Modest Mouse “Third Side of the Moon”: A Hauntingly Beautiful Return to Form

Modest Mouse is officially back, and Isaac Brock is steering the ship into some beautifully strange, cosmic territory. The indie rock veterans have just treated us to “Third Side of the Moon” the latest glimpse into their highly anticipated tenth studio album, An Eraser and a Maze, set to drop on June 5, 2026.

If you’ve caught the band live over the last couple of years, this track will probably ring a bell. It’s been a staple of their recent setlists, but the official studio version breathes completely new life into it, trade-marking that classic, melancholic Modest Mouse focus.

The Sound: A Regretful, Moonlit Dirge

Despite the early whispers classifying this as a “pop single,” “Third Side of the Moon” actually pulls way back on the bombastic, radio-friendly hooks of “Float On” or the frantic energy of their earlier 2026 teaser, “Look How Far…” Instead, it lands as a queasy, contemplative, and beautifully sparse indie rock dirge.

The song puts Brock’s vulnerable vocal delivery and trademark existential writing right at the forefront. He navigates a heavy, atmospheric soundscape built on a slow-churning melody, a vintage Mellotron, subtle synths, and Simon O’Connor’s acoustic guitar.

Lyrically, the song deals with the heavy fog of memory, regret, and mortality. Brock strikes a deeply human chord with the standout line:

“I can’t remember if your eyes were green or brown or red / ’cause you always spoke in a whisper and I ain’t so good at listening.”

Modest Mouse has always done their best stargazing when pondering the universe (think back to 2000’s masterpiece The Moon & Antarctica). With “Third Side of the Moon,” they are exploring entirely new, uncharted areas of their own internal lunar map.

Behind the Scenes: A Major Return to Indie Roots

The sonic depth here makes total sense when you look at the powerhouse production team Brock assembled for the new record. An Eraser and a Maze features production from Brock himself, alongside heavy hitters like Jacknife Lee (U2, R.E.M.), Suzy Shinn (Weezer), and Justin Raisen (Charli xcx, Kim Gordon).

Perhaps the coolest news for long-time fans is that this project marks Modest Mouse’s formal departure from the major-label machine. It’s their debut release on Glacial Pace Recordings—the independent imprint helmed by Brock himself—via Virgin Music Group. Shifting back to an indie home has clearly given the band the freedom to let their jagged, 90s underground edges shake hands with modern, polished psych-pop.

An Eraser and a Maze Tracklist

“Third Side of the Moon” sits as the pivotal fourth track on the upcoming record. Here is how the full 15-song tracklist shapes up for June:

1. Picking Dragons’ Pockets

2. Remember Yourself

3. Life’s A Dream

4. Third Side Of The Moon

5. Dogbed in Heaven / Give It A Skeleton

6. Interlude

7. I Can’t Talk Right Now

8. Speak ‘N Spell (Or Not)

9. Rotten Fruit (feat. Justin Raisen)

10. Knocked Down By Waves

11. Absolutely Necessary Never

12. Song About Nothing

13. Stoner Party

14. Look How Far…

15. Impossible Somedays

On the Road for Summer 2026

To back up the release, Modest Mouse is embarking on a massive North American summer tour, hitting major festival stages like Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and Shaky Knees, alongside a dense run of headlining dates. The tour kicks off July 2nd in Bellingham, Washington, and runs straight through the end of August.