|
Pulse of the Twin Cities Login |
|
If you do not have an account yet
Create One.
|
|
|
Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
|
|
|
|
Moutain Goats: Redefining
Wednesday 16 October @ 10:13:52 |
 by Rob van Alstyne
Jon Darnielle (aka the Mt. Goats) has got to be one of the more eccentric figures on the general freak show scene of independent folk rock artistry. For nearly a decade, Darnielle has cranked out a steady flow of lo-fi releases straight from the heart of Iowa; albums that have gotten by on little more than the hum of his cheap recording equipment, his overly nasal voice, and rudimentary guitar strumming skills. So, why do the Mt. Goats have a cult following big enough that three CD’s of compilation material were issued earlier this year? Darnielle’s music, simply put, is far more than the sum of its individual parts. Favoring a musical aesthetic completely devoid of sophistication, Darnielle saves it for his wordplay, whose deft characterizations and striking images are on par with a quality modern novelist.
Forsaking the sonic “frills” that cropped up on 2000’s Coroner’s Gambit (meaning harmonica and the occasional drum kit), Darnielle’s latest word driven opus, All Hail West Texas, is an even more streamlined affair. Excepting one rinky-tink synth breakdown (“Blues in Dallas”) the album is guitar and voice – period. Given the guttural power strumming that comprises most of the songs musical qualities it’s clear that Darnielle is once again intentionally putting his lyrics at the fore of listener attention. Fortunately, Darnielle lives up to his past lyrically elegant legacy.
He continues to paint disturbing images of couples in trouble better than pretty much anyone else, specializing in the “Hey, look’s like we’re on the verge of a break up” department for All Hail West Texas’ relationship-driven songs. Tracks like “The Mess Inside” and “Faultlines” will hit hard for anyone who has ever experienced love’s slow fade. “Faultlines” sketches a caustic rapid-fire portrait of a wealthy couple attempting to overcome their blatantly dysfunctional relationship via conspicuous consumption, “yeah the house and the jewels, the Italian race car/ They don’t make us feel better about who we are/ I’ve got termites in the framework and so do you!” Darnielle’s penchant for touchingly eccentric character portraits survives as well, whether hilariously chronicling the travails of adolescents bent on musical stardom in “The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton” or turning a more somber eye towards the star athlete turned acid casualty in “Fall of the Star High School Running Back.”
His current tour should provide a chance to hear material from the upcoming Tallahassee slated for release on November 5th on the prestigious 4AD label. Early reports are that the record signifies a sea change in Darnielle’s sound, having been recorded with Tony Doogan (Belle & Sebastian) at Tarwater studios (Mercury Rev, the Flaming Lips)—Darnielle’s days as a musical ascetic may very well be numbered.
For now, however, the magic of Darnielle’s art lies in his streamlined musical delivery; the listener gets the feeling he just picked up the guitar for the first time yesterday, pressed the record button down on his antiquated machine, and channeled directly into the core of the human condition.
The Mountain Goats play Thurs., Oct. 17, at Lee’s Liquor Lounge with Jack Norton and Kid Dakota. 9 p.m. $7. 21+ 101 Glenwood Ave N (at 11th St), Mpls. 612-338-9491.
|
|
 |
|
|
