An Eraser and a Maze
| An Eraser and a Maze | ||||
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| Released | June 5, 2026 | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Length | 48:54 | |||
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| Singles from An Eraser and a Maze | ||||
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An Eraser and a Maze is the eighth studio album by American rock band Modest Mouse, released on June 5, 2026, through Glacial Pace Recordings[1] and Virgin Music Group. The majority of the album was produced by Jacknife Lee, Suzy Shinn and frontman Isaac Brock, with further production from Justin Raisen and Jeremy Sherrer.
It is the band's first album since the death of founding drummer Jeremiah Green in 2022, and the band's first to feature new members Simon O'Connor (guitar), Damon Cox (drums) and Keith Karman (keyboards).
Background
The album marks the band's first independent release after over two decades with Epic Records.[1]
Founding Modest Mouse drummer Jeremiah Green died from cancer on December 31, 2022. Reflecting on Green's death and the future of the band, frontman Isaac Brock noted: "I didn't have a question as to whether I was continuing as Modest Mouse, because that's not an option for me. I've been doing Modest Mouse since I was essentially sixteen, seventeen years old. I didn't look at my and Jeremiah's relationship as Modest Mouse. That's just where we saw the most of each other. Jeremy and I had been friends since he was thirteen—not in a way where you necessarily take it for granted, but our friendship was more fluid than 'we're in a band together.' I didn't lose 'the drummer to Modest Mouse'. I lost Jeremy. I know that distinction might not land how it's supposed to, but they are different things."[2]
Frontman Isaac Brock originally conceived of An Eraser and a Maze as material for his side project Ugly Casanova before expanding it into a full Modest Mouse album.[1]
Writing and recording
Regarding the recording process for An Eraser and a Maze, Brock praised the collaborative nature of the sessions, stating: "With this one, we did a lot of classic playing together until something happened that made sense. Simon or Russell would bring a part, and sometimes — like "Remember Yourself", I didn't fucking play guitar on it at all because it didn't need it. I was doing my best to show a little restraint and be like, 'No, the song's good without me fucking write [sic] a part. I'd just be writing a part to say I had one.' Instead, I acted like a fucking grown-up and was like, 'This is good without that.'"[2]
Following Jeremiah Green's death, Brock decided to feature multiple drummers on the album, as he did not intend to "have it be like 'There's a replacement'... Damon, who stepped in for Jeremy and still is our live drummer, is on a lot of the tracks [but] I really didn't want it to feel like Jeremiah was being replaced by a person."[2] In particular, multiple drum parts were written and recorded by former member Benjamin Weikel, who recorded Good News for People Who Love Bad News (2004) with the band and briefly rejoined for the album's 20th anniversary tour in 2024. Regarding Weikel's involvement, Brock noted: "I love fucking playing with him, [but] he had a baby, and we were getting ready to go on tour, and it just didn't make sense for him."[2] Other drummers that feature on the album include Janet Weiss, Drew Tachine, Anthony Lopez and producer Jeremy Sherrer.
Release and promotion
The album released on June 5, 2026.[1]
The lead single, "Look How Far...", was released in March 2026,[3] marking the band's first new music in five years and features drummer Janet Weiss, formerly of Sleater-Kinney.[3][4] It was followed by "Picking Dragons' Pockets" along with the announcement of the album on April 21, 2026.[1]
In support of the album, the band announced a North American tour and festival appearances including Bonnaroo and Outside Lands.[1]
Reception
Sydney Peterson, reviewing for Northern Transmissions, scored the album 7.2/10.[5] Peterson praised Brock's lyrics and the album's "uplifting instrumentation and catchy refrains".[5] Fiona Shepherd, reviewing for The List, scored the album 3/5.[6] Shepherd wrote that the album "captures the eclecticism of their career in under 50 minutes" and singled out "Absolutely Necessary Never" as a "banger".[6] Julia Bernicker, writing in Riff Magazine, said of the album: "the band manages to dip a toe into the muck of past, present and future without getting too bogged down in any of it."[7]
Reviewers noted grief as a key theme across the album.[5][8][9][6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Picking Dragons' Pockets" |
| 4:36 |
| 2. | "Remember Yourself" | 4:11 | |
| 3. | "Life's a Dream" |
| 5:31 |
| 4. | "Third Side of the Moon" |
| 4:27 |
| 5. | "Dogbed In Heaven/Give It a Skeleton" |
| 4:52 |
| 6. | "Interlude" |
| 0:27 |
| 7. | "I Can't Talk Right Now" |
| 4:14 |
| 8. | "Speak 'n Spell (Or Not)" |
| 3:08 |
| 9. | "Rotten Fruit" (featuring Pkpkpkpk[a]) |
| 2:59 |
| 10. | "Knocked Down by Waves" |
| 1:15 |
| 11. | "Absolutely Necessary Never" |
| 3:54 |
| 12. | "Song About Nothing" |
| 2:14 |
