LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Over the past year, I've gone from loathing this band to considering them pretty much my favorite indie folk group going right now (I rediscovered them through usage of "No Children" and "Old College Try" on the last season of Moral Orel, a show I sorely miss), and we all know there's a fucking ton out there. That about face seems startling, but their music lends itself well to dissection and repeated listens, thanks in large part to the dense literary references and conceptual overtones of their albums. The music is a lot more simplistic, often utilizing only acoustic guitar, piano, vocals, etc. Doesn't matter though, because John Darnielle has a way with a tune, and that's what sticks with you anyway.
I'm not exactly new to their music, per se, but I suck at working through discographies, so I've only heard four of their albums. The cover of Tallahassee has been my avatar on numerous occasions, and I pimp that album at every opportunity. It absolutely breaks my heart every time I listen to it, cutting through all the bullshit of the breakup album format to get right to the core feelings behind it all. It's one of the most bittersweet albums ever recorded. Also, it earns the prize for most creative/extensive use of similie throughout. Best song:
YouTube - The Mountain Goats - No Children
Another very notable release is The Sunset Tree, a tribute to Darnielle's adolescence, and the regular abuse he took from his stepfather. While Tallahassee often feels decidedly third-person, Sunset Tree is uncomfortably direct. If you connect with story though, and I know many would, especially his reflections on how music shaped his life at the time, it's oddly comforting. Great record. Their earlier, more lo-fi shit is just as good from what I've heard, All Hail West Texas in particular.
Also...
John Darnielle will kill you and your pig if you don't pronounce his name right. It's Dar-kneel, dammit. But he won't storm off stage, so at least he's a step ahead of Morrissey.
I'm not exactly new to their music, per se, but I suck at working through discographies, so I've only heard four of their albums. The cover of Tallahassee has been my avatar on numerous occasions, and I pimp that album at every opportunity. It absolutely breaks my heart every time I listen to it, cutting through all the bullshit of the breakup album format to get right to the core feelings behind it all. It's one of the most bittersweet albums ever recorded. Also, it earns the prize for most creative/extensive use of similie throughout. Best song:
YouTube - The Mountain Goats - No Children
Another very notable release is The Sunset Tree, a tribute to Darnielle's adolescence, and the regular abuse he took from his stepfather. While Tallahassee often feels decidedly third-person, Sunset Tree is uncomfortably direct. If you connect with story though, and I know many would, especially his reflections on how music shaped his life at the time, it's oddly comforting. Great record. Their earlier, more lo-fi shit is just as good from what I've heard, All Hail West Texas in particular.
Also...
John Darnielle will kill you and your pig if you don't pronounce his name right. It's Dar-kneel, dammit. But he won't storm off stage, so at least he's a step ahead of Morrissey.