summer for a string of dates beginning July 1st. We have the dates. More

Mar 17, 2010

Modest Mouse‘s 2000 major-label debut, The Moon & Antarctica is one of our favorite records from the 2000s, and now it’s getting a proper vinyl reissue for its 10th anniversary. It’s been out of print on the format for quite awhile. Epic/Legacy are handling the reissue and the set is expected to drop April 17th for Record Store Day. More

Pitchfork Music Festival Begins to Unveil 2010’s Artists

Modest Mouse, St. Vincent, and Pavement Among First Group to be Announced

Feb 05, 2010

The details of this year’s Pitchfork Music Festival are beginning to materialize. The first handful of confirmed artists includes Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem, Pavement, and St. Vincent. More

Heath Ledger-Directed Modest Mouse Video To Debut Tomorrow

"King Rat" Clip Confronts Illegal Whaling

Aug 03, 2009

According to Pitchfork, a music video that was helmed by late thepsian Heath Ledger for Modest Mouse‘s song “King Rat” is set to premiere on Myspace Music tomorrow (August 4th). More

New Modest Mouse EP Out August 4th

Watch Out! No One’s First, And You’re Next

Jul 22, 2009

Busy rockers Modest Mouse have announced an August 4th release of their newest EP No One’s First and You’re Next. Well, sorta newest EP. More

News Roundup: Modest Mouse, Basement Jaxx, Comic-Con, Grizzly Bear

Also Mission of Burma, You Say Party! We Say Die!, Moby, Natalie Portman in Thor, Ryan Reynolds is Green Lantern

Jul 14, 2009

Our News Roundup briefly reports on various entertainment news stories that are circulating the web: Modest Mouse, Basement Jaxx, Mission of Burma, You Say Party! We Say Die! announce upcoming releases, San Diego’s Comic-Con full schedule has been revealed and we’ve got highlights, lead parts cast for Thor and Green Lantern films, Grizzly Bear and Moby publicize tour plans. More



Interviews

Modest Mouse – Isaac Brock on “The Golden Casket”

Sending Messages and Digging For Gold

Jul 14, 2021

Resurrecting the dead isn’t a good idea. Logistically, the reawakened can be hard to manage. They need stapling together, a good scrub down, maybe a change of clothes. More

A Decade of Indie: The Rise of the Outsiders

A Discussion with Geoff Barrow, Isaac Brock, Wayne Coyne, Bradford Cox, Black Francis, Scott Kannberg, Jason Lytle, Mac McCaughan, Colin Meloy, and Chris Walla

Nov 10, 2009

Though it’s reputed to be the most widely spoken musical language in the world today, rock and roll was born on the margins. More


Reviews

Nov 17, 2024

Modest Mouse brought their seminal LP “Good News For People Who Love Bad News” to Chicago’s Salt Shed as part of its twentieth anniversary celebrations and Under the Radar were in attendance More

Jun 24, 2021

Through hundreds of raucous live shows and two late ’90s album releases, Modest Mouse achieved regional cult status with an alternative yet honest rock sound that was both buzzy and cacophonous and also an acquired taste. More

Mar 17, 2015

Modest Mouse return from years of silence with maturity and sophistication, but maintain their established patterns of building worlds within their songs. Strangers to Ourselves is an album noticeably moodier than their groundbreaking ‘00s output. More

Sep 17, 2009

“We’re super guys,” said Modest Mouse lead singer Isaac Brock. “…All I’m saying is, while you were here wasting your time, we lowered gas prices to five cents a gallon for 20 minutes…but you were here.” After a Close Encounters of the Third Kind introduction—complete with flashing lights—and riotous opener “Invisible,” I was ready to believe just about anything. Anything. More