Saturday Night Music / The Mountain Goats / "This Year"

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Concert Review: The Mountain Goats - Baltimore 10-10-12

by Matthew Martin

I know that The Mountain Goats aren't typical of a lot of the music discussed here on Farce the Music.  However, I don't think that makes them any less relevant.  The lyrics are poignant, the music compelling, and the delivery heartfelt - The Mountain Goats deserve your attention.

After watching the Nats' crushing defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, a friend and I drove up to Baltimore to witness the great John Darnielle, aka The Mountain Goats, perform in a small bar called Ottobar.  Opening was Matthew E White. 

Matthew E. White was perhaps a bit too ambitious for my tastes.  On stage there was a horn section of three, a percusionist, a drummer, a steel guitar player, a keyboardist, a bassist, and White.  So, with 8 players filling the tiny stage, they proceeded to play a mix of progressive and jam-band rock.  It was fairly good until they would go off on tangents that just weren't my tastes.  Doesn't mean they weren't talented, because they were.  Just feel that maybe they could take some of the filler out in order to create a more concise sound.  I'll let you judge for yourself here. 

The Mountain Goats came on next and were a relief with only 3 members.  It was a stripped-down (comparatively) set with lots of banter and "hits" from the MGs catalog.  The thing about the MGs is that if you are willing to work past his nasally and sometimes hard-to-deal-with voice, you will be rewarded.  The songs are some of the best short stories you will hear.  If you don't believe me, just look at some of the lyrics.  Just Google them.  Some will floor you.  

After you get past how good the lyrics are, there is the complete satisfaction of seeing them perform these songs live.  John Darnielle plays and sings with complete and utter joy.  It is akin to seeing Craig Finn perform.  Where every word is sung with conviction and every phrase ends with a smile on Darnielle's face.

Then, you have the other members of the MGs- Peter Hughes on bass and Jon Wurster on drums.  Peter Hughes creates great bass lines that are simple, but perfect for the songs that he accompanies.  And, Jon Wurster (also the drummer for Superchunk) is like an "indie rock" behind-the-scenes guru.  These two create a great backdrop for the character studies coming from John Darnielle.

They performed songs from the new album Transcendental Youth (you can get it here for cheap), Tallahassee, The Sunset Tree, All Hail West Texas, and more.  Darnielle, as always, looked comfortable and elated on stage where he could share his songs one more night to a group of approving and adoring fans. 

The final 2 songs of the evening were "This Year" and "No Children."   Never have two very heavy songs come off so triumphant.  The former pertaining to years of abuse from his step-father and the latter about the final unfolding of a marriage.  The crowd sang every word in a joyous and raucous manner, leaving no one standing still.  The 2 songs are, in my opinion, the only way to end any Mountain Goats set. 

It took me over a year to finally "get" the MGs.  That is one of the most annoying things people say, right?  You shouldn't have to "get" an artist.  However, if you put in the time to the MGs, the rewards are plenty.  My challenge to you is this: listen to Tallahassee.  It's a song-cycle revolving around the dissolution of a marriage.  Listen to it once more.  Then, if the MGs come around your neck of the woods, go see them.  Many bands love to be playing, and they show it.  But, there are very few bands that give off more elation and more happy-to-be-alive joy than the MGs.  The Hold Steady may be their only equal.