By: Matthew Fox

So if you’ve decided not to come out from under your rock for the past couple of months, I have news for you. Modest Mouse has teamed up with Big Boi (of OutKast fame) as their producer for their new album! Now for people who already knew about this, you’ve most likely already formed an opinion about this unpredictable collaboration. After discussing the matter with multiple people, I have heard black and white answers: many believe it will either be incredibly cool or a brutal train wreck with no survivors.

Well, as of today, we are one less “what if” away from getting a grip what the new album might sound like! Streaming online are two new live tracks the group performed at Sasquatch! Music Festival Sunday night. It may not be any inclination of how Big Boi will produce them, but it at least allows us to breathe easy to an extent.

Both these tracks (unofficially titled “Poison” and “Lampshades on Fire” for now) are reminiscent of an earlier Modest Mouse, going as far back as The Moon & Antarctica. “Poison” is all over the map, from Isaac Brock’s hyperactive bantering to noisy guitars that Sonic Youth would be proud of. “Lampshades on Fire”, my personal favorite of the two, does a better job of mixing their old and new sounds, taking the positive qualities from each and blending them perfectly.

Take a listen to the tracks and see for yourself! If you’re a fan of Modest Mouse, regardless of what era you liked them most, these tracks should meet your standards. Big Boi has a great group to work with, and I’m eager to see how it turns out!

Matthew Fox lives in Nashville, TN. He drives a Jeep, frequently looks up cute pictures of animals online, and once won $15 off a lottery ticket. An archive of his blog posts can be found at foxtalks.wordpress.com.