One of the profound joins of any era of the mountain Goats is the joyful song with the horrifying lyrics. On its surface, Against Agamemnon sounds like a joyful jangly

One of the profound joins of any era of the mountain Goats is the joyful song with the horrifying lyrics. On its surface, Against Agamemnon sounds like a joyful jangly pastoral, something with a countryside setting and abstract description. And then, as so often happens especially in early Mountain Goats,

A mainstay of all eras of the Mountain Goats is the song as a sketch. A small set of details spelling out something very specific, with the potential for universality

A mainstay of all eras of the Mountain Goats is the song as a sketch. A small set of details spelling out something very specific, with the potential for universality through the small details. Here, we're getting even more specific than usual and looking at a narrator, barely pictures, listening

This is an interesting time for production on Mountain Goats songs, as they move between solo and multi-instrumental and between tape recorder and studio. Sometimes this works very well, as

This is an interesting time for production on Mountain Goats songs, as they move between solo and multi-instrumental and between tape recorder and studio. Sometimes this works very well, as with Song For Dana Plato. Other times... OK, that feels unfair. I like this song quite a lot. There's something

A surprisingly full sound for this period, and a catching chorus at a point where John was quite chorus-averse. There's something nicely and deliberately unsettling in the bass progression that

A surprisingly full sound for this period, and a catching chorus at a point where John was quite chorus-averse. There's something nicely and deliberately unsettling in the bass progression that stops the song ever settling into a reassuring pattern, which works well with the subject matter. The catchy chorus of

There's always something pleasant about a recording that sounds like a party. One of the reasons why (and I'm sure we'll get to them eventually) the Jordan Lake Sessions are

There's always something pleasant about a recording that sounds like a party. One of the reasons why (and I'm sure we'll get to them eventually) the Jordan Lake Sessions are so beloved by Mountain Goats fans is that they sound like friends playing together. The same is true about this

Exceptionally simple riff at the core of this one, but the sound is irresistible. Heavy on the bass and moving at a soft and drowzy pace with beautifully droning violins

Exceptionally simple riff at the core of this one, but the sound is irresistible. Heavy on the bass and moving at a soft and drowzy pace with beautifully droning violins in the mix. There are basically two chords in this with a soft vocal over the top and it is

OK, so the story behind this one is absolutely adorable. While ultimately this was available on the rarities album Ghana, this was initially released as part of The Wedding Record,

OK, so the story behind this one is absolutely adorable. While ultimately this was available on the rarities album Ghana, this was initially released as part of The Wedding Record, a four track album that one of John's friends put out to announce his upcoming wedding. And, fittingly, it's a

Grumble of tape recorder, opening bright chord, historical lyrics, this is peak early Mountain Goats. John's love of history, especially of the small personal lives of people in remarkable historical

Grumble of tape recorder, opening bright chord, historical lyrics, this is peak early Mountain Goats. John's love of history, especially of the small personal lives of people in remarkable historical situations, is one of his most assured strengths. I've always had a love of the personal in history, the central

Another multi-instrumental track, which fills out the sound significantly. Having spent around six weeks in the world of early Mountain Goats there is something magical that I see happening when

Another multi-instrumental track, which fills out the sound significantly. Having spent around six weeks in the world of early Mountain Goats there is something magical that I see happening when John is working with other people and suddenly the dimensions of his sound spill out in all sorts of new

Hello keyboard my old friend... There's something lovely about the Mountain Goats songs that got made for little tapes or compilations or were otherwise sent off into the world to

Hello keyboard my old friend... There's something lovely about the Mountain Goats songs that got made for little tapes or compilations or were otherwise sent off into the world to find their way. Album tracks or tracks for John's cassettes invariably have a sense of planning and consideration. They're the

Oh John, with your soft voice saying unsettling things. I'm being put to sleep and kept awake at the same time and by the same thing. This is a song

Oh John, with your soft voice saying unsettling things. I'm being put to sleep and kept awake at the same time and by the same thing. This is a song whose sadness is quiet and contained and no less devastating for that. It's small because sometimes the things that destroy

God, I am such a sucker for band chat in songs. There's nothing like thinking of bands as collections of voices to make the sing feel natural and like it

God, I am such a sucker for band chat in songs. There's nothing like thinking of bands as collections of voices to make the sing feel natural and like it captures a moment. And on the chorus of this odd little pastoral we get (for I think the first time

So, dates. I'm writing this on February 10 about the song for February 8 which namechecks September 19 unless you're looking at the Youtube version which namechecks September 16. One

So, dates. I'm writing this on February 10 about the song for February 8 which namechecks September 19 unless you're looking at the Youtube version which namechecks September 16. One of those dates is my birthday. So I'm starting this one off timelost. And the Youtube version of this song

I know you're changing, god damn you for that Sometimes love hurts. Sometimes love causes us to hurt. This is a song under a snow drift about the passage of

I know you're changing, god damn you for that Sometimes love hurts. Sometimes love causes us to hurt. This is a song under a snow drift about the passage of time and the fact that the only way to stop it moving is to kill it, and the times where

not much to say about this one, which isn't the same as not liking it. It's a small punchy account from the singer's life, a story of being unprepared for

not much to say about this one, which isn't the same as not liking it. It's a small punchy account from the singer's life, a story of being unprepared for the cold in a cold place, with cheerful and warm guitar behind it. This is a tough year. We're all

The beauty of the Mountain Goats as a band, a project, whatever, is that they know no limits in terms of genre or experimentation. ThHis is especially true later in

The beauty of the Mountain Goats as a band, a project, whatever, is that they know no limits in terms of genre or experimentation. ThHis is especially true later in the band's progression, but even close-ish to the start as we are now the progress of listening to John work

First appearance in this collection so far of the albun Sweden, which is not about Sweden. There's a small time jump here and it's clear in the confidence and assurance

First appearance in this collection so far of the albun Sweden, which is not about Sweden. There's a small time jump here and it's clear in the confidence and assurance of how the lyrics work with the vocals, on top of a simple but effective guitar through line. This song

There's something calypso-like about the instrumentation of this song, small and jaunty and with an odd sadness behind it. This sadness is enhanced through the lyrics, which much like much

There's something calypso-like about the instrumentation of this song, small and jaunty and with an odd sadness behind it. This sadness is enhanced through the lyrics, which much like much Mountain Goats from this time, are laced with loneliness and regret and romance. This is a small song in many

This is a big open song with big open chords, giving an odd and apocalyptic vision of a fading world. Flowers in dry soil, the birds fleeing for another world,

This is a big open song with big open chords, giving an odd and apocalyptic vision of a fading world. Flowers in dry soil, the birds fleeing for another world, a sense of survivors in a place for the last time This is an empty song. Not in the sense

February opens with a very Violent Femmes place. This is tense storytelling about love going wrong. Several parts of this feel like throw forwards to songs yet to come. The

February opens with a very Violent Femmes place. This is tense storytelling about love going wrong. Several parts of this feel like throw forwards to songs yet to come. The mentions of the young lions coming out has seeds of what will become the Sunset Tree. And the continued presence