I still

a bit at everyone going MAINSTREAM RADIO MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM. I mean, yeah it is more "mainstream" but have any of you listened to the radio lately? Mastodon is still, and I mean by far, much much much heavier than any rock that actually gets playtime on "mainstream" outlets. The heaviest band I've ever heard on the radio is Killswitch Engage, maybe Slipknot.
I might be biased because I can still enjoy Mastodon, even if they're being more mainstream. I dunno.
I really doubt that these guys went in writing this with the intention of getting a big hit, either. I think it's much more likely that they just wanted to make a fun album after the beast that was Crack the Skye.
This is settling in pretty comfortably for me as their 3rd best album, behind Crack the Skye and Leviathan.