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The Mountain Goats

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    #2
    lordgoat
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 11,363 Mod ✭✭✭✭lordgoat


    I would say yes he his, for me he's up there with Elliott Smith and Stephin Merritt, with a mention to Jeff Tweedy (just cos i love Wilco) as the best of my lifetime.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PO4r9m_6Xk


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4y4e56Y6_8



    sing it...

    I DON'T WANNA DIE ALONE....


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    #3
    johnny_ultimate
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 29,230 CMod ✭✭✭✭johnny_ultimate


    I've only gotten into the Mountain Goats recently - with thanks to Owen Pallett for playing a cover of "Alpha Omega" at his last gig - but really digging them. No Children is a new favourite of mine - lordgoat's comparison to the great Stephin Merrit is apt there; both seem to share the same sardonic and playful approach to storytelling. Most of their stuff is on emusic so will keep picking up their albums: have Tallahasee and The Sunset Tree so far, both of which are excellent.


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    #4
    lordgoat
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 11,363 Mod ✭✭✭✭lordgoat


    johnny_ultimate wrote: »
    I've only gotten into the Mountain Goats recently - with thanks to Owen Pallett for playing a cover of "Alpha Omega" at his last gig - but really digging them. No Children is a new favourite of mine - lordgoat's comparison to the great Stephin Merrit is apt there; both seem to share the same sardonic and playful approach to storytelling. Most of their stuff is on emusic so will keep picking up their albums: have Tallahasee and The Sunset Tree so far, both of which are excellent.

    You're in for a treat. They are a truly great band. All on spotify too if you have access to it.


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    #5
    Miguel_Sanchez
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,417 ✭✭✭Miguel_Sanchez


    I'm a big fan myself.

    Watch that Get Lonely album though - it'll crush you if you listen to it in the wrong mood.


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    #6
    Orizio
    Registered Users Posts: 9,460 ✭✭✭Orizio


    johnny_ultimate wrote: »
    I've only gotten into the Mountain Goats recently - with thanks to Owen Pallett for playing a cover of "Alpha Omega" at his last gig - but really digging them. No Children is a new favourite of mine - lordgoat's comparison to the great Stephin Merrit is apt there; both seem to share the same sardonic and playful approach to storytelling. Most of their stuff is on emusic so will keep picking up their albums: have Tallahasee and The Sunset Tree so far, both of which are excellent.

    Get 'We Shall All Be Healed' next.


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    #7
    johnny_ultimate
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 29,230 CMod ✭✭✭✭johnny_ultimate


    Orizio wrote: »
    Get 'We Shall All Be Healed' next.

    Downloading now :)
    Jeff Lebowski wrote:
    Watch that Get Lonely album though - it'll crush you if you listen to it in the wrong mood.

    An emotional crushing, I'm guessing?


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    #8
    Miguel_Sanchez
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,417 ✭✭✭Miguel_Sanchez


    johnny_ultimate wrote: »
    Downloading now :)

    Legally of course.
    An emotional crushing, I'm guessing?

    Well try it for yourself and see - get dumped, go out on the lock and then come home and listen to the title track at 3 in the morning after a night of whiskey and regret. :)


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    #9
    johnny_ultimate
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 29,230 CMod ✭✭✭✭johnny_ultimate


    Jeff_Lebowski wrote: »
    Legally of course.

    This thread actually reminded me that my emusic sub refreshed today. Success!
    Well try it for yourself and see - get dumped, go out on the lock and then come home and listen to the title track at 3 in the morning after a night of whiskey and regret. :)

    Sounds like a lark.


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    #10
    Amazotheamazing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,048 ✭✭✭Amazotheamazing


    He's up there with Will Sheff from Okkervil River and Craig Finn from the Hold Steady as a lyricist imo. All three write in such a way that seems completely natural, though obviously very different.

    All also write from a post or lapsed Catholic point of view, imo.


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    #11
    pauliewallie
    Registered Users Posts: 375 ✭✭pauliewallie


    wow, the mountain goats really are a moderators favourite :D

    never listened before but really liking them, class lyrics ... cheers for posting!


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    #12
    SVG
    Registered Users Posts: 504 ✭✭✭SVG


    Thanks for this thread, sometimes I feel like I need an outlet to express my love for the Mountain Goats!

