Produced by
Calvin Johnson,
The Fruit That Ate Itself possesses a leaner and meaner sound than earlier
Modest Mouse releases -- the emphasis here is less on noise than groove, and the spare, edgy approach of cuts like "Dirty Fingernails" and the title track recalls the goofy indie-funk of
Dub Narcotic Sound System and other likeminded
Johnson-helmed projects.
–
Jason Ankeny, Rovi