The Mountain Goats

Over the course of their last four albums (Tallahassee, We Shall All Be Healed, The Sunset Tree and Get Lonely) and three sell out tours in the last three years John Darnielle, aka The Mountain Goats, has well and truly established himself in Australia. And with good reason. Darnielle’s florid lyrical images and spellbinding turn of phrase, coupled with a knack for the good old fashioned pop hook, has resulted in a ton of airplay and a word of mouth phenomenon that money just can’t buy.

Also renowned for their rich and emotionally affecting live performances, The Mountain Goats have just released a new album, Heretic Pride, another collection loaded with oddball characters and intriguing stories wrapped up in perhaps The Mountain Goats most musically upbeat recording to date.

Heretic Pride contains 13 songs written in a wide variety of places including Fairbanks, Stockholm, Seattle, San Francisco, and Durham, North Carolina. In addition to being geographically all over the map, the songs themselves are about many different stories. A pulp spy novel writer, an imaginary cult, breakup sex, a lake monster, Prince Far I, slasher films and many more characters and stories from the creative brain of John Darnielle.

On Heretic Pride, John is supported by many of his frequent collaborators along with some new ones. Long time collaborator Peter Hughes joins on bass, John Wurster plays drums, Franklin Bruno lends the piano playing and Erik Friedlander plays the cello – very well we might add. St.Vincent’s Annie Clarke adds some guitar and backing vocals, Rachel Ware Zooi and Sarah Arslanian, members of the Bright Mountain Choir add lovely vocal harmonies. Rachel was actually the original bass player in the band!

The album was produced by Scott Solter and John Vanderslice who also contributed some additional percussion (Solter) and some synth (Vanderslice). The album was recorded by Solter along with Aaron Prellwitz at Prairie Sun and was also mixed by Solter.

AND the Mountain Goats are returning to New Zealand this April for a heap of shows! Quite naturally bass player extraordinaire Peter Hughes will be in tow, but they will also be bringing their drummer to New Zealand for the first time, Mr Jon Wurster (who also plays in Superchunk!).

Saturday 19th April : The Kings Arms Tavern : Auckland
Sunday 20th April : San Fran Bath House : Wellington

Tickets on sale 21st February from Real Groovy and ticketmaster.co.nz