| 13. | "Stoner Party" |
| 0:34 |
| 14. | "Look How Far..." |
| 1:55 |
| 15. | "Impossible Somedays" |
| 4:37 |
| Total length: | 48:54 | ||
Personnel
Credits are adapted from Tidal.[10]
Modest Mouse
- Isaac Brock – production (tracks 1–8, 10, 11, 13–15), vocals (1–5, 7–15), guitar (1, 3–5, 7–9, 11, 12, 14), bass (1, 7), keyboards (1), Mellotron (3), percussion (5, 7), mixing (6, 13), engineering (6), synthesizer (7, 15), background vocals (8); acoustic guitar, slide guitar (10); marimba (11)
- Damon Cox – drums (2, 4, 7–9); electronic drums, production assistance (2)
- Russell Higbee – bass (1–8, 11, 14, 15), Wurlitzer (2, 3, 7, 11); drum programming, production assistance (2); Mellotron (3, 4); Farfisa, glockenspiel (3); vocals (4, 5, 13), keyboards (4, 6), synthesizer (4, 11); guitar, organ, percussion (5); horn, kalimba, sampler (7)
- Keith Karman – keyboards (4, 8, 15), lap steel guitar (8), pedal steel guitar (10, 14, 15), 12-string guitar (10), Mellotron (15)
- Ben Massarella – percussion (2–5, 7, 8, 14, 15), drums (4), vocals (13)
- Simon O'Connor – guitar (2–4, 7, 8, 13–15), production assistance (2), concertina (3), acoustic guitar (4), vocals (5, 13, 15)
Additional musicians
- Jacknife Lee – keyboards (1, 3, 4, 7); acoustic guitar, vibraphone (1); guitar (3, 4, 7, 11), background vocals (3), vocals (11); bass, drums, percussion, synthesizer (12)
- Jeremy Sherrer – drums, sampler, synthesizer (1)
- Suzy Shinn – vocals (4, 5, 7), bass (7), acoustic guitar (15)
- Zach Carper – background vocals (8)
- Justin Raisen – drum programming, synthesizer, vocals, whistling (9)
- Ainjel Emme – bass, vocals, whistling (9)
- Anthony Lopez – drums, percussion (9)
- Joe Kennedy – guitar, synthesizer (9)
- Benjamin Weikel – drums (11, 15)
- Jeremiah Green – drum programming (11)
- Drew Tachine – drums (11)
- Tom Peloso – synthesizer (11)
- Brad Lauchert – vocals (13)
- Daina Roberts – vocals (13)
- Janet Weiss – drums (14)
Technical
- Jacknife Lee – production (1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14), mixing (12, 14), engineering (12)
- Jeremy Sherrer – production, engineering (1)
- Suzy Shinn – production (3–5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15), production assistance (9)
- Justin Raisen – production (9)
- Zach Carper – production assistance (3, 11, 14)
- Noel Heroux – production assistance, mixing (3, 11)
- Brad Lauchert – engineering (1–5, 7–11, 13–15), mixing (9, 12)
- Christian Brannan – engineering (1–5, 7–11, 15)
- Ivan Wayman – engineering (2–5, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15)
- John McEntire – engineering (2)
- Mike Davis – engineering (3, 4)
- Charlie Cooper – engineering (5), engineering assistance (7, 11)
- Math Bishop – engineering (12), mixing (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 14)
- Zach Bloomstein – engineering (15)
- Dave Sardy – mixing (7, 15)
- Cameron Barton – mixing assistance (7, 15)
- Phil Feinman – mastering
Charts
| Chart (2026) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (Official Charts)[11] | 47 |
| UK Albums Sales (OCC)[12] | 46 |
| UK Independent Albums (Official Charts)[13] | 20 |
| US Billboard 200[14] | 128 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[15] | 19 |
| US Top Rock & Alternative Albums (Billboard)[16] | 35 |
Notes
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Modest Mouse Announce New Album An Eraser and a Maze". Pitchfork. April 21, 2026. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Reed, Ryan (June 2, 2026). "Modest Mouse is staying out of its own way". Paste. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
- 1 2 Green, Walden (March 10, 2026). "Modest Mouse Return With First New Song in Five Years". Pitchfork.
- ↑ "Modest Mouse Share New Song "Look How Far..."". Consequence. March 10, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Peterson, Sydney. "An Eraser and a Maze". Northern Transmissions. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Shepherd, Fiona. "Modest Mouse: An Eraser And A Maze album review – Finding new paths". list.co.uk. The List. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ Bernicker, Julia. "ALBUM REVIEW: Modest Mouse turns off the filter on 'An Eraser and A Maze'". RiffMagazine.com. Riff Magazine. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ "Isaac Brock lets his subconscious tackle grief on new Modest Mouse album, 'An Eraser and a Maze'". ABC Audio Digital Syndication. ABC. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ Reed, Ryan. "Modest Mouse is staying out of its own way". Paste Magazine. Paste Magazine. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ "An Eraser And A Maze / Modest Mouse / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 12/6/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Official Albums Sales Chart: 12 June 2026 – 18 June 2026". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 12/6/2026 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Modest Mouse Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Modest Mouse Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Modest Mouse Chart History: Top Rock & Alternative Albums". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2026.