Search - Mountain Goats :: Beautiful Rat Sunset

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Kirk J. Faulkner | New York, NY | 02/12/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My prediction is that this album is going to get a few more hits due to the quality of the new Mountain Goats' album "We shall all be healed" . If you have heard that album and love it with your whole heart, i can't blame you. It is magnificent. So now you may be thinking "Gee if this is so great maybe this guy has a whole score of wonderful records. Well you are in luck, he does. BUT be prepared. John Darnielle, who is the Mountain Goats, has been one of the fore-runners of the low-fi movement. Low fi references the production quality or lack there of in this genre of indie music. Many of Darnielle's first albums, including this one, were recorded on a boombox. Often the whirring of the tape is still audible and there is definitely more static and interference than you are used to even in live recordings. So why do people buy this? If you only listened to "We shall all be healed" or "Tallahassee" you were probably impressed with the beautiful musical arangements. On we shall all be healed John Darnielle was joined by John Vanderlsice as a producer whcih gave the album a beautiful sound. But here all that is taken away and you are forced to rest your laurels entirley on John's lyrics. But this makes his lyrics even more amazing. The insight, beauty, desperation and hope this man commands with his lexicon is astounding. This album is great. Nost of his albums are great. Just be advised you might not get some glossy over finished pop album. But that's not what you were looking for any way, was it?"

Listen to Something that has Passion for a Change...

Kirk J. Faulkner | 05/16/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all- the track listing... 1. Itzcuintli-Totzli Days 2. New Star Song 3. Song for Cleomenes 4. Sendero Luminoso Verdadero 5. Song for Mark and Joel 6. Going to Maryland 7. Seeing Daylight 8. Resonant Bell World Now that that's out of the way. The Mountain Goats are the answer to today's music. John Darnielle and crew create urgent music- recorded quickly- to keep the immediacy of the event as a record of something that could easily become something else with lead sheets and orchestration. I'm not saying that these songs could not be performed with more careful arrangement- and would not subsequently prosper from doing so. I'm saying that the simple arrangements are all that's neccessary to get these songs across- as being important. The Mountain Goats should be required listening for everyone. This is how music was- before recording devices- before record companies- PURE- the artist's vision... clear- and there is no sweeter sound. I recommend every release that you can get your hands on. The Mountain Goats become addictive, and nothing but everything will do. Start here or start somewhere else... just give the Mountain Goats a chance to be heard!"