Band of the Day (11.5.09): THE MOUNTAIN GOATS

Who?

The Moutain Goats started as the project of John Darnielle and now includes revolving cast of collaborators, turning them into a full-blown band. Originally a lo-fi cassette artist, Darnielle has successfully made the shift into studio albums without losing the elements that gave him a cult following in the first place: his bizarre imagery, his sing-along choruses, and the constant need to tell a story through music.

And I Care Because?

- His lyrics resonate for a reason. Evoking everything from heroin use to the Chicago Cubs to Kurt Cobain, Darnielle often finds empathy and symbolism in the most unconventional of places. He paints a picture that is never black and white, maybe a little twisted, but always sincere, which most listeners will find universal and truthful.

- He's fleshing out his sound. While his first few studio albums were pretty sparse on a musical level, Darnielle has begun to employ both orchestration and some actual rock and roll into his music. He's had some familiar faces helping him as well, including Kaki King, St. Vincent, John Vanderslice, and John Wurster of Superchunk.

- He's getting biblical. Darnielle's newest album, The Life of the World to Come, might qualify as his most ambitious and gutsy album to date. Using a hushed tone instead of his usual nasaly yelp, the album features twelve songs that all have some relation to the Bible, though they're never really religious lessons.

Stream The Life of the World to Come below, buy his albums, and check out his "online 'zine," Last Plane to Jakarta.