February 3 - Pure Heat

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 ways, a scrap of a thought over a slight if delightful guitar part. What gives it weight is the growth in John's voice. These lyrics aren't the forced get-through-it emoting of some early Mountain Goats songs, he lingers on lines, exploring their shape and flavour. "fingers dripping kerosene" is a phrase that deserves a turn through the soft palate, and what could be nonsense emerges as fond reminiscence.