John Darnielle has released his four song EP, Satanic Messiah. The EP is available in two digital formats (FLAC and MP3) in addition to a limited edition vinyl. Regarding the limited nature of the vinyl version, Darnielle writes, The songs will also be available as a limited edition double-7″ in a gatefold hi-gloss sleeve, etc., but [...]
Tonight in Baltimore Metro Gallery has an awesome FREE show with Sweden's Fredrik. If you had hip hop on your mind, check out Mr. Lif, Mickey Factz, Cubbie Bear, Bad Habit, and DJ Remedy at Bedrock. Down in DC The Mountain Goats and Kaki King play the 9:30 Club. Finally there's a smattering of shows [...]
Bad and good news to report. First, the good news: I was thinking about how much I used to like making EPs. Writing them, recording them, releasing them. So I went out to Baucom Road, which is Scott Solter's studio in western North Carolina, and I recorded four new songs. — John Darnielle (Mountain-Goats.com) The Mountain Goats [...]~~
The Mountain Goats is a Durham, North Carolina-based band which is essentially the vehicle for the incredibly prolific singer-songwriter John Darnielle. The Mountain Goats' albums have featured a constantly changing line-up of musicians, with Darnielle the only constant; when performing live, the band commonly comprises only Darnielle backed by Peter Hughes on bass guitar.Their latest release,...
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...
oh peoples its gonna be one of them days again. i guess i would rather have one of them days from time to time and get a paycheck than not have em, and get no paycheck. as you all know it costs money to be awake. first thing up to bat today is a soundboard [...]
365 days ago exactly everything changed. I was in the midst of a pretty prolonged depression, although I am not sure if I realized it at the time...i hated my job and was just generally stuck in a rut. I wasn't being overly social back then either, but for whatever reason I decided to got out on that Monday night, July 10th.And for whatever reason I drank a little too much and decided to crash ...
The Mountain Goats have another album coming early next year. The LP is titled Heretic Pride and it will be released February 19th on 4AD. It was produced by John Vanderslice and Scott Solter at Prairie Sun Studio and features artwork from Vaughan Oliver. It also features guest appearances from St. Vincent's Annie Clark, Superchunk's Jon Wurster, Peter Hughes (naturally), old pal Franklin Br...
I love when bands include Alaska on their tour maps. But, I don't know of any non-Alaskan bands who have ever started their US tour from the arctic state! It's possible that Mountain Goats will be the first to do so. John Darnielle and friends announced a west coast US tour that starts in Anchorage, stops in B.C. and heads south to West Hollywood. The fun starts on February 19th and continu...
I just noticed I have a few tracks in my iTunes which reference heavy metal but aren't metal. In fact, they are kind of ironic, acoustic, alt-country-ish tunes that poke fun at metal, but in an affectionate way. WTF?I wonder what other songs out there have lyrics that are about a different genre of music than the one being played.Check out the cute lyrics.Wilco - Heavy Metal Drummer I still mis...
The new Mountain Goats album, Heretic Pride, is due out Feb. 19. The last album, 2006's Get Lonely, was one of the best albums of that year. Here's a track off the new one.
Mountain Goats, Heretic Pride (4AD) eight out of ten starsI love John Darnielle’s songs. He writes from the heart. So how could I review his new album, Heretic Pride from my head? There will be little deep analysis or calculated critique here. Listening to his songs feels like sitting on a ledge, waiting to cry. His albums don’t always make me cry but they always, at the very least, push me to
After last year's album excellent Heretic Pride, The Mountain Goats 17th album The Life of the World To Come is a little disappointing. Granted, it has its high points, but while Heretic Pride was teaming with stand out tracks, The Life of the World To Come only really has two....more here.
This week brought illness and funerals; 2008's first air thick with loss & so many plans unmade. Bound tight with regret I leave West Texas through high painted deserts, days straight, lanes wide. The way the land empties you. Alpine, El Paso, Tuscon I sleep by the roadside, half-wild in unbreaking darkness. We're making good time, I think and then remember I'm in no hurry to get back to what's...