PRINTSound Advice: The Mountain Goats
Heretic Pride
February 14, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
The Mountain Goats
Heretic Pride
Related LinksVenturing to “Craters on the Moon” and “Sept. 15, 1983,” is possible when listening to the Mountain Goats’ latest album, coming out Feb. 19. Written in various countries all over the globe, Heretic Pride has an element of fantasy to it. Lead singer John Darnielle employs the influence of travel to infuse creative sounds with imaginative lyrics. The album was co-produced by longtime collaborator John Vanderslice. It’s a return to Darnielle’s fictional roots after the autobiographical turn seen with 2005’s The Sunset Tree and 2006’s Get Lonely.
The album’s 13 tracks stay true to the band’s emphasis on nuanced storytelling that has gained the Mountain Goats a loyal following. Darnielle, much like Colin Meloy of the Decemberists, has an ability to weave remnants of culture into a cohesive creation. Where Meloy might attract a sea-shanty crowd for his historical fiction, Darnielle’s more personal lyrics draw fans that can relate directly to the songs. In “How to Embrace a Swamp Creature,” he sings of confronting change: “I’m out of my element/I can’t breathe.”
Although each song is a separate tale, the use of a cello throughout Heretic Pride makes the record flow. The use of piano adds subtlety to the music. This is especially evident in “So Desperate” — a song about dying love. “We were parked in your car/In our neutral meeting place,” makes breakup sex feel delicate and without consequence.
Darnielle uses guitar to capture a hectic energy, which is a departure from the quiet nature of Get Lonely. “Lovecraft in Brooklyn” employs electric guitar and produces a repetitive beat. The song’s moody music reinforces the isolation and despair of its lyrics. The Mountain Goats capture a song that could be an addition to rock opera Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Yet the last song, “Mike Myers Resplendent” obviously draws from slasher film Halloween. The lyrics characterize Myers like the film never could. The song begins ever so quietly, adding beauty to its bleak sentiment. “I am ready for my close up today/Too long I’ve let my self respect stand in my way.”
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