10 Predictions for the New Modest Mouse Album

Modest Mouse fans - myself included - have been getting very excited this week, and it's all because of this photo:

This was the band's inaugural Instagram post, and it was the world's first indicator that our five-year Mouse drought (seven if you don't count No One's First and You're Next) may finally be nearing an end. Shortly after this mysterious 45rpm record hit the indie rock headlines, a spokesperson from the band's record label confirmed that, yes, Modest Mouse would be releasing a new album in early 2015.

Woohoo! Now, let's try and guess what that new album will be like...

My Predictions:

• There will be swearing. Obviously.


• There will be nautical references. The band's last LP was pretty much a sea-themed concept album, but Isaac Brock's fondness for all things nautical extends far beyond the 14 tracks that make up We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. Some choice song titles from their other records: Float On, The Whale Song, Ocean Breathes Salty, Dog Paddle.


• There will be rapping. This has pretty much been confirmed. Big Boi recorded his parts years ago.


• It'll have a really long title. Again, there's a precedent for this: Good News for People Who Love Bad News, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About, et cetera. Pretty much a dead cert.


• There'll be a sad, acoustic song. I'm going out on slightly more of a limb here, but it'd be really, really great if the new album had something like Bankrupt On Selling on it.

• It will have at least fifteen songs, and probably more. Modest Mouse have always offered a good track-to-pound ratio (not that I mind that sort of thing too much), and given how long they've been working on this album, I wouldn't be surprised if it had even more songs than usual. Perhaps some kind of 69 Love Songs-esque megapack is on the cards?


• The album art will use a red/orange colour scheme. We Were Dead was blue. Good News was green. The Moon & Antarctica was purple. They haven't done a red album yet. I think it's about time.


• Several songs will exceed the six-minute mark. I'm hoping that drawn-out jams won't be the only thing on the album, but there are bound to be one or two when you consider how long it's all been cooking.


• There will be brass. And shouting. Remember This Devil's Workday? I've got a hunch that we'll be hearing more like that.


• It will be awesome! At least, I hope so. It'd be a shame if their first album since 2007 turned out to be a dud.