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Product Description
Review
The Mountain Goats are a prolific outfit whose beginnings in the early '90s were documented on numerous lo-fi cassettes, 7'' singles and compilations, making an accurate count subject to some debate. Whatever the number, at the centre of The Mountain Goats stands John Darnielle, singer and composer of myriad impassioned, poetically allusive songs.
''Sax Rohmer #1'' is a ragged anthem, the music slipping and sliding like trying to walk along an icy pavement. ''San Bernardino'''s pathos-ridden recollection is borne on mournful strings and gentle voice. ''Lovecraft in Brooklyn'' is urgent and spare, Darnielle's narrative from the edge battling it out with gritty rhythm guitar to impressive effect. ''Tianchi Lake'' switches pace, changing down a gear as though teleporting from urban squalor to something that might just be wistful contemplation.
Darnielle's reedy, nasal voice conveys feeling with a surprising subtlety. At times it's impassioned and edgy, cut with just the hint of a snarl, at others it's jaunty or wry. The music's often spindly core of voice and jangly guitar is given colour by organ, strings, drums and the like. There's a sense throughout Heretic Pride of an unvarnished, lived realness that's raised up and given wings by Darnielle's poetic sincerity. If you're a fan of the quiet backwoods desperation of Bonnie 'Prince' Billy or the literate strangeness of Sufjan Stevens then this album might be for you. --Colin Buttimer
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A new Mountain Goats album...,
By
This review is from: Heretic Pride (Audio CD)
This album is captivating, but doesn't touch on the same level as what I have heard before. Whilst I do not like to draw comparisons to earlier material I find myself pining for less production, minimal percussion... the early Mountain Goats I suppose. Whilst I do have a fondness for John Vanderslice's production it becomes somewhat instrusive here and songs that would be better a little more rough-edged seem so pristine that it makes listening a less intimate experience (take Autoclave, which I insist would be absolutely stunning if the production wasn't so clean; Darnielle's words need something of a background noise to draw more meaning to them).
Songs are written with beautiful and resplendent words as usual, lyrics appearing time and again like in the consistently wonderful San Bernardino with its magestic references to the Garden of Eden and hopes of a brighter future. Imagery is always there with the Mountain Goats and this album is certainly not a let-down in that respect. There are highlights and there are moments with such honest resonance that really captivate, such as in the title track where the character about to be taken to his death sings so defiantly, with such truth in his words that the listener is hopelessly touched by it. As for the overall album, there are some moments that I am not so fond of, yet it is not worth mentioning them. Despite the production- which may just be a personal issue- the album is even a good starting point for anyone wanting to listen to the Mountain Goats, and I spent a good while wrapping myself in all its thought and delicacy. I recommend it indeed!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Leicester Bangs Review (2008):,
By
This review is from: Heretic Pride (Audio CD)
The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride (4ad)
Those Mountain Goats - they keep on coming. This is album number 15 from John Darnielle, a former psychiatric nurse and writer. Big on autobiographical songs and lo-fi production, there's never going to be a mass market for this sort of stuff, but there's a nagging feeling that it should be more popular than it is. It's intelligent, literate and positively elegant in places, and what with Darnielle's unnatural attention to detail, we're all for it. Now, if we can just convince another hundred thousand or so folks... 8/10.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really worth investigating. Excellent stuff !!!,
By
This review is from: Heretic Pride (Audio CD)
Firstly I just want to disagree a little bit with "Stipesdoppleganger" who claimed that this album would not win The Mountain Goats any new fans. Well it won me over - it is the first album of theirs I've ever heard and I am mighty impressed with the quality of the songwriting. Lyricism this good don't come around very often - some beautifully affecting lines/couplets which are delivered with John Darnielle's rather unusual voice - not to everyone's tastes no doubt - but nice to hear a distinctive voice in this mediocrity saturated world of music. Imagine my delight when I find that he has done another dozen albums - plenty of material to dive into. For anyone who appreciates good songs, great lyrics all put together with honesty, integrity, skill and style. Brilliant ------- BUY IT!!!!!!
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