Modest Mouse’s new album release, “The Golden Casket,” brought a six-year-long wait to an end for fans, but didn’t quite resonate with their unique persona of the past.

A couple of hits, such as “We Are Between” and “Leave A Light On,”  are likely to please the average listener or even one familiar with the band, but the rest of the album seems more toned down as to how the band used to perform. For an avid fan, this is an issue as the band doesn’t seem to have as much flair as it may have appeared years ago. 

However, the flair is what fans have always loved about Modest Mouse.

The Golden Casket puts out more poppy, western tones similar to the prior record, “Strangers to Ourselves,” and gives off less of the true indie rock tones that one could hear back in their late 90s and early 2000s releases. 

Sure, musicians change and grow over the years, but the majority of Modest Mouse fans don’t want it that way. 

Perhaps the band’s sound is attempting to conform to the modern culture, but the band’s unique identity is something else people love about Modest Mouse. Many tend to love Modest Mouse because they are undoubtedly set apart from the rest, bringing truly pessimistic lyrics while remaining fun and peppy in their sound, wild vocals that raise eyebrows across the room and distinct guitar solos that one wouldn’t hear anywhere else. But as it seems in “The Golden Casket,” they appear to be slightly more typical, not delivering such outgoing vibes as they used to.

The album’s sound isn’t all too far away from the origin of where the band once was and isn’t all that bad. Nevertheless, the band hasn’t lost all of its uniqueness but has rather turned it toward a different direction, and a Modest Mouse fan could still appreciate it.

The new sound brings new synth parts to the mix alongside interesting vocals covered in somewhat robotic, synthetic edits, which really leave the listeners in a trance while also exposing them to unheard sounds from the band. However, if you are familiar with the band, you won’t miss Isaac Brock’s distinct voice, which is an identifying sound of Modest Mouse.

The sound is challenging to explain due to its uniqueness, so it is worth a listen to truly discover what Modest Mouse is trying to create here. So whom is this album for? 

Soft, slow and spacey, full of harmony and reverb, but with a kick of light rock; If this is your kind of sound, this album is for you. If you are in an energetic mood or simply prefer the older, and somewhat crazier, vibes that Modest Mouse used to produce, perhaps this record is not going to feed your energy or resonate with you. 

Regardless of if you are a Modest Mouse enthusiast or not, the album can be appreciated across a broad spectrum of means; from production to vocals, to melodies, to use of instruments and so on. The record is well made without a doubt and deserves a listen.