Songs with a traditional form are a rarity so far in this journey, which is one of the things that makes this jangly indie number stick out. It's ultimately a

Songs with a traditional form are a rarity so far in this journey, which is one of the things that makes this jangly indie number stick out. It's ultimately a punchy, blustery lyric about hitting the end of love but keeping on going, and does a great job of showing

This is a song of rolling tension. The top line of the vocals is of both unsettling pitch and content, the story of someone fundamentally uncomfortable in his situation and

This is a song of rolling tension. The top line of the vocals is of both unsettling pitch and content, the story of someone fundamentally uncomfortable in his situation and his relationship and his world and his place in his song. The idea of being in a place where you

Imagine this post starts with about 22 seconds of high pitched noise. And then into a delightful lyrical john-and-his-guitar number, which fits into one of the Elvis Costello Five Themes

Imagine this post starts with about 22 seconds of high pitched noise. And then into a delightful lyrical john-and-his-guitar number, which fits into one of the Elvis Costello Five Themes for a song. For those who don't know, Elvis Costello once told Esquire magazine: "There are about five things to

The interesting thing about a year-long journey through an artist's developing back catalogue is that not all artists develop in all areas at the same rate (in fact very few

The interesting thing about a year-long journey through an artist's developing back catalogue is that not all artists develop in all areas at the same rate (in fact very few of them do) and so sometimes you get interesting chimerae. Song For Tura Satana has the clearest difference between the

A much more traditional form for an early Mountain Goats song, a slipping and sliding riff with song-spoken lyrics over the top. The form of the lyrics is a movement

A much more traditional form for an early Mountain Goats song, a slipping and sliding riff with song-spoken lyrics over the top. The form of the lyrics is a movement away from the very early "poetry with music over underneath" form though, and while this is replaced by lyrical stream

This isn't the right place for this. I don't have a right place for this, but I needed to say it. ICE murdered someone today in Minneapolis. Alex Pretti, a

This isn't the right place for this. I don't have a right place for this, but I needed to say it. ICE murdered someone today in Minneapolis. Alex Pretti, a nurse who worked for the VA, was executed in the street because he was helping someone who had fallen. It's

The words that jump into my head when I hear this song for the first time are "jangly pastoral". It's upbeat, slightly spiky, and giving a view of a place

The words that jump into my head when I hear this song for the first time are "jangly pastoral". It's upbeat, slightly spiky, and giving a view of a place of if not home then at least rest. Eating cold black eggs all day as the wind kicked up. Kirby

Something about this song feels like a dream. The sort of not quite asleep, not quite fully awake place where the mind creates things and latches them on to actual

Something about this song feels like a dream. The sort of not quite asleep, not quite fully awake place where the mind creates things and latches them on to actual sensation. It's a place where Nick Drake lived a lot, and much of the instrumentation in this song reminded me

This song is a rolling stampede, and a mark of John's ever increasing assurance on all fronts of his musicality. It's urgent in tone, in tempo, and in subject, and

This song is a rolling stampede, and a mark of John's ever increasing assurance on all fronts of his musicality. It's urgent in tone, in tempo, and in subject, and like the best Mountain Goats songs it universalises through close examination. I often wish I was better read on mythology,

There's an interesting strolling pace to this song that put me in mind of some banjo folk I've heard, which might be why this song felt like it was in

There's an interesting strolling pace to this song that put me in mind of some banjo folk I've heard, which might be why this song felt like it was in a country-and-blues-adjacent space. The repeated refrain of laying out on the patio gave this a musical shape that felt a

So the first thing to observe about this song is that the thing uploaded to Youtube under its name isn't this song but rather a superbly 80s weird little synth

So the first thing to observe about this song is that the thing uploaded to Youtube under its name isn't this song but rather a superbly 80s weird little synth keyboards things. It's quite nice in its own way and very much fits into the idea of This Year being

Cheeky start there, John, burst of radio channels ending with "please keep feeding us". Very sound collage. Hot Garden Stomp continues to feel like one of the earlier places where

Cheeky start there, John, burst of radio channels ending with "please keep feeding us". Very sound collage. Hot Garden Stomp continues to feel like one of the earlier places where John was saying "all right, so this is what I sound like, but what if I didn't?", The guitar is

A frantic and uncertain start to a sing that grows into its confidence even as the whirlwind of ifs lyrics grows in speed. This is a sketch, but it's a

A frantic and uncertain start to a sing that grows into its confidence even as the whirlwind of ifs lyrics grows in speed. This is a sketch, but it's a sketch that feels like it covers ground that later John would either move away from or come back to from

There are many archetypes of a Mountain Goats song, but one of my favourite ones is a cheerful ditty about death. This is a short bouncy number with a lot

There are many archetypes of a Mountain Goats song, but one of my favourite ones is a cheerful ditty about death. This is a short bouncy number with a lot of lyrical repetition, about a guy facing his end with sanguinity because of his special shoes. As such it's a

Castio-tastic start to this, but a delightful narrative vignette. A tiny sweet moment, as sweet as a fresh cherry. And that's almost it. Not every song has an important point

Castio-tastic start to this, but a delightful narrative vignette. A tiny sweet moment, as sweet as a fresh cherry. And that's almost it. Not every song has an important point or a poignant moral, some are just small patches of brightness in a dark world. You wake up and someone

This song is a series of fraying loops. A chaotic, rolling guitar rhythm, the fuzz of the cassette recorder mixing with the fuzz of the acoustic guitar mixing with the

This song is a series of fraying loops. A chaotic, rolling guitar rhythm, the fuzz of the cassette recorder mixing with the fuzz of the acoustic guitar mixing with the repeated lyrical refrains that pointed to a life that went on and on, almost the same each time. Trouble coming

This is a vignette with a ghost in it, a delightful and time honoured musical tradition. A slice from John's life from which he has removed himself and added another.

This is a vignette with a ghost in it, a delightful and time honoured musical tradition. A slice from John's life from which he has removed himself and added another. Musically this is about as simple as most of the early Mountain Goats material: a repeating refrain over which a

A gentle song to start with, this begins in what the cruel might call banality but which I think of as melancholy comfort. The small moments in a majestic life

A gentle song to start with, this begins in what the cruel might call banality but which I think of as melancholy comfort. The small moments in a majestic life before it knows it's over. Like (let's face it) most people listening to Hendrix, I came to him after the

oh, I love the riff for this, the slow descending chaotic catastrophic roll of guitar with spoken words over the top. And what words. Easy to listen to, steady in

oh, I love the riff for this, the slow descending chaotic catastrophic roll of guitar with spoken words over the top. And what words. Easy to listen to, steady in pace, but setting a scene of impending pain and disaster. John's love for the vast period we think of as

There's something about John's simple, narrative, confessional songs that really strike home the most. The ones where the words are in a sense very straightforward and in another crackling with

There's something about John's simple, narrative, confessional songs that really strike home the most. The ones where the words are in a sense very straightforward and in another crackling with imagery and meaning. I can see the narrator of New Star Song with the same clarity that I see the