In 1991 in Claremont, California a Pitzer College student named John Darnielle began writing and recording music under the name The Mountain Goats. Since then Darnielle has released 15 albums on cassette, vinyl, and CD. Known early on for low-fi boom box recordings, series of songs written about the same subject, and mythical themes, The Mountain Goats, or Darnielle really, has become one of the most talented singer-songwriters of our time. But, in today’s musical world an ordinary looking middle age man with an acoustic guitar who sings heartfelt songs with odd lyrics isn’t very marketable. Unless you look like a supermodel, dress like a pimp, or sing about graphic sex you’re going to have a tough go of it trying to make it as a musician. It’s a shame, really, because The Mountain Goats is that ordinary looking man with the acoustic guitar, and therefore most of you have never heard of him.

Darnielle is a man who, since he began in 1991, has spun poignantly humorous lyrics and the resonant strum of his guitar into musical gold. With albums like Full Force Galesburg, All Hail West Texas, Tallahassee, and The Sunset Tree among others Darnielle has produced a catalog of some of the funniest, but at the same time, most thought provoking, songs out there. How better to illustrate this point than with a sampling of some lyrics. Let’s take a look at a song of the EP Nine Black Poppies called “Cubs in Five”. A chorus that begins “… and the Chicago Cubs will beat every team in the league and the Tampa Bay Bucs will make it all the way to January…” ends with the sincere declaration “…and I will love you again. I will love you like I used to.” This is typical of much of what makes up The Mountain Goats vast discography, truthful profound lyrics with a thread of humor weaved through.

Their latest album Get Lonely, released back in August, is another masterpiece of lyrical brilliance. On this album Darnielle explores a number of subjects that are universal to the human experience. Loneliness, loss, abandonment, and heartbreak are all found in the twelve songs on this album. Within the poignancy of the lyrics lie the amusing imagination that sets Darnielle apart from his fellow singer songwriters. “Song For Lonely Giants” is just what the title suggests, a song for a lonely giant. On “If You See Light” the listener is given a look into the psyche of a monster of Frankenstein-like creation. While “Woke Up New” and “Half Dead” both explore the feelings of losing a significant other. In both songs the narrator has just broken a relationship and is reflecting on that loss, “Woke Up New” explores the feelings of that first morning alone while “Half Dead” seems to explore the same ideas but from a greater distance. The strangeness of Darnielle’s imagination shines in “Maybe Sprout Wings”, a song about a dream the narrator is remembering. All of Get Lonely will make you think, some of Get Lonely will make you laugh, but all of Get Lonely will make you want to hear more. So ask a friend who may own a Mountain Goats CD, go onto myspace and explore, or head to your nearest record store and listen to some of The Mountain Goats. Immerse yourself in the skillful lyrical precision of John Darnielle and the toe tapping truth behind The Mountain Goats.