Modest Mouse - Everywhere & His Nasty Parlor

A wildly inventive detour in the Modest Mouse catalog, “Everywhere and His Nasty Parlor Tricks” is a collection of B-sides and rarities that plays like a secret mixtape for devoted fans. Originally released in 2001, it pulls together tracks from the Night on the Sun EP and studio outtakes, giving listeners a peek behind the curtain of the band’s creative process.

Right from the jittery opener “Willful Suspension of Disbelief,” the album leans into Modest Mouse’s weirder tendencies, layering crooked rhythms with Isaac Brock’s trademark slurred yelps. “Night on the Sun” stretches into hypnotic, sprawling territory, while “I Came as a Rat (Long Walk Off a Short Dock)” offers a gritty, extended version of a fan favorite that’s as grimy as it is infectious.

The EP isn’t all sharp edges, though. There’s something strangely beautiful about “3 Inch Horses, Two Faced Monsters” and the woozy, half-dream state of “So Much Beauty in Dirt.” These moments make the collection feel less like a throwaway and more like a treasure chest of odd gems.

For Modest Mouse fans, Everywhere and His Nasty Parlor Tricks is essential - an offbeat companion piece that fills in the gaps of the band’s most experimental era. On vinyl, its raw edges and quirks shine even brighter, making it a must-spin for collectors and completists alike.