Modest Mouse Announce New Album "An Eraser and a Maze"

Jade Read

President / Editor-In-Chief

April 21, 2026

Modest Mouse have announced their new album An Eraser and a Maze, marking their first fully independent release since 1997’s The Lonesome Crowded West and their ninth studio album overall. The announcement arrives alongside the lead single “Picking Dragon’s Pockets,” released alongside the news, as well as last month’s “Look How Far…”.

Formed in the early 1990s in Issaquah, Washington, Modest Mouse built their reputation as pioneers of off-kilter indie rock. Frontman Isaac Brock has remained the band’s constant creative force, but the lineup around him has changed significantly over the years. Most notably, longtime drummer Jeremiah Green, passed away in 2022. The band has since continued forward with a rotating cast of collaborators.

Given those changes, An Eraser and a Maze feels poised to reflect the band's recalibration. Early singles hint us at a nod back to the band’s scrappier beginnings, whilst retaining that very 'different' sound fans have prided them on for years. The independent release route also sees the band away from the major labels and gifting the full creative freedom back to the band .

So far, the rollout points to a more upbeat return to their earlier sound. The album follows their February cruise shows and a two-night intimate run at ZeyZey Miami, continuing a steady stretch of live activity leading into the release.