    I definitely agree that John Darnielle is up there with the great lyricists. He can express such complex characters and emotions and situations so succinctly. I really believe (pretentiousness alert!) that Tallahasse is a Great American Novel with bonus fantastic music.

    And for such a songwriter-driven band, the music is pretty fantastic too. The band is amazingly, life-affirmingly brilliant live! The drummer is amazing. Tracks that can be a little thin on record just sound so full and rocking performed on stage. Darnielle is great with the banter and performances never veer into that coffeehouse singer-songwriter hush hush zone of boredom.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owTxW2cIdpo


    Plus, being so prolific, there's a massive back-catalogue of stuff to discover and enjoy.

    Oh, The Mountain Goats, they're the band that just keeps giving!

    What are people's favourite albums/tracks?


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    #13
    lordgoat
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 11,363 Mod ✭✭✭✭lordgoat


    Up The Wolves - is my favourite track today. If you see light is another fv of mine. And Dance music hasn't gotten old either.

    Get Lonely for the album.


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    #14
    SVG
    Registered Users Posts: 504 ✭✭✭SVG


    I love Get Lonely- it really hangs together as a collection of songs. Moon Over Goldsboro is my favourite track off it. The lyrics are so heartbreaking:

    Walking home I was talking to you under my breath/ Saying things I would never say directly/ I heard a siren on the highway up ahead/Kinda wished they'd come and get me

    At the moment my favourite album is The Coroner's Gambit. There are just so many individual great songs on it- Jaipur, Elijah, Baboon, Scotch Grove... most of the album really! My favourite one though is Insurance Fraud. There's kind of a wry, black sense of humour to it:

    bag full of oily rags, fifty cent lighter/ dreams of retirement in Cancun burning ever brighter/ there's a lot of ways to make money in this world/ but i can't recommend insurance fraud.

    I love it!

    No doubt tomorrow I'll have a new favourite but that's the beauty of a band with a big back-catalogue.


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    #15
    part time punk
    Registered Users Posts: 462 ✭✭part time punk


    No Children was the first song of theirs I heard and is probably still my favourite although This Year off Sunset Tree is another great track. Such dark black humour.


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    #16
    Jim
    Registered Users Posts: 14,181 ✭✭✭✭Jim


    By far my favourite artist (as you can see from my lastfm :pac:). Traveled over to London last week to see him. Excellent show.

    There's just something about his lyrics, v v deep without being too over emotional. I much prefer his rough solo stuff to his polished full band stuff though. I think he only played 2 of the songs I really wanted to hear in London, but when an artist has such a large discography you'll never be happy.
    johnny_ultimate wrote: »
    I've only gotten into the Mountain Goats recently - with thanks to Owen Pallett for playing a cover of "Alpha Omega" at his last gig - but really digging them.

    When he asked if we wanted to hear a Mountain Goats song I was the one shouting "Yes! OH GOD YES!!!!!" :pac:


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    #17
    Jim
    Registered Users Posts: 14,181 ✭✭✭✭Jim


    I didn't bring my cam with me to the London gig for fear of being stopped at the door with it. So here's a quick snap I took with my cam phone for anyone interested!

    63073_432210303859_544473859_5075535_1374217_n.jpg

    Also, setlist;

    1 Samuel 15:23
    Old College Try
    Cotton
    Psalms 40:2
    In the Craters on the Moon
    Your Belgian Things
    Shower
    Cobscook Bay
    The Day the Aliens Came
    Sinaloan Milk Snake Song
    Deuteronomy 2:10
    Enoch 18:14
    Love Love Love
    Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod?
    Going to Georgia
    This Year

    Encore:
    Houseguest (Nothing Painted Blue cover)
    No Children

    Encore 2:
    Lion's Teeth
    The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton

    Encore 3:
    California Song


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    #18
    SVG
    Registered Users Posts: 504 ✭✭✭SVG


    I much prefer his rough solo stuff to his polished full band stuff though. I think he only played 2 of the songs I really wanted to hear in London, but when an artist has such a large discography you'll never be happy.
    His early stuff is so good! I would love to hear The Recognition Scene or Going to Utrecht live. In fact, it'd be great if he did a gig of just Going To songs.

