The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck

Rating:

For years, The Mountain Goats have been wooing you with their cryptic and lyrical masterpiece songs that are poetry set to various tunes. You’ve fallen in love with their endlessly complex yet simple bank of songs that just keeps on getting bigger. So I’ll save you the introduction to a band that has already made itself a staple in a whole lot of hearts, and I’ll get to the review.

Much of this review and the perception of All Eternals Deck is determined by your current state of affairs with this band. If you like the Mountain Goats already, then this album will be just another reaffirmation of your love for them. If you don’t like the Mountain Goats already, this should be a step in the right direction towards your newfound affection towards them. If you hate them already, stop reading this.

As I’ve mentioned, this album is just another great addition to the overwhelmingly large catalog of songs that this group has already produced. From the first song “Damn These Vampires” begins with the familiar half spoken-half sang vocals of John Darnielle, who never fails to impress me with his delivery. A brilliant voice he has not, Darnielle still manages to convey the raw emotion that is needed for poetry. Despite the title, the first song comes off as an empathetic and encouraging tune for an unknown protagonist. As the tale is spun, you feel encompassed in the lyrics of this band and it’s as if you have been transported into the world of fiction of the Mountain Goats; a place where you will remain for the duration of this album.

Like a great novel, the songs that make up this release all wrap you in their cloak of deception at first, but after some thought, the words begin to make sense and add up to something that cherishable. Early tracks like “Age of Kings” draw you into their cryptic world, with dramatic strings chipping away at the underlying belly of the song. Other works like “High Hawk Season,” incorporate “ohs,” “ahhs,” and harmonies in the chorus from a juxtaposed deep voice that takes some of the nasal from Darnielle. The songs work together to lead you to areas that you never thought a song could, potentially becoming a new favorite work of fiction.

Overall, it’s a really well written work from this group. It warrants many listens trying to decipher just what those words mean. More importantly, what they mean to you as the humble listener.

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Download: The Mountain Goats – Damn These Vampires