    Tallahassee was the first album I got and it was nice to have a new favourite band that already had a huge back catalogue and not to have to wait 2 years for another 12 songs to obsess over.


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    #19
    lordgoat
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 11,363 Mod ✭✭✭✭lordgoat


    Those Encore's were sweet. If he's thrown Dance Music into that set i'd have been delighted!

    I actually emailed Elec Picnic to tell them to book him for it. They replied and said they had all the acts booked but would love to have had him on the bill. Wasn't sure whether to believe them or not!


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    #20
    GirlOfGlass
    Registered Users Posts: 550 ✭✭✭GirlOfGlass


    I love The Mountain Goats! There's something really soothing about John Darnielle's voice.
    It's just really pure, I love it.


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    #21
    Choochtown
    Registered Users Posts: 1,302 ✭✭✭Choochtown


    ... and I thought i was in a small minority! Definitely one of the greatest songwriters ever. 3 years ago I was left with a list that had been whittled down to 2: Acts I must see before I die. After Tom Waits in Phoenix Park it is down to 1.


    Mr Darnielle get yourself over here!

    Can we start a campaign?


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    #22
    Miguel_Sanchez
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,417 ✭✭✭Miguel_Sanchez


    Has he ever played Ireland?

    I flew to Scotland once to see him play with Micah P Hinson.

    Well worth the trip.


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    #23
    schemingbohemia
    Registered Users Posts: 5,606 ✭✭✭schemingbohemia


    played the Cobblestones a few years ago when the gig venue was upstairs, great gig small crowd.


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    #24
    Howard the Duck
    Registered Users Posts: 1,289 ✭✭✭Howard the Duck


    Yep i'm a mountain goats fan. I think the first song i heard was "Jenny" a few years back and thought it had some fantastic lyrics. But my all time favourite is Matthew 25:21 . I think the last few lines in the song are amazing and it is probably the saddest song you'll ever hear.. might be why i like it so much.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q1V9GbS6so


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    #25
    SVG
    Registered Users Posts: 504 ✭✭✭SVG


    Does anyone have Life of the World in Flux? I'm slightly obsessed with Enoch 18:14 at the minute and I'm wondering if it's worth tracking down.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBY097kLWKw


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    #26
    unknown convict
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭unknown convict


    schemingbohemia wrote: »
    played the Cobblestones a few years ago when the gig venue was upstairs, great gig small crowd.

    October 2002. Played Sligo too.

    130 in the Cobblestone is a small crowd?

    Also played in Slattery's on Capel St. in November 1996.


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    #27
    unknown convict
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭unknown convict


    unknown convict wrote: »
    October 2002.

    http://www.sendspace.com/file/vpfh9q

    Hope this is kosher.


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    #28
    lady of the flowers
    Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭lady of the flowers


    I think you just saved my life! :) wow!


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    #29
    kaki
    Registered Users Posts: 674 ✭✭✭kaki


    Love love love them.

    And yes, Darnielle is in my books one of the best lyricists around.

    All day, all day
    Sweeping out the shards
    Do what I have to do
    Try to start anew
    But I thought of you twice
    Couldn’t help myself
    I don’t know what I need
    Clutching and fingering the rosary beads

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZRoER0Ah54


    TV upstairs,
    Leave it on all night
    Do what I have to do
    Add, subtract, and divide by 2
    But my eyes light up,
    At cops and robbers time
    I hope the bad guys win
    I hope the good guys get their skulls bashed in


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    #30
    The Scientician
    Registered Users Posts: 1,724 ✭✭✭The Scientician


    The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton is in my top whatever songs. I think it's absolutely amazing, in its simplicity and its emotional depth. All the youtube videos for it get trolled by metallers though. :D


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    #31
    johnny_ultimate
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 29,230 CMod ✭✭✭✭johnny_ultimate


    The Scientician wrote: »
    The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton is in my top whatever songs. I think it's absolutely amazing, in its simplicity and its emotional depth. All the youtube videos for it get trolled by metallers though. :D

    That and Fall of the Star High School Running Back is a brilliant two hit combo to open up All Hail West Texas!

    What I love about Mountain Goat songs is how they can be emotionally involving without sentimentality. In Dance Music "So this is what the volume knob's for" acts as both a brilliant punchline and genuinely moving storytelling.

    Roll on next Sunday